Got a frequent traveller in your life that you need to shop for, or are you preparing for a big trip of your own?
Regardless of your situation, you’ve come to the right place if you’re looking for must-have gifts for travellers.
Here are 15 of our most highly recommended travel accessories, from hotel slippers to travel-size skincare kits:
Luggage Tags
If you’re shopping for stocking stuffers or looking for a gift on a budget, a luggage tag should be one of the first things on your list.
Choose a brightly coloured one that will make it easy for the recipient to locate their luggage on a crowded conveyer belt.
Passport Holder
Another affordable gift is a passport holder or travel document organizer. These come in many different designs and materials, from water-resistant polyester for the adventurous traveller to high-quality leather for the fashionista on the go.
Eye Mask
Sleeping on planes and in cars is notoriously difficult, and most hotels aren’t exactly known for luxurious blackout curtains either.
Help the traveller in your life squeeze a nap in by giving them a travel eye mask to block out the light.
Look for one that comes with a carrying bag to protect it from dirt and stains en route.
Travel Pillow
On the subject of sleeping on planes, a travel pillow is an absolute must for that.
If your loved one takes a lot of overnight flights, then you should definitely consider getting them a washable travel pillow that they can use for sleeping on planes.
Slippers
Nobody wants to walk around a dirty hotel room in socks or (even worse!) bare feet, which is why a set of comfy slippers are the perfect gift for the frequent traveller.
Get a pair that’s machine washable so they can just toss the slippers into the wash when they get back instead of worrying about special cleaning procedures.
Compression Socks
Sitting for hours in a plane or car isn’t exactly great for your circulation, and it can cause blood and lymph to pool in your lower body.
To counteract these effects, get them a pair of compression socks, which apply gentle pressure on the feet and calves to encourage blood to keep flowing.
White Noise Machine
Give the gift of good sleep with a portable white noise machine that fits in the palm of your hand.
Having a separate white noise machine instead of just using an app ensures that they never have to worry about their phone running out of battery.
Travel Size Skincare Sets
Let’s face it. Refilling those TSA-approved travel-size bottles is a pain (not to mention time-consuming and messy!).
Save your loved one the hassle by giving them an anti-aging skincare set that comes with all their favourite products in miniature bottles already.
Toiletry Bag
Speaking of toiletries, every traveller needs a sturdy toiletry bag to hold their essential skincare products.
Look for one made of water-resistant fabric that will be easy to wipe off in case anything spills, and try to choose one with a hook so they can hang it up in the bathroom instead of taking up precious counter space.
Foldable Water Bottle
Airport bottled water is super expensive, but nobody wants to lug a super-heavy stainless steel water bottle around the entire trip.
Instead, consider getting them a portable water bottle made of plastic or silicone that they can fold up and put away when they’re not using it.
Packing Cubes
Whether your recipient never takes more than a carry-on or always checks a bag, packing cubes are the key to keeping luggage organized.
If they don’t own them already, give them a set of packing cubes to keep their items corralled.
Note that most packing cube sets are designed for carry-ons, so they might need several sets to fill a checked bag.
Portable Soap and Laundry Bag
Doing laundry on the ground can enable travellers to pack fewer clothes, but nobody wants to waste time sitting in a laundromat when they could be out doing fun things.
Enter a portable washing bag and travel detergent pods, which make it easy to wash a few items in the sink, and then hang them up to dry while you go out.
Travel Towel
A traditional beach towel takes up way too much room in luggage, not to mention it takes forever to dry.
Instead, opt for a microfiber travel towel, which takes up a fraction of the space and dries in a flash.
Choose from various sizes, from hand towels to full beach towels, depending on your recipient’s needs.
Bluetooth Adapter
Aeroplanes haven’t exactly caught up with the wireless headphones revolution, which means that most in-flight TV requires a set of headphones with a jack — unless you have a Bluetooth adapter, that is.
These dongles plug into the TV headphone port and then sync to your wireless headphones so that you don’t have to bother with packing multiple pairs.
Power Bank
Sometimes you need to charge your phone but there’s no power outlet to be found. Enter the portable power bank, which helps keep your devices powered up even when you can’t get to a power outlet.
Some are even as small as a tube of lipstick, making it easier to slip into a bag.
What are your other must-have items for travel? Have you given or received a travel gift that you absolutely loved? Let us know in the comments below!