Offering High-End Gifts at Getaways Quality Mementoes at Resorts

Mountain Harbor Resort and Spa in Mount Ida, Ark., has two gift shops. The larger store, which caters to guests arriving from the lake, has a range of souvenirs as well as practical gear like camping supplies, fishing hats and snacks. At the smaller gift shop, however, Lodge Manager Pati Brown curates a selection of more upscale gifts, like a $79 Columbia quilted vest or $40 ceramic coffee mugs.

“People will spend $80 for winter sportswear, or $40 instead of $20 for a mug, if they see it’s high-quality. And if it feels unique, that is very attractive,” said Brown. Much of that uniqueness comes by way of the Lodge brand or the lake logo, which turn a keepsake-quality item into a lasting souvenir. “Anything with the name on it sells really well,” Brown noted.

What vacationers consider a splurge varies considerably from one resort to another. One hotel retailer described the look of shock in his customers’ eyes when they hear that signature logo coffee mug costs $20; at another hotel, shoppers won’t blink at a $50 price tag. But overall, quality gifts tend to be either practical in nature — like apparel — or unique to the area, like the Native American handcrafts that are best-sellers at the Gouldings Monument Valley Resort in Valley, Utah.

Gouldings Resort Store Manager Kerrilynn Tree said tourists will happily splurge for one-of-a-kind pottery by Navajo, Hopi, or Zuni craftspeople, featuring distinctive tribal motifs. Higher-end pieces range from $300-$700.

Navajo rugs, which cost from $500-$1,000, are another popular purchase. Tree said shoppers are drawn by artisan portraits displayed alongside merchandise, as well as by the quality of the rugs, made from hand-spun and hand-dyed wool. “They are all locally made, which is something people really want,” Tree explained. “Visitors like to take back something from the area.”

When visitors splurge at Grand Bear Resort at Starved Rock in North Utica, Ill., they usually buy apparel. “Anything over $40, to me, is higher end,” explained Retail Manager Annette Adams . Fifty dollar sweatshirts and quality rain jackets are among customers’ perennial favorites, while hoodies are especially popular going into winter.

Adams said her shoppers are motivated by the evident quality of the Continued on page 30