This Type Of Travel Souvenir Is The Biggest Waste Of Money

According to the BBC, fully two-thirds of Americans brought back a remembrance of their travels during the year 2022. In dollar terms, that's a whopping $21 billion in merch. While that's an impressive number to be sure, another study by the ABTA, a trade association for U.K. travel agents, indicates that overall spending on souvenir purchases is actually on the decline. According to 2024 data from ABTA Travel Money, 58% of travelers report spending less on tchotchkes while abroad than on previous soujourns.

The reasons for cutting back are almost equally divided between three different factors. Not having as much money available to spend during a soft economy or recession is an obvious reason, but there are also concerns over generating waste from unused items, plus the sentiment that buying bric-a-brac is simply outdated. Regarding the latter, a wider swath of society now travels, so it may no longer be necessary to purchase souvenirs for friends, family, and coworkers who may be abroad themselves in the near future.

Additionally, airline restrictions on luggage size, weight, and quantity can also dictate the scope of a traveler's shopping spree. For example, most U.S.-based airlines have a weight limit of 50 pounds for checked bags, although some are as low as 40 pounds. Exceeding that weight limit or checking an additional bag can trigger fees between $50 and $150, depending on the airline. Therefore, it's imperative to consider whether that space-hogging memento is truly worth it.

Even if a vacationer is able to transport their gift shop booty while steering clear of the sneaky ways airlines add fees, like additional luggage or overweight bags, there's the chance that fragile purchases could get broken or otherwise damaged during the flight home. With that in mind, it's worth considering if what you're purchasing is truly unique or if it can be bought at home instead. 

Travelers will also want to exercise caution when bringing food and beverages back home. It's beyond the scope of this article to list all the customs restrictions; however, vacation goers should err on the side of caution to avoid possible disciplinary action or fines.

For example, it's almost completely forbidden to bring meat or products containing meat into the United States. It's generally safe to bring back a remembrance in the form of cooking oils, spices, coffee, candy, and the like. Most types of alcohol are also permitted to bring back to the U.S., but the state in which you'll first arrive determines the quantity limits. For full details, travelers may wish to visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website.

Another concern that's thwarting souvenir purchases is a fear of wasting money on counterfeit items. In some cases, foreign-made fakes far outnumber their genuine counterparts. For instance, fully 75% of Indigenous Australian take-home items like boomerangs and didgeridoos were discovered to be sourced from Indonesia. Sometimes, it can be difficult to determine the origin of an item definitively if the merchant is less than honest. However, if you see nearly identical items being sold everywhere, they are typically mass-produced copies.

The word souvenir comes from the French for "memory." Indeed, travelers will be well served to restrict their purchases to items with special meaning — items that bring back memories of a great trip. Does the item truly have significance to you, or is it the herd mentality to purchase something from that famous attraction?

To be clear, we're not suggesting that you remove all the fun of impulsively buying a t-shirt, postcard, or cheesy refrigerator magnet. However, do consider whether more expensive items have meaning, are unique and authentic to the area, and are easily brought home without extra fees or running afoul of customs officers. If anything, the money saved on the gewgaw can be spent on meals at local restaurants (Rick Steves warns against your hotel's dining room) or experiences instead.