Taking the holiday home

Amenity kits that celebrate destinations can be one of the best souvenirs of all, says April Waterston

When I go on holiday, or travel for work, I tend to bring a few things home as souvenirs: postcards, fridge magnets and, if they are given, amenity kits!

That ‘holiday feeling’ really can start as soon as you find your seat on a plane, and celebrating a destination through the amenity kit is a great way to boost the excitement, as well as promoting destinations passengers might like to consider next.

Walking On A Dream

One airline showcasing the destinations it flies to through its amenity kits is Qantas. Following the launch of Western Australia’s new global brand, Walking On A Dream, Qantas partnered with Tourism Western Australia (WA) to create a special-edition amenity kit that brings the brand to life onboard. Created in partnership with Watermark, the kits aim to encourage travellers to explore WA, positioning the region as a ‘wondrous, other-worldly, dreamlike and aspirational’ destination. Tourism WA collaborated with Wongi artist, Kevin Wilson. He said: “Within my artwork I’ve aimed to capture the story of wandering, exploring and discovery – showing this through the abstractness of my work. I’ve also represented our ancient songlines, waterways and animals of the landscapes. My work explores the interconnectedness of all this and the reasons I feel our state is so special. It’s deep in culture and history, while also vibrant and expansive.”

Grounding the narrative is the connection Aboriginal people have had to these lands, waters and skies for over 60,000 years.The kits feature the striking and colourful art on both the exterior of the pouch and the eye mask. Inside is a pair of socks, bamboo toothbrush and toothpaste, earplugs and

luxury moisturising cosmetics.

“It’s so nice to be able to create some work that reflects our state for those coming to visit. I hope that the vivid, interwoven artwork sparks the adventure within and encourages people to explore our beautiful landscapes,” Wilson added.

Local colour

Collaborating with local artists not only provides a point of interest for kit design but can also celebrate the culture of the destination.

For example, Turkish Airlines’ latest short-haul Economy Class kits introduce unique designs in collaboration with the Istanbul Modern –Turkey's museum of contemporary art. Created in partnership with FORMIA, the vibrant designs showcase artwork from pioneering Turkish artists, inspired by the multifaceted culture, history and heritage of Turkey.

On Aircalin, FORMIA has also created new Business Class amenity kits showcasing the talents of local artists. Kits feature artwork from New Caledonian artists, selected following a competition to design the airline’s next amenity bag. Taking inspiration from nature, culture and spirituality, and with the use of rich, evocative colours and prints, each bag tells its own story.

“In each case, our aim was to ensure passengers arrive at their destination feeling refreshed and delighted with distinctive and characterful bags filled with responsible products to take home as a memento of their trip, and to use long after the journey,” said Marisa Pitsch, Chief Customer Experience Officer at FORMIA.

WESSCO has partnered with LATAM to showcase the work of two exceptional Latin American artists, Hamilton Aguiar from Brazil and Tomas Olivos from Chile for the airline’s kits. The two artists have created exclusive designs for LATAM’s inflight amenity kits, bringing a touch of Latin American art and culture onboard.

For Icelandair, the supplier created an ecofriendly amenity kit collection called “Dýralíf” meaning wildlife. This collection aims to celebrate Iceland’s unique wildlife and natural beauty, and features four designs that celebrate unique natural inhabitants, with the Icelandic horse and raven themes currently available onboard.

Young explorers

Children can be introduced to their holiday destinations through kits too. KIDZbranding worked with Icelandair to produce a ‘Treasure Iceland’ kit, inspired by the destination. The items incorporate the colours of the northern lights, as well as elements from Icelandic myth and folklore. Five relatable mascots were introduced, each with their own personality and these feature across the brain teasing/learning games, sticker activity sets and eye masks. Two plush mascot animals – an Icelandic horse, Freyja, and seabird, Katla, can become beloved friends accompanying children home after their Icelandic adventure. •

Above L-R : Watermark's partnership with Western Australia for Qantas; and FORMIA's contemporary art inspiration for Turkish Airlines Below L-R : Kits celebrating Iceland, Latin America and New Caledonia