Best hotel and travel vouchers to gift for Christmas and beyond for when travel returns
- The pandemic has pushed many hotels and travel groups to offer additional value for their gift vouchers, some with no expiration dates
- Best deals include at some of Asia’s most amazing hotels, including Nihi Sumba in Indonesia and Rayavadee in Thailand
The travel industry was one of the first to feel the crushing financial blow of Covid-19 and continues to be one of the hardest hit sectors, with the World Travel and Tourism Council warning in June that 197 million jobs could be lost by the end of 2020. While the vaccine brings the promise of a brighter future, it’s still hard to know how many businesses may be able to recover, how long it’s all going to take and how many livelihoods might be lost along the way.
Grounded, subject to often drastic quarantine measures and with no idea when they might be able to travel freely again, people might feel as though there’s little they can do to help. This holiday season, however, provides an opportunity to support the travel industry while cheering ourselves up in the process.
Travel is the gift that keeps on giving, from the anticipation of booking a dream break and the friends you make along the way to the communities it helps to build and the memories we cherish over the years.
Buying travel gift cards is one small way to chip in. In essence, travel gift cards amount to an interest-free loan from consumers to businesses. Providing this kind of cash up front could save the hospitality industry millions of dollars in interest over the next year, as well as sustain jobs and stimulate economic recovery.
And it’s not just businesses that benefit: prepaying gives travellers the opportunity to budget for their next holiday and focus on something positive for the future. Vouchers also make thoughtful Christmas presents.