20 Profitable Ways to Get Paid While Traveling

Many people dream of turning their love for travel into a way to make money. Whether you’re starting out or want to make more money while seeing the world, there are plenty of travel jobs out there. You can do things like travel blogging, public speaking, freelance writing, and teaching English abroad. This guide shows you 20 different ways to earn while you travel.

Key Takeaways

• Freelance travel writers can earn between $0.04 and $0.15 per word, depending on their skillset.
• Travel influencers can monetize through sponsorships, brand partnerships, and product launches.
• Teaching English online or abroad provides flexible income opportunities while traveling.
• Work exchanges offer room and board in exchange for a few hours of work each day.
• Travel bloggers can monetize their blogs through affiliate marketing, ads, and sponsored content.

Public Speaking

Public speaking lets you earn money while traveling the world. It lets people share their knowledge at various events. However, becoming a successful speaker needs hard work and planning.

How to Get Started as a Public Speaker

To start a public speaking career, first find your special area. Think about what topics you love and know a lot about. Then, create talks that capture your audience’s attention and offer them value.

Improving your speaking skills is also important. Practice by talking to small groups or in front of a mirror. Meet other speakers and event planners to find speaking chances. Remember, some speakers give over 300 free talks before getting paid gigs. But, with paid events paying between $500 to $3000, it pays off.

Where to Find Speaking Opportunities

Looking for speaking slots means being active in searching and networking. Conferences are a big deal. Various industries have yearly conferences that need experts to share their knowledge. They want speakers who can provide new ideas and practical advice.

• Local Events: Search for speaking chances in local clubs, schools, and community groups.
• National and International Conferences: Watch for big conferences and apply to speak. Starting with one foreign country is a good strategy.
• Online Webinars: Online events have increased chances for speakers worldwide.
• Networking: Around 85% of speakers get jobs through recommendations. Build relationships with your audience and fellow speakers to get known and respected.

By actively looking for and grabbing speaking chances, you can grow a successful speaking career. Plus, you get to enjoy traveling to new places.

Travel Blogging

Starting a travel blog is exciting and can be profitable. You get to share your trips with the world. To begin, share stories and photos that capture attention. Then, work on making your blog a source of income through travel stories and collaborations.

Let’s talk about how to begin your blog, make money from it, and find travel sponsorships.

Setting Up Your Travel Blog

First, choose a niche for your blog. This helps you stand out. It could be luxury trips, budget adventures, or solo journeys. Picking a niche helps attract loyal readers.

Then, create a professional blog. WordPress is a good choice for its flexibility. Also, using SEO strategies from the start is crucial for attracting visitors.

Monetizing Your Blog

Making money from your blog requires effort and patience. Generally, it takes about a year to see notable income. There are several ways to monetize:

• Affiliate Marketing: Earn commissions by partnering with companies like Booking.com or Discover Cars.
• Advertising: Join networks such as Mediavine to earn based on your blog’s viewership.
• Sponsored Posts: Work with brands to feature their products in your content.
• Creating Products: Sell your own ebooks, courses, or travel guides.

However, don’t rely only on sponsored posts. It’s better to have multiple income streams.

Press Trips and Sponsored Content

Once your blog becomes popular, you’ll get offers for sponsored trips and content. Companies will pay you to promote their services. A typical sponsored post can earn about $700. But, always share products you truly believe in to stay honest with your readers.

Creating a successful travel blog takes hard work and a love for travel. Keep learning and sharing. With the right approach, your blog can provide great income and travel perks.

Proofreading and Editing

Looking for remote work that fits detail-oriented folks? Proofreading and editing could be perfect. These jobs need a good understanding of grammar and style. Here’s what you need to know to be successful:

Proofreaders have many opportunities. They work with publishers, writers, or companies that need their content checked. You’ll need at least 5 years of experience for most online proofreading jobs. Traveling introverts find this career attractive. Plus, the move to online work has grown, letting you work from anywhere.

