Want to understand why some gifts are more successful than others? Why luxury brands are increasingly looking towards fulfilling experiences? Or why millennial travellers are heading for the trees?
Here’s a rundown of the interesting research we’ve found recently on everything from the science behind gift-giving to emerging trends in luxury and experiential travel.
The ultimate luxury for millennial travellers? Nature
An interesting new report from Skift shows that millennials are looking to escape the overstimulation of their daily lives when they holiday, and heading back to nature. Experiences that bring serenity, and closeness to wildlife are becoming seen as the new luxury travel:
““Whether it’s building a fire, learning the ancient art of fly fishing, jumping in the river after a sauna, or sharing fire roasted tout on a communal table under the stars with the sound of the river in the background – the luxury is in the experience of being connected to nature and to one another in a deeper way.”
If you struggle to find personal space and quiet time, escaping to a digital detox even for a few hours could be just the thing to restore balance in your mind. Hot spring sessions, nature hikes, wildlife encounters and expeditions into the wilderness – if you know someone who would love something like that, there’s no better present than a Tinggly gift experience.
Desirability versus Feasibility
Do we suck at giving gifts? This video from the Atlantic suggests not only that many of us do, but luckily there is a formula to improve.
Step 1: When it comes to giving gifts, the giver is more likely to favour desirability, such as a very stylish, probably expensive, and in many cases impractical handbag. Whereas recipients are more likely to prefer feasibility (practicality), and instead of a luxury bag they’re likely to always be worrying about losing or damaging, they might want to have a hard-wearing, functional bag with lots of handy pockets.
Step 2: The advice goes on to state that, when in doubt, the perfect gift for anyone is usually cash. But that of course neglects sentimentality – handing over a wad of money is very impersonal.
Step 3: The answer? Just ask the recipient what they would like. That way you know they’ll be satisfied, and it’s less work for the giver.
Yet in our opinion, that takes away all the fun of giving someone a gift. Surely it’s better to look at something like an experience gift – they’re practical, as they can easily fit in with someone’s interests, schedule and travel plans. And while they don’t have the flexibility of cash, an experience gift voucher can be used against any of 100s of fun activities around the world. With Tinggly, you’re not asking someone what they want to have, you’re asking them what they want to feel.
Luxury travellers seek personal fulfilment from their travel experiences
The luxury traveller is always hunting for the next level of exclusivity, and as experiential travel becomes ever more accessible, thanks in part to our own amazing range of gift experiences, personal fulfilment is more of a driver.
Meaningful transformative experiences that develop you as a person, be that a cookery masterclass, a back-to-basics bushcraft lesson, or a volunteer program that enables you to give back to society while also learning new skills, are growing rapidly in popularity.
That’s the great thing about giving someone a wide choice of experiences to choose from, as it helps them to attain their goals and take steps towards the person they’d like to be.
Five great philosophies on gift-giving
We loved this recent collection of articles by Quartzy that outline some philosophies on how to find someone the perfect gift.
- The Black Jean Approach – give them what they ask for.
- The Fancy Candle Philosophy – the most luxurious gifts are totally unnecessary
- The Pasta Class Theory – quality time is more valuable than stuff
- The Love Letter Method – helping someone to love themselves
- The Homemade Cookie Concept – homemade gifts are warm, personal and widely applicable