A multi-part Holiday Inn Souvenir Study revealed that assorted spices from India, fossilised bird dropping and Australian didgeridoo are among the souvenirs received and bought by travellers from around the Asia, Middle East and Africa region. According to the study, which polled 900 jetsetters from Australia, India, Japan, the Middle East, South Africa and Southeast Asia, respondents describe the trinkets, tokens and, in some cases, throwaways, they have received from friends and loved ones returning from abroad.
On a scale of ‘love’ to ‘hate’ and from ‘wacky’ to ‘wonderful’, local keepsakes like Vietnamese coffee and African drums scored high on the ‘love it’ scale, while educational or novelty items like sushi-shaped USB flash drives gathered average score.
People across the region are happy to receive food and art or antique pieces reflecting an authentic experience. Similarly, travellers who like elements of surprise are fans of souvenirs such as a sheep’s wool belly button warmer from New Zealand.
LeeLin Teo, brand marketing director, Holiday Inn Brand Family at InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), said, “These insightful and sometimes humorous results from the Holiday Inn Souvenir Study helps us delve into the psyche of travellers from across this diverse region through the sort of souvenirs they both buy and like to receive. They want to bring home a part of their travels and share their experiences with friends, family and colleagues. By uncovering the type of souvenirs that travellers prefer to receive, we want to inspire our guests with clever ideas when shopping around for souvenirs.”
“Love them or hate them, wacky and wonderful souvenirs are simply memorable, proving that there are more ways than one to leave a lasting impression. From this research, we will look at how we can help our guests find the perfect and most memorable memento from their travels”, he added.
The first two parts of the study reveal the ‘Evolution of Souvenirs’ as well as the ‘Value of Souvenirs’, which investigates souvenir-buying habits and preferences of travellers from across the region.