On the lighter side of life – frequent travellers can acquire a range of keepsakes from global travels, but they can be quite an eclectic collection

5 February, 2021

A quick look around our office space or homes can often help remind us of our global travels. An aircraft model from an airline partner, a miniature of a famous landmark, a sports shirt, woven rug, a bottle of spirits, a bead necklace, even an umbrella. Whether purposely or not, we tend to collect such memorabilia. Some are gifts from conferences or business meetings, others were quick ways to spend left over currency in airport shops.

Personally, it is now a year since I last travelled beyond the local community. A trip to shops or the twice daily school run has been as exciting as it has got. But, looking around my loft office I see so many memories from decades of travel.

From small statues of the Eiffel Tower (Paris), The Little Mermaid (Copenhagen) and Manneken Pis (Brussels); via the numerous aircraft models from airlines of varying scale; to the Concorde flight certificate and engine fan blade on display; each provides a special memory at a time when we are all deflated by the lack of travel.

Whether travelling for business or leisure grabbing a local souvenir has become part of the experience. We all know someone with a fridge full of magnets from far away destinations and novelty mugs and glasses in the cupboard from places once visited.

A new study by Club Med has now illustrated the most popular (and in some cases peculiar) souvenirs from around the world.

Many are obvious. With its famously unpredictable weather, it's no surprise that the UK's most popular souvenir is an umbrella, while for visitors to Australia it is a boomerang, a globally recognised symbol of the country that is used by Aboriginal Australian peoples for hunting. However, It can really vary from textiles to sweet treats, even weapons!

What are the best and worst souvenirs you have collected from your travels?

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