Gifts for travelers – 12 ideas that can travel with them
Frequent travelers have limited backpack space and even less desire for dust collectors. The best gifts for travel enthusiasts are lightweight, practical – or transform a trip into a lasting memory. Here are twelve ideas, sorted by occasion and travel style.
In short, explained
Good gifts for travelers are lightweight, useful on the go, or capture the journey. Packing cubes, a universal travel adapter, a power bank, and a travel journal have proven popular; for memories after the trip, a photo book voucher is ideal. At Vakantio , you can design such a voucher with your own photo and send it by email, as a PDF, or as a real postcard – redeemable for a photo book automatically created from the travel blog (starting at €67.90), or for postcards (€4.90). For world travelers, a year of travel blog access without a subscription (€99.00) is a gift that accompanies them throughout their entire journey.
Ideas by occasion
- Before the trip
- Packing cubes, travel adapter, guidebook, farewell box with letters
- On the way
- Power bank, travel journal, a year's travel blog, postcard voucher
- After the trip
- Photobook voucher, scratch-off world map, culinary world tour
- Small gifts
- Under €20: Packing cubes, travel adapter, postcard voucher from €10
Updated in October 2026
12 Gift Ideas for Travelers
Three of them are from us – the other nine have proven their worth with frequent travelers, no matter where you buy them.
- After the trip
Photobook voucher with your own photo
The perfect gift for anyone whose travel photos would otherwise disappear on their phone. With Vakantio , you personalize the voucher with your own photo and message; the recipient receives a photo book automatically generated from their travel blog – complete with chapters, text, and a route map.
Design a voucher - Small gift
Packing cubes
Keep your backpack organized: A set of packing cubes separates T-shirts, clothes, and cables, saving a surprising amount of space. Lightweight, inexpensive, and almost always welcome among backpackers.
- Small gift
Universal travel adapter
A power adapter that works in most countries worldwide, ideally with USB-C ports. It belongs in every suitcase and is guaranteed to be used.
- On the way
Voucher for real postcards
For those who can never find stamps: postcards with your own photo, sent from your mobile phone, postage included. A voucher starting at €10 is enough for two postcards to be sent home.
Design a voucher - On the way
Lightweight power bank
Navigation, photos, tickets – your battery always seems to run out when you're on the go. For air travel, pay attention to the capacity: up to 100 Wh is allowed in hand luggage.
- On the way
Travel journal for self-writing
For those who enjoy writing with a pen in the evenings. Our travel journal template helps you get started – and those who prefer typing can keep the journal as a travel blog.
Instructions - World trip
A year of travel blogging without borders
The farewell gift before the world trip: a year of Vakantio Explorer, without a subscription. This allows the family to read along privately, including videos and unlimited photos – and after the trip, it will be turned into a photo book.
Design a voucher - After the trip
Scratch-off world map
Scratch off visited countries: A classic for the wall that makes you want to visit the next destination.
- Before the trip
Travel guide or language course for the destination
A good travel guide to your next destination – or a few hours of language lessons. Shows that you're interested in the trip.
- Before the trip
An experience at the destination
A cooking class in Bangkok, a boat tour in Lisbon: A pre-booked experience becomes the highlight of the trip and doesn't take up any space in the suitcase.
- Homemade
Farewell box with letters “Open when…”
The best gift before a trip around the world is often homemade: letters for the journey – “Open when you get homesick,” “…when you celebrate your birthday far away.” Fits in any side pocket.
- After the trip
Culinary world tour
Upon returning home, cook the dishes from the trip together – as an evening at home, using a regional cookbook or a spice set as a gift.
Which gift is suitable for whom?
Gifts for traveling women, men, or couples differ less than you might think – what matters is how someone travels.
| Travel type | Gift idea | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Backpackers and world travelers | Packing cubes, power bank, a year of travel blogging | Lightweight and suitable for daily use on the go |
| Couples | Photobook voucher, experience at the travel destination | A shared memory instead of yet another object |
| Families with children | Postcard voucher, scratch-off world map | Children proudly send their own photos to Grandma and Grandpa |
| Frequent traveler | Universal travel adapter, packing cubes | It's needed on every trip and doesn't replace anything that's already there. |
| After returning | Photobook voucher, culinary world tour | It keeps the journey alive when everyday life returns. |
A travel voucher, designed by the owner
A gift voucher doesn't have to look like an afterthought. At Vakantio , you can personalize it with your own photo – for example, from your last trip together – and a personal message. It will arrive by email on Christmas Eve, as a printable PDF, or as a real postcard by post.
Frequently asked questions about gifts for travelers
What do you give someone who loves to travel?
Ideally, something lightweight that will be needed on the go – packing cubes, a universal travel adapter, or a power bank – or something to document the trip. A photo book voucher is perfect for this: at Vakantio , you design it with your own photo, and the recipient automatically turns their travel blog into a photo book.
What is a good farewell gift before a trip around the world?
Something that takes up hardly any space: letters to open on the go, a lightweight power bank, or a year's worth of travel blog. With Vakantio Explorer (explorerPrice for one year, no subscription required), the family can read along privately, and after the trip, it becomes a photo book.
What are some good small gifts for travelers?
Under €20: Packing cubes, a universal travel adapter, a travel journal or a postcard voucher from Vakantio starting at €10 – this will send two real postcards with your own photo to family and friends.
What do you give as a gift after a trip around the world?
Something to keep the trip alive: a photo book voucher so that the many photos don't stay on your phone, a scratch-off world map, or an evening with dishes from the countries visited.
What do you give as a gift to women or men who love to travel?
What matters is the travel style, not the gender: backpackers appreciate lightweight, practical equipment, leisure travelers a memorable experience at their destination, and those who enjoy photography a voucher for a photo book.
Can I design my own travel voucher?
Yes. At Vakantio , you can design a voucher with your own photo, title, and message – free of charge in the designer at vakantio.de/gutschein. You only pay for the voucher amount; delivery as a postcard costs €4.90 extra.
How do I give a photo book as a gift if the trip isn't over yet?
With a voucher. The recipient redeems it when the trip is over – a Vakantio voucher is valid for three years until the end of the year, the remaining balance is retained.
The gift that remains after the trip
A voucher with your photo – and later a photo book on the shelf.
Design a voucherView the photo book from the travel blog