Traveling to a distant location for business purposes is exciting and tedious at the same time. This is because the travelers enjoy the reward of fun adventures, while still dealing with the stress of packing everything.
If you are planning to buy a gift to such a person, you would have to consider the things which would make their hustle easier and more enjoyable while traveling.
Perhaps they need a soft fluffy pillow to support their neck as they travel? Or maybe they need a stylish carryon backpack to store their items?
There are hundreds of gift ideas suitable for business travelers. To narrow down your choices, we’ve rounded up the best ones in this write-up.
Gifts for Someone who Travels a lot for Work
From backpacks to USB adapters, these gifts will make your traveling buddy more comfortable, organized and entertained throughout the business trips.
1. Travel neck pillows
A travel neck pillow is one of the top items that a business traveler packs for the long haul flights. They provide extra comfort for both the short and the long travel distances.
You will find many pillows in the market, and most of them won’t support the neck comfortably as expected. Cabeau Evolution Travel Pillow (Amazon Link), on the other hand, is crazy comfortable and holds your neck fully and in ergonomic position when sleeping. As a person who travels by air quite often, and has tested a few, this is by far the best travel pillow I’ve had.
I’m quite huge so the pillow is generally big. So, you might have to look with other brands if you need a smaller one.
2. A travel blanket
A sleek and warm blanket would also be a perfect gift for a business traveler. It would ensure that they remain warm throughout the journey, irrespective of the weather.
The best travel blanket should be not only warm but also foldable and easy to carry around.
3. Desk globe
Desk globe might not be something that the traveler will carry every time with them when they are on air, but it’s a perfect accessory to keep in their home or office. It is a quirky conversion tool as well as wanderlust-inspiring planning piece for your next adventures.
We, travelers, like to mark our next moves. They are visible enough and thus allow the traveler to see the specific countries which they have visited by simply bright coloring them. Thankfully, there are many options for this globe maps. You can choose the large, small or travel sized ones.
Your favorite business traveler will, therefore, use it to daydream about the next destinations, at the comfort of their home or work desk.
4. Travel journal
A travel journal is one of the greatest gift ideas you can ever think of for your business traveler friend. It is not only used to keep a record of “this is what I did today,” but also helps in tracking budgets, expenses, and drawing the plans.
There are many types of journals, with each one of them being designed differently depending on its target market. This means that you should also be specific when making your purchase. I have used many journals, but I can greatly recommend the Moleskine Passion Travel journal.
It’s explicitly meant for business travelers, it is tabbed and specialized with two different sections; the budgeting section, and the blank section. Whatever type you settle on, make sure that it is small enough and portable.
Here is an article on a few pointers when writing a travel journal that’s worth reading.
5. Life Straw Filtered Water Bottle
This is a must-have tool, especially for international business travelers. The bottle cleans up to 99.9% of all waterborne bacteria and parasites from water sources. Life Straw bottle(Amazon Link) is particularly helpful in the countries where the quality of water is an issue. You will, therefore, keep your dear one safe from diseases by gifting them with this water bottle.
I also use mine during hiking trips, and I can assure you that the bottle is worth investing in. You can get the minimalist straw version for the people who like to use their own containers- the version handles up to 1000 liters.
6. Portable Charger(Power Bank)
As we all know, cameras, Smartphones, and other portable gadgets are some of the things that a traveler cannot afford to leave at home. They are particularly important to business travelers as they constantly need to check the incoming calls, answer important calls, or even scroll the social media pages.
The portable charger would be a ridiculously great gift which they would appreciate in each trip, especially if he or she doesn’t own a smart backpack. It would save them the frustration that comes after the smartphone goes low on power, especially during the long business trips.
There are many chargers in the market. To select the best, ensure that it is highly portable, and can fully charge a smartphone up to 3 times! Personally, I use the Anker Power Core 10,000(Amazon Link) for recharging my Kindle, cameras and much more
7. Travel cord organizer bag
You probably know how cumbersome it can be to travel either domestically or internationally with various adapters and cords.
