Have a Nice Trip

The average American employee has two weeks of paid vacation time per year. After about 10 to15 years at a company, that “gift” increases two-fold, on average. Many people know what they want to do, where they want to go. But the unfortunate problem of how to book it exists – there are hundreds of online sites vying for your vacation booking attention:  Priceline, Trivago, TripAdvisor, Expedia, etc. But, helping your customers’ end users to navigate that isn’t the goal here – it’s helping them to enjoy getting there, being there and getting back with promotional products.

There are vacations where overly stressed people just want to relax, tune out, eat and drink while soaking up sun. There are vacations that are centered on being outdoors such as hiking, golfing. And, more trendy are the experiential vacations.

According to Trip Advisor (www.tripadvisor.com), American travelers placed cooking classes(51%) and food tours (49%)  in the top 10 of experiences, with 51% and 49% growth respectively.  Examples include an interactive Spanish cooking experience in Barcelona  and in Rome, a guided street food tour. The largest growth area is historical/heritage experiences, sunset cruises, snorkeling, sailing trips, catamaran cruises and kayaking/canoeing.

And, points out Carrie Lewis of BIC Graphic, pet-friendly travel has increased exponentially; she cites another TripAdvisory survey, which found that 53% of people travel with their pets and 52% will only stay at pet-friendly properties. “Traveling with a pet can be a hassle, so being prepared and organized helps alleviate issues before they start,” she comments. BIC Graphics’ pet accessory bag (#45730) includes multiple pockets for storing supplies and 2 collapsible bowls for food and water.

Traveling for vacation today is much more complicated, and certain trends have arisen. Being unencumbered is very important, says Brannon Craig of Southern Plus. “Hands free ‘hauling’ is becoming more and more important. Like a purse, a sling pack is quick and easy to don and doff, as it only involves a single shoulder,” he describes.  “With features like ear bud ports, and tech pockets, it keeps your tech accessories easy to access, even when your client’s end-users are on the move.”

 “When it comes to travel bags, backpacks are definitely the winners,” agrees Stephanie Schroeter of Logomark. For example, Logomark’s new Pelican bags (PL4001, PL4002, PL4000) have a rugged and water-resistant construction (1000D nylon outer shell and each zipper features coated pulls and water-resistant YKK zippers). The zippered, internal pockets allow end-users to safely store their valuables without having to worry about pick-pockets or losing their hard-to-replace possessions like passports, credit cards, driver’s license, etc. They also feature a dedicated, padded compartment to store a laptop or tablet – and for added safety, it is protected with a Loop and Lock zipper pull system.

“Another cool feature is the top front, zippered pocket with compression molded EVA – perfect to store your sunglasses or anything else delicate that needs some protection,” she describes. Taking into consideration that the client’s recipients will also likely be doing quite a bit of walking during their travels (city tours, hiking, etc), these Pelican backpacks also offer a high degree of comfort with compression molded shoulder straps and adjustable sternum straps.”

Schroeter adds that a huge trend towards versatile travel sets (for example GC1560)  is especially appreciated for all the tech people tote with them. These sets contain multiple options for charging devices (power bank, USB car charger, USB wall charger, etc), in a zippered case. Having an always charged phone during travel is especially important when outdoors or in large tourist areas.

Lewis agrees, stating, “remaining connected is essential for frequent travelers, which means people are carrying more technology than ever before. COCOON™ makes a unique product called GRID IT® (#26040) that uses rubberized woven elastic with endless configurations to hold digital devices and small personal items firmly in place for quick accessibility. And for vacations that center around aquatic activities, a water-resistant bag like the 5L Adventure Dry Sack (#15786) can help keep items dry while kayaking, canoeing or boating.”

Safety concerns today are different than a decade ago for travelers. According to Kevin Andrews of PolyConcept North America, a relatively new trend in travel are RFID (radio-frequency identification) products.   When traveling, your client’s end-users can keep their data safe “with PCNA’s assortment of RFID blockers. For example, the RFID Blocker Phone Case (#SM-2571) is a flip-open case that fits most smartphones and blocks all signals from incoming phone calls, text messages, and other electronic notifications. It can also block WiFi and Bluetooth® signals while the phone is sealed inside the case.

