The idea of taking pictures of stuffed animals and toys in front of famous monuments has been around for a while, and was especially popularized by the kidnapped gnome in the film Amélie. But now someone has had the inspired idea to make a business out of it. Toy Traveling is a new business based in Prague, which offers a unique service for anyone around the world with a “darling” stuffed animal. You send the teddy bear to Prague by mail, and you’ll get a photo album with the toy in front of various landmarks in the lovely Czech capital. The basic holiday package for your stuffed animal will cost you 90 euros.
While in these economic times one might think that it would be hard to find people willing to pay for a holiday for a stuffed animal, the man who came up with idea, Tomio Okamura, is optimistic, and insists on the seriousness of his enterprise: “There are about 1.2 billion toys in the world, and a lot of their owners like these toys very much, and they want to make them more happy. The owner of the toy will send his toy to one of four or five locations in Central Europe, and we will take photos of the toy in front of Prague Castle, Charles Bridge and the most famous sightseeing spots. Then we will put these photos on a CD, and send them and the toy back to the original country.”
The site’s most luxurious holiday package, going for 150 euros, includes massage an aromatherapy as well: “we will make massage on the mat next to Charles Bridge, with Prague Castle in the background. So we will put teddy bear on the mat, put candles around him, and take photos. So then his owner can say that his owner had a massage in Prague.” You can check out the full interview here.
You can’t say this isn’t a creative idea. If you live in a major tourist destination, this is an business worth keeping an eye on, if it does well one could easily start up a similar operation in Paris, New York, London or just about anyplace that attracts visitors.