Russians have become more likely to choose local and gastronomic souvenirs.
Russians have become more likely to choose gastronomic and local souvenirs instead of magnets. All the details are in the Izvestia article.
Trends in gift selection
As Mikhail Lazukin, editor-in-chief of Travel Magazine, noted, if earlier magnets, mugs and key rings were considered universal gifts, now travelers are more often looking for local products, local artisan products, cosmetics, textiles and accessories. In Asian destinations, there is a noticeable interest in goods that are difficult to replace with analogues in the West: porcelain and silk are imported from China, and designer trifles and cosmetics from Japan and South Korea.
The choice of gift often depends on the format of the trip. After a beach holiday, oils and sweets are popular, ceramics and jewelry are brought from sightseeing cities, and honey and herbal preparations are brought from regions with unique nature. At the same time, classic souvenirs have not disappeared anywhere, but even in this category, tourists try to choose more accurate and visually interesting options.
Growing interest in authenticity
According to the statistics of search queries in the Yandex system, the share of interest in the topic of souvenirs increased by 11% in the spring of 2026. The peak of activity occurred in April, when the number of requests exceeded 420 thousand. Tourists began to study information about markets, farmers' shops and craft workshops in the region of their visit in advance. Nowadays, a souvenir is becoming a way for a traveler not only to preserve the memory of a place, but also to understand it better.
"Today, when searching for souvenirs, tourists are interested in advance in what region or country is known, which markets, farm shops, craft workshops and gastronomic specialties are best included in the trip," Lazukin said.
Gastronomy as a souvenir
Gastronomic souvenirs are considered to be one of the most versatile: they are easy to share with loved ones, and they convey the atmosphere of the place well. Baklava and olive oil are often imported from Turkey, spice sets and sauces from Georgia, and dried fruits and painted dishes from Uzbekistan. Kaliningrad marzipan, Tatar chak-chak and Altai honey are popular in Russia.
When buying, it is important to take into account the rules of transportation and shelf life of products. For example, liquids and cosmetics should be correlated with baggage regulations, and fragile ceramics should be carefully packed.
"We should also not forget about the local laws on the export of various items. For example, you cannot export the fragrant durian fruit from Thailand, but you can bring sweets or dried fruits from it. Seashells or corals collected on the beach cannot be taken away from Vietnam and Turkey, but finished products made from them are allowed if there is a receipt from the store," Lazukin said.
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