He adds that Leed’s Elleven™ RFID Ankr Ready Wallet (#9555-02) allows the recipient to hold a passport and three credit cards or two cards and card wallet (#9555-03). The mesh pocket can hold a large cell-phone while the inner slash pocket is perfect for cash. “Plus, kiss losing stuff goodbye,” he says, “because the ANKR Bluetooth Tracker (#9555-01) can be added to the integrated pocket which lets the recipient know before his or her wallet is left behind.”

Josette Bosse of Bay State Specialty Co. points to the pill box (#H283) as a “perfect little travel buddy.” It features six, easy-to-fill compartments, each with snap-tight lids; Both sides fold together, held by a safety latch that securely locks the box and protects the contents; To open and close safety latch, squeeze sides tightly together.  “I actually use it to pack my jewelry when I travel, and it keeps everything organized and untangled,” she relates. “Recipients can also use it for ear buds and charging cords too.”

According to a May 2017 article appearing on www.smallbiztrends.com, several “must-have” travel accessories, notably for business travelers, include a protective case to safely store gadgets, power station, digital luggage scale, travel neck pillow, adjustable footrest, headphones, universal charger (with several types of outlets for international travel), and  USB wall charger. Many suppliers provide these for logos, as promotional items.

Because more airlines are charging bag fees, business travelers are turning to carry-on sized bags, and are switching to backpacks or sling packs as one of their two carry-on bags, according to Craig. These fit in overhead and under seat compartments, and often double as a briefcase and/or purse. 

Andrews agrees, emphasizing that business travelers prioritize convenience and comfort. These end-users, he says, “need to be able to grab their stuff and go to their next meeting, or to the convention center. Items like Bullet’s SM-7100 Packing Cube Set help them stay organized and comes with two cubes, one medium and one small.  When not in use these cubes easily fit into each other for storage,” he describes.

Power banks, say both Schroeter and Lewis, have seen a large increase as professionals use their phones for meeting scheduling, and so much more.  Charging the phone can be a challenge depending on where the executive travels. “Just think about the last time you were at an airport –everybody gathering around an outlet or charging station,” Schroeter comments. “A good power bank gives business travelers more freedom and allows them to be mobile without the worry of running out of battery on their phones and tablets.”

Lewis adds that ensuring tech devices are charged and secure makes traveling (business and pleasure) more enjoyable and safe. “A small but mighty power bank like the myCharge® RazorXtra (#32145) can keep multiple devices powered-up while on the move. Traveling with a 2 Port 2.1A Wall Adapter (#32118) alleviates the frustration of not enough charging ports or power in the hotel at the end of the day,” she describes.

Overall, observes Craig, travel  is a part of almost everyone’s life, and personal, experiential travel is a passion of many people. With that in mind, he says, “putting a logo on something that supports a travel passion connects the brand at the heart level and creates an affinity to the promotional brand.  Business travel is more of a necessity for most, and therefore those who do it regularly are always seeking ways to streamline the process and make it more comfortable and convenient for themselves.  Branding something that will help them achieve this is very impactful.  If they use it, the brand will be seen regularly by the user and those that they encounter during their travel.” 

Lewis believes that promotional products are valuable to business because they help extend memorable experiences once travelers return home. Beyond corporate businesses providing travel items for employees, she notes, think of tourism agencies, recreation facilities, parks, museums and businesses located near popular tourist spots. “All of these can build customer loyalty and repeat business using destination marketing campaigns that include branded products.

And, don’t forget such versatile items that are useful during travel as well, such as earbuds, water bottles, and even breath mints. Most people go somewhere far away – whether it be for pleasure or for business and often combining both – and your client can make such trips more enjoyable, and convenient (as well as safe) for their employees, vendors and preferred customers and clients.  

CASE STUDY

Josette Bosse of Bay State Specialty Co.:  “An electronic provider sold and serviced headphones, headsets and microphones. They used these medicine boxes(#H283)  to store their headphone parts. The wiring, earpieces and parts fit perfectly into each compartment. They would use these boxes to ship the new and serviced parts back to customers. They printed their company name, logo and website.”