From earphones to chargers, connector cables to batteries, the luggage can be messy and thus need to be safely packed somewhere. The cord organizer(Amazon Link) ensures that the travelers sit comfortably on the flight and that the cables do not get lost.
8. Universal phone camera lens
While I recommend business travelers to purchase good travel cameras, we still use our Smartphones as the primary mode of capturing our immediate moments. What’s crazy nowadays is that the new Android, Samsung and Apple phones have good cameras which rival the entry-level DSLRs.
A clip-on lens gives the user an opportunity to be creative when capturing the pictures, including the fisheye lens and wide-angle lens for excellent close-up photography and much more. Trust me they are all fun to use!
9. USB travel adapter/Universal plug
A while ago, travelers used to lug around with high voltage converters when traveling between countries whose standard voltage was less than 220v. Thankfully, most electronic devices now comfortably accept voltages, and thus travelers only need a simple converter.
This is where the travel adapter comes in handy. It does not only work for many plugs but also has USB plugs which you can leave behind a specific adapter for your tablet or phone. These adapters are real lifesavers!
10. Wireless and waterproof travel speakers
Travelling can be quite boring, especially when the trip is long. That’s why I never leave behind my wireless travel speakers every time on my flight. With hundreds of wireless speakers in the market today, the wide array of choices can make it hard for you to find out the ideal one.
From experience, the perfect speakers for travelers(Amazon Link) are the ones which sound big, pack small and have all elements.
11. Carryon backpack or carry on luggage
Every traveler needs a backpack to keep their items and accessories at a central place. Choosing this gift would, therefore, be a great idea.
There are many backpacks in the market, and you are probably asking which one would be the best for a business traveler. Personally, I prefer carrying the light backpacks to the massive ones.
A great example is Matein Business/Travel Backpack. It has many compartments, and with it, I store my laptop, accessories rise, and journals on different pockets. Each section has its zipper, and thus the user does not have to dig down to get clothes or any other items they need. Any traveler would love to use this backpack!
However, if the traveler prefers a suitcase to the backpack, gift them with a carryon bag. You should, however, look for the best quality suitcases in the market. I always recommend Samsonite hard side carry on glider as I have used it for years without a single disappointment from it.
12. Toiletry organizer
Have you ever thought of the mess that your shampoo could cause if it accidentally oozed in your carry on or travel documents? Oh! That would be a nightmare. You can save your dear ones from such a disappointment by gifting them with toiletries organizer.
The kit acts as a leakage or spillage proof and therefore prevents such kind of messes from happening. Moreover, the toiletry items stay protected and safe in this kit without any fear that they may be damaged.
13. Travel organizer
Every frequent traveler craves for a travel organizer. This is because items can easily mix up during the trip and make it hard to pick each on them. Since nobody would ever like to be late for business conferences or events, the organizer kit saves time and effort of picking an item from the rest.
They also make the person look neat and organized. So, claim your traveler’s gratitude by purchasing them this organizers bag.
14. Travel wallet
It’s hard for anyone to balance care between the luggage, the passports, the tickets, the pass, and even the money.
Gifting your friend with this wallet will provide a handy solution to this issue. It will also prove helpful by creating space for storage of passports, coins, and the other small items.
Your travel buddy will definitely be thankful for this gift as it will be less bulky. You can try to make it more attractive by engraving it in a personalized way that they like.
15. Wireless portable security camera
I always travel with my wireless security camera ever since my room in Barcelona was invaded and my laptop was stolen. This may seem like an overreaction, but it’s pretty normal especially when something like that happens. The camera would also be necessary if the traveler has a property such as a home to look after.
With a cloud camera setup and an app such as Zmodo (which I use), the traveler can be able to detect the motions taking place in his immediate environment, as well as at his/her home.
If I had such a security camera when the burglary happened, I would have at least kept evidence footage to show the police. Get your dear ones this camera and show them that you care for their safety.
