ABSTRACT
Souvenirs are mementos of places and occasions and, though often regarded as ephemeral, may be counted among the most valued items purchased during a vacation (Littrel 1990: 229). Items purchased on holiday are meaningful and are often more than simple mementos of time and place. Souvenirs acquired during a holiday are associated with the travel experience, but are also linked to a generalised image of a culture, or even a specific town or village. Many tourists read around the subject to find out more about their purchases, and some become specialist collectors and experts. Specialist tours involving handicrafts form a small but increasingly important niche market. Other tourists are oriented towards clothing and ready-to-wear jewellery as expressions of taste and identity.
