By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

I finally put words to something I’ve felt for years about tourist merch.

On my trip to Sicily last week, it clicked: Tourist merch follows the opposite rules of everything I teach brands about corporate swag.

When I work with companies on branded merch, I preach:
→ Keep the logo subtle
→ Lead with vibe, not vanity
→ Make it feel like something you’d actually wear—not a billboard

But in Sicily, my favorite pieces were the total reverse—and somehow, I loved them.

The best travel merch is obvious.

It’s about recognition, memory, and claiming the moment.
It says: I went here and it was cool.

What made it click for me was spotting the difference between the good stuff and the junk.

The winners had personality:
🧢 The brown hat — a trendy play on Supreme, equal parts clever and wearable
🌞 The yellow cap — so obvious and joyful it made me laugh
👟 The sneaker tee — creative and artsy, perfectly matched to the city’s vibe

This isn’t just design. It’s the city’s identity.

And just like with corporate merch, the worst offenders were the generic ones—copy-paste slogans, tired clip-art logos, and zero sense of place.

The takeaway? Whether it’s tourist merch or branded corporate swag, the best pieces aren’t just about where they’re from. They show you what it feels like to be there.

I didn’t end up buying any of these—would you have snagged one? Which is your favorite?