The perfect present for the travel enthusiast who already has everything they could ever need.
ADVERTISEMENTWe’ve all received Christmas gifts we don’t really want. Objects that end up stashed in the back of the cupboard, collecting dust.
The value of quality time spent together has never been more obvious. And with travel hopefully picking up in 2022 after the missed opportunities in the last two years, the popularity of giving the gift of travel itself is growing.
So why not give the travel enthusiast in your life something that will keep on giving well beyond the festive season? It doesn’t take up space, is easy to purchase and can be sent worldwide if you aren’t able to see your loved ones this year.
Here are our favourite subscriptions and memberships to gift this Christmas.
For the castle enthusiast: Historic Scotland Membership
A Historic Scotland Membership gives free access to heritage attractions across the country - including Edinburgh Castle. There are over 5,000 years of history to explore with museums, palaces and abbeys everywhere from busy cities like Glasgow all the way to the Orkney Islands.
Purchasing a membership also does good by helping preserve Scotland’s historic sites for future generations.
You also get free entry to heritage attractions on the Isle of Man and half-price entry to those in England and Wales during your first year. If they choose to renew their membership next year, attractions in England and Wales will become free.
Prices start at £58 (€68) for an adult membership with discounts for concessions and young people. Find out more about pricing and family memberships here.
For the sustainable traveller: No Fly Travel Club
More people than ever are interested in cutting the environmental impact of their travel and what better way to do that than taking a trip that doesn’t involve flying.
No Fly Travel Club curates ethical, sustainable trips around the world that are created in partnership with local suppliers - all without stepping foot on a plane.
Membership allows you to customise trip itineraries, save money from the first holiday you book and gives you access to impact reports that highlight the difference your flight free journey has made. It also allows you to get the first pick of limited dates and discounts.
Both individual and joint memberships are available starting at £79 (€93). Find out more here.
For the motorhome owner: Brit Stops and France Passion
Driving around in a motorhome can mean endless searching for campsites and places to stop. But it doesn’t have to. These two schemes offer hundreds of alternative places to park up including vineyards, farms and gourmet experiences.
France Passion covers safe overnight stays across the country for self-contained motorhomes, vans or converted vans with their own water and waste. There are more than 2,000 free sites and 10,000 overnight parking spaces available. Members will be sent a guide showing all the destinations available in 2022. Find out more here.
Brit Stops does the same but for motorhome owners in the UK, creating a network of “pit stops” around the country which supports small businesses and producers Although the 2021 guide is all sold out, a Christmas gift voucher is available where the 2022 edition will be posted to the recipient as soon as it is published. Find out more here.
For period drama addicts: National Trust Membership
Open the door to some of the most famous backdrops to period dramas with a National Trust membership. Filming locations that members can visit include houses used in Pride and Prejudice, Downton Abbey and Poldark.
It isn’t just historic houses either with more than 500 places in the care of the National Trust, there’s natural beauty and incredible gardens to enjoy too. The money you pay goes back into preserving the hundreds of houses, close to one million objects and vast areas of coastline, countryside and green space under the organisation’s care.
Members also get free parking at most sites and car parks across National Trust sites - including a number of beaches. Memberships start at £72 (€84) with discounts for young people and families, find out more about gifting one here.
ADVERTISEMENTFor language lovers: Rosetta Stone Membership
Learning a new language can open up a whole new world of experiences while travelling. If you are buying for someone who has everything then the gift of learning could be the perfect option.
Rosetta Stone has more than 24 different languages available including Dutch, Arabic, French and Japanese. And for the first time ever, the service is offering a lifetime subscription to learn all of them if you so choose. Not just a gift that keeps giving all year round but one that will keep giving well into the future.
There are other options available for single languages and annual subscriptions too. Find out more here.
