How To Get Paid To Travel

Maybe your Pinterest travel board is full of pictures and guides to different places around the world that you wish you could visit. You’ll be happy to know you can make your dreams come true. With a little research, some effort and skill, you’ll be cruising off in Cancun or taking selfies on top of a mountain in Ecuador. Here’s how you can get paid to travel and a few tips to help you get started. 

Create Travel Content

With skills like writing, speaking and videography you can make money to fund your travels. 

Start a Travel Blog or Vlog

If you love writing and would like to write for a living, consider creating a blog. You can cover different topics based on your interests or popular topics like fashion, hobbies and skills and travel experiences. 

For vlogging, all you need is a good camera and your awesome personality! You can try making videos about any optic of interest, reviews, trips you take or your daily routine. If you prefer to be behind the camera instead of in front of it, you can make creative travel films where you showcase locations and focus on your traveling journey. It doesn’t have to be about traveling internationally and tips. You can explore restaurants with different kinds of cuisines or visit interesting places in your hometown. 

If you are traveling internationally, remember to carry travel essentials like a portable lock box or power banks incase of emergency. 

So, How Do You Get Paid To Travel With Content Creation? 

If you post content consistently on your Youtube channel or on social media, you can monetize them. This happens when you have at least 500 subscribers and 3000 watch hours in the past year. 

You can also join affiliate programs to get money from promoting people’s products or create guidebooks, courses and guidebooks. If you think a course sounds far-fetched, think about all the experiences and knowledge you will gain from creating travel content. You can turn this into a guide for others to follow when creating their own content or starting their travel blogging/vlogging journey. 

People love to see different locations through the eyes of creative people and it becomes great exposure for companies, airlines and hotels. If you’re great at telling stories and sharing experiences, you will grow a fairly large audience to follow you on your journeys. 

Are you good at photography or videography? You can use your skills to make videos and ads for brands and travel companies. If you have a drone and know how to do drone videography, it’s an added advantage. 

You could also eventually become a brand ambassador as your audience grows. Hotels and tourist destinations pay brand ambassadors to to post content about their locations and the experience. Usually, brand ambassadors get free flights, accommodation and payment for creating the content. 

Work for Travel Benefits 

How about working in a different country in exchange for accommodation and new experiences? 

Teach English in Another Country (or two)

A great way to get paid to travel is to teach English to kids, teenagers and even adults. Some teaching positions cover accommodation and give a stipend for meals and extras. During school holidays, how you spend your time is up to you. You only need a Bachelor’s degree and a teaching certificate. 

Go on a Language Exchange 

You can use platforms like WorldPackers to find a family that wants to learn or improve their English. You get to live in a different country and most families provide accommodation, laundry services, meals and transport. Depending on the type of work exchange you choose you can work fewer than four hours a day or 3 days a week. You can use the rest of the time to explore, attend events and learn new 

Volunteer 

You can do various types of volunteer work that allow you to see new places and experience different cultures. It may be different from glamorous hotel stays, but it’s a great way to give back and offer your help to those who may need it. You can find volunteer work on sites like WWOOF or Workaway. 

You can also look for exchange opportunities on WorldPackers. Families and companies hire people for work like farming, animal care, gardening, teaching and cleaning in exchange for accommodation, food and transport. Each stay usually lasts a few weeks to a month. 

It’s an opportunity to travel and improve your skills and learn new things.

Travel With Your Work 

Take a few months to move to a different location while still working for your company or completing your freelance projects. 

Transfer to a Different Location 

Are you working full-time and want to travel without leaving your job? If your company has different locations around the world, you can ask to be transferred to a specific location. Short-term transfers like conferences, site-specific projects or training. You get to stay with your company while exploring the world.  

Freelance or Remote Work 

If you’re a remote worker or a Freelancer, you have the freedom to work from anywhere. Of course, this requires a little saving and shifting of responsibilities. Why not take a few months to visit a different place in the world and explore it? You could put your house or apartment up as a listing for Airbnb and get a trusted friend or family member to check on it once in a while. 

If you write or create visual content, this is also an opportunity for you to pursue clients who own travel magazines or websites. You can sell any images you take or write articles about different destinations. 

What you need to know

• Always research before you plan a trip. You want to be prepared for weather or conditions that require you to adapt. If you write content or do freelance work, ensure there is a place where you can get internet access if you need to make any posts.
• Keep an open mind. You will have to adapt to new environments, food and ways of living. You will also need to learn basic communication in places where English is not a first language. Embrace this and take it as an opportunity to broaden your horizons. 
• Be organized. Create a schedule that will work for you. Set aside time blocks to do work-related tasks like meetings or projects with deadlines. This way you will be able to enjoy your time exploring without thinking about what you have to do.  
• Reach out to other travelers. If you are unsure about a place or program, reach out to a professional for more information and tips to making your trips safe and fun for the best experience. 

Get Paid To Travel (And Have Memorable Experiences)

There are many opportunities to travel and see the world while getting paid. With some determination, effort and investment of your time you will find yourself in wonderful places.