One Gift That Works for Every Traveller on Your List

Attention and time are the most memorable things you can give someone, and a well-chosen present comes a close second. Over the past decade I have drifted steadily away from bulky gifts that have to be carried home after a wedding or a birthday, and towards experiences instead. Some years ago I found a single service that made the whole business simple, and it has become my default answer whenever someone on my list loves to travel.

That service is Tinggly. What follows is not a catalogue of everything it sells, but a set of suggestions by occasion, drawn from presents I have actually sent and, in one case, redeemed myself.

What Tinggly actually is

Tinggly is a gifting company built around one idea: gifting happiness, emotions, and inspiration rather than objects. You choose a themed collection, add a message, and send it as a digital voucher or as a physical box in the post. The recipient then decides the country, the city, the date and the number of people, choosing from roughly 100,000 experiences and 150,000 hotel stays across more than 100 countries. Nothing expires, which removes the quiet pressure of a present that has to be used before a deadline.

Every purchase also plants one or more trees and offsets CO2 emissions. That detail mattered little to me when I first started buying these boxes; it matters a great deal now.

For the solo traveller, or a friend you want to spoil

Start with the Essential Collection, one of the three ranges Tinggly launched with. I remember it clearly, because I sent it to friends and eventually bought one for myself, then used it to eat my way around Lisbon on a food tour. For someone travelling alone, or for a close friend whose tastes you know well, it is the least risky place to begin.

For a partner

Be My Valentine, A Date in NYC and the Fun Together collection all lean towards couples. Perfect for Her and Perfect for Him are there if you would rather not assume anything. Love language aside, the thought is what lands.

For thank-yous, weddings and farewells

My own favourite is the Premium Collection, the box I have given more often than any other. I have spent a long time browsing its locations and experiences, and the people who received it have used it for a gondola ride in Venice, a guided tour of the Colosseum in Rome and a day trip out of Kuala Lumpur. The Thank You Collection covers similar ground when the occasion is lighter.

For a graduation or a move abroad

Travel is education by another route, and a gift of adventure is a way of sparking curiosity at exactly the moment someone needs it. The Bucketlist Collection, Experience the World and Adventure Awaits all suit a person starting a new chapter, and each gives them something to look forward to rather than another object to pack.

For the foodie

Taste the World gathers more than 1,000 experiences with food at the centre. If your friend or favourite couple plans trips around what they will eat, keep this one in mind for the next occasion.

For a birthday

I have spent more than one birthday in an amusement park, so I understand the appeal of a day out. The real pleasure of the Happy Birthday Collection, though, is that the choice belongs to the person receiving it: a day at a spa, a morning of kayaking, a whale-watching trip or a quiet sunset boat ride with friends. Whatever they pick, they will remember who sent it.

For a wedding, honeymoon or anniversary

Just Married, Dream Wedding and Getaway Gifts are aimed at couples marking a milestone. Last Christmas we drove across California for two weeks on our honeymoon, from San Francisco down to San Diego, following the coast and stopping in small towns along the way. When we checked our older Tinggly vouchers we found two unused, and learned that the credit could be combined into a single booking. That is how we ended up in an ocean-front room at the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa and Marina for two nights over New Year.

My favourite part was watching the sea lions and otters along that stretch of coast. After long days of sightseeing, a cocktail by the pool and the fireworks seen from our balcony were exactly what we needed. Happily Ever After is the other option if you want something more ceremonial.

For the winter holidays

Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday and Merry and Bright take care of December. I was surprised to find newer boxes for Father's Day and Mother's Day as well. Shopping at that time of year is stressful enough; having one reliable answer for every traveller on the list removes a good deal of it.

For the occasions that deserve something bigger

The Ultimate Collection and Once in a Lifetime sit at the top of the range, for milestones that warrant more than a gesture. If none of the above fits, a gift card is a perfectly good fallback and still nudges someone towards a trip.

Which experience would you give?

I would like to know what you would choose for the travellers in your life, and which collection matches the people you buy for. Tell me in the comments below.