‘Stop buying boring souvenirs,’ slams expert urging holidaymakers to collect cheap alternative
BUYING souvenirs on your travels is fool’s gold, according to a TikToker – and he’s gone viral for raising an alternative.
BenTheBasic called out the mementos as “boring”, coming up with a different idea to do justice to the memories.
Ben has implored holidaymakers to ditch typical tourist shopping in favour of a search for something unique to pot a plant in.
This could be a colourful mug, vessel or tea box – as long as a plant can grow in it.
He says he conceived the idea with his husband following their marriage.
He said: “Whenever we go somewhere that we want to remember or it’s a new country together for the first time, we buy something to pot a plant in.”
He shows viewers his collection of purchases from Mexico, France, and England.
Ben adds: “I bring it home, we put a plant in it, and then it’s sitting in the house and growing with us and a super fun way to remember a new place.”
The video is closing in on a million views and has garnered 100,000 likes in a sign of strong support for the idea.
Viewers chimed in with their own advice in the comments section.
One said: “We purchase a piece of art from a local artist for our wall! It’s our favourite tradition.”
Another suggested: “We do magnets! Small, fun, inexpensive!”
While a third added: “We do Christmas ornaments. So whenever we put our tree up, we end up talking about each of them and the trips that we took.”
Those after a more permanent symbol could follow the advice of another commenting traveller, who said: “We get tattoos.”
It comes as many Brits gear up to go on their summer hols.
According to Airbnb data, trending searches include Portuguese favourites Lisbon and Lagos, along with several Italian destinations like Milan, Rome and Varenna.
But of course the country attracting the most fanfare appears to be Euros host Germany.
Travellers are keen on Cologne, Frankfurt and Munich, Brits’ search data shows.
Perhaps potting plants in beer steins will become the new trend if those tourists follow Ben’s advice.