16. A GPS watch
A GPS watch on the traveler’s wrist is a handy traveling tool. It becomes exemplary important when they get lost in places that are unfamiliar with.
As a constant traveler, I always make sure that I have my Suunto Spartan Trainer Wrist. There are many GPS watches in the shops, but I find this one light and comfortable.
So, what should you look out for when buying the watch? First, make sure that it has an outstanding battery. Secondly, make sure that it’s compact and not bulky. The ideal watch should also measure the distance and pace that you are traveling at.
17. A money belt
If the person you want to gift handles substantial amounts of cash, you might want to gift them with a money belt.
The belt is safer than the wallets as it remains hidden and thus protects them from getting robbed.
Also, the belt is not only made for money alone, as it provides safe storage of passports, cards, and identity cards. A money belt comes with an inbuilt RFID block making it hard for the pickpocketers to steal the valuables electronically. The belt is also made of water-resistant nylon, meaning that it remains fresh and comfortable for your skin throughout.
18. A packable jacket
Besides keeping me dry during the rainy seasons, I find the Eddie Bauer Rain foil Packable jacket warm and stylish.
It is specifically designed to be travel jacket, and thus it is made of 100% polyester and two layers of WeatherEdge technology.
The jacket also includes a handy packing feature which fits well in its right pocket, thus conveniently changing into a compact travel pillow. Look for a stylish one today and gift your travel enthusiast today, especially if they travel to cold areas or countries.
19. A Drone
This would be the ultimate gift for a man business traveler. Your friend would simply freak out once you hand over the gift. It’s a fun, useful and fantastic gift for business people who like gadgets.
The perfect drone should be portable, like the DJI Spark drone which can fit in all types of backpacks. I have been using the DJI spark for a while now, and it takes quality pictures including the multiple intelligent flight modes and selfies.
Its only downside is that it does not feature a controller, although that doesn’t make it anything less of the favorite budget portable drone that we all know. Get your loved one this drone, and they will have an absolutely fantastic time on their business trips.
20. Carry on cocktail kit
Your business traveler will put on a smile once you gift them the carry on a cocktail. It is a mini cocktail kit which is small in size, and thus easily portable to be carried on board.
It also contains all ingredients of cocktails, making it not only adorable but also practical. Irrespective of whether your business traveler friend likes the chugs diet martinis or the old fashioned ones, the perfect little gift will be ideal in all cases.
21. Passport cover
A passport is a crucial procession to anyone who travels a lot for work-related purposes. You can help them to keep the passport safe by gifting them with a small but essential gift- the passport cover.
There are many creative designs out there in the market, and this is one of the things which add to its beauty.
To make it better, personalize the cover by selecting something which goes well with the traveler. For instance, you can create a custom one and include their real names, silly nicknames or initials depending on what you think might interest them!
22. Tile for keeping track on the vital documents
The paranoid business travelers understand that panic feeling they get when they cannot trace their keys, a valuable document or a passport. A tile puts an end to all those worries. A tile is a small Bluetooth which is usually paired with an app to help the user keep a track on his or her important belongings.
Tiles are essential to business travelers as they not only give them peace of mind but also help them to trace their lost items quickly. Here are the main types of tiles:
- Tile slim- ideal or passports, purses, and wallets.
- Tile sport-waterproof with the highest range of up to 200ft.
- Tile style- stylish, elegant and water resistant.
23. Noise canceling headphones
High-quality headphones will keep your travel buddy safe from the extreme plane’s noises. The headphones will also keep off any other irritating sound which might disrupt their peace of mind.
I personally love these Bose headphones, although there are many great brands out there too.
Final thoughts
As you can see, there are many excellent gifts for someone who travels a lot for work. Provided that you are willing to be a little bit creative. Whether the traveler will like the gift you buy for them or not, spending your time to get a gift is enough and trust me, they will appreciate.
Make sure to investigate secretly if the traveler has the gift you are about to buy, to save yourself from the disappointment of purchasing the exact thing that they already own. Happy gift buying!