To proofread well, you need tools like Microsoft Word and Grammarly. Google Docs is great for teamwork, and a red pen is a must for hard copies. Knowing how to do various editing, like copy and content editing, helps too. There’s a big demand for proofreaders. This means there are many jobs that let you work remotely, offering good pay.

“An average proofreader can earn about $50,000 a year, says Salary.com. Freelancers might charge $25 to $50 an hour, depending on their experience and the project.”

Certain areas, like science, medicine, and tech, pay proofreaders more. Beginners might make $20-$25 an hour. But, if you’re experienced and work on nonfiction books, you could get $100 to $500 for 15,000 to 35,000 words.

Thinking of starting your own freelance proofreading business? Decide on your business structure and services. Get the right equipment, plan your marketing, and set up how you’ll get paid. Or, look for jobs on sites like Fiverr. The demand for proofreading jobs and remote editing jobs is strong. This career suits those who want flexibility and are precise.

Brand Ambassador

Becoming a brand ambassador is thrilling for those who love to promote products they believe in. This role uses your personal and social media influence to connect brands with consumers. It allows for authentic and effective promotion.

Collaboration with Brands

Working with brands can be very rewarding. For instance, as a brand ambassador for companies like Oakley or New Balance, you might earn $15-$20 an hour. It starts with choosing brands that match your values and audience. Building meaningful collaborations means making content that your followers will love, which helps boost sales naturally.

While companies like Buffer and InVision offer global remote work, staffing agencies help connect you with brands. These agencies are good at finding people who can well represent their clients at events.

Utilizing Social Media for Brand Promotion

To be a successful brand ambassador, being a pro at social media is key. On Instagram, for example, getting sponsored posts is possible once you have around 10,000 followers, like Ben Brown. Making content that catches the eye and talking with your followers makes you more visible and strengthens your profile.

Keeping your profiles fresh and posting catchy videos can make you more attractive to brands and agencies. Keeping your profiles up-to-date and doing the needed paperwork can help you get more opportunities. Good social media tactics can not only grow your follower count but also make you an important player in brand collaboration.

Teach English Abroad

Teaching English in another country is popular for those wanting to work and see the world. You need the right qualifications to get ESL jobs abroad. This ensures you can teach English effectively overseas.

Qualifications and Certifications Needed

Getting a TEFL certification is your first big step. This training can take from 4 to 11 weeks, depending on the program. For example, ITA has both a 4-week and an 11-week TEFL course. This certification gives you the skills to manage classrooms and meet employers’ standards.

Besides TEFL, a bachelor’s degree is usually needed for ESL teaching jobs. These qualifications are your ticket to job offers worldwide. They mean you can enjoy a good salary and sometimes even get housing.

Best Countries for Teaching English

Teaching English overseas pays well in places like Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Countries like Japan, South Korea, and Thailand offer great programs for teachers. These places also help with flights and places to stay.

Living costs in Southeast Asia are low. This lets teachers save money. Teaching here also has low start-up costs for things like visas and flights.

You can make more money with online tutoring or private lessons. Being a native English speaker helps, but hard work pays off in TEFL courses. So, non-native speakers can do well too.

Being ready for the move’s challenges is important. Feeling homesick or facing culture shock can happen. But making friends and joining community events can make it better. It enriches your time teaching English abroad.

Social Media Influencer

Becoming a social media influencer means building a big, engaged following on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. You must create strategic content and use platforms well.

Building Your Social Media Presence

Start by picking a niche like adventure travel to stand out as a travel influencer. Use Instagram for its visual appeal. People love it for sharing photos.

Videos do great on Facebook, getting lots of views. Having your own blog or website also shows off your work. Platforms like Bluehost make starting a blog easy.

• Post consistently to attract more followers. Social media platforms prefer users who share often.
• Have a unique brand voice to get noticed and gather followers.
• Create top-notch content suited to each social media platform.
• Talk directly with your audience to build trust and bonds with them.
• Work with other influencers to help each other reach more people.

Working with Brands and Agencies

Partnering with brands and agencies is key to making money as an influencer. Companies often like working with micro-influencers. They have 10,000 to 50,000 followers who are very active. Partnerships with brands can include things like sponsored posts and affiliate marketing.

1. Team up with brands long-term to get a steady income.
2. Help launch products to get people excited and engaged.
3. Teach online courses to share knowledge and earn from sign-ups.
4. Speak at virtual events to earn more money.
5. Organize online meetups and workshops to make money from participant engagement.

You can also make money on TikTok and YouTube through their sharing programs. Working with influencer marketing agencies can make finding deals easier. Influencers can earn from ads, affiliate links, and sponsored challenges. This can lead to perks like free hotel stays, travel discounts, and cash.

Work on a Cruise Ship

Working on a cruise ship brings a world of exciting jobs. From entertainment to hospitality, there’s something for everyone. Amanda Hathorn-Geary spent a decade at sea, showing the great career paths available. She started as a Crew Trainer and later became a Human Resources Manager with P&O Australia.

Being flexible and versatile is key in cruise careers, says Heather Hathorn. Knowing languages helps a lot, especially in jobs dealing with guests. A Royal Caribbean Guest Service Officer dealt with questions and issues from thousands of guests and colleagues. They highlighted how vital customer service skills are. This job often meant working over 12 hours on busy days.

To get a job on a cruise, start by applying online and attending interviews. Candidates must show they can speak multiple languages and handle the paperwork. This includes getting visas like the C1/D visa and others, depending on where the ship goes.

If you want a cruise career, try through recruitment agents. Our interviewee tried applying directly first but got no response. Then, they got a job through an agency. Remember, good agencies don’t charge for their services.

Working on a ship is tough, with 7-day weeks and being on call. But, it offers big rewards. Crew members get free room and board and travel to places like the Baltic Sea and the Caribbean. This can help save a lot of money.

Amanda cleared over $35,000 in student loans in her first year on the ship. This shows the financial plus of cruise jobs. Moving up in her career also proves the growth opportunities available, blending work with discovering new cultures and adventures.

Yacht Delivery

Yacht delivery jobs are a great way for skilled sailors to earn money. Crewing on vessels that need to be moved across the globe is the main task. Captains with experience usually charge between $400-$500 each day for their work. This cost reflects the high level of skill needed. In general, the payment for the captain and crew takes up about half the total delivery expense.

The cost to deliver a yacht ranges from $2,000 to $3,000 per week. This includes extra expenses like fuel, berth, and supplies. For a full delivery service taking 6-8 weeks, costs can be between $30,000 and $40,000. These amounts show that jobs in this field can be quite profitable for those with a lot of sailing experience.

There are many platforms that help find yacht delivery jobs. Free options include:

• CruisersForum.com
• FindACrew.net
• CrewBay.com
• 7Knots.com
• Numerous Facebook groups

Paid options provide more services and have different costs. They include:

• OceanCrewLink.com – $10
• Halcyon Yacht Delivery – £20
• The Cruising Association – £25
• CrewSeekers.net – £70
• Ocean Cruising Club – £105
• SailOPO.com – $199

OceanCrewLink.com is well-known for its $10 fee. It is praised for its quality posts and encourages active crew participation. It’s a top choice for finding offshore sailing chances. For those looking into yacht delivery jobs, using these platforms well can lead to exciting career opportunities worldwide.

Run Tours

Running tours lets you share your love for traveling and build an exciting career. You will handle things like planning, getting the word out, and keeping clients happy. This ensures a great trip for everyone you take.

Setting Up Your Own Tour Company

To start a tour company, first, do deep market research. Find what’s missing in travel and how you can fill that gap. Think about offering cultural tours, adventure activities, or city tours.

Next, plan your trips, work with local businesses, and follow the law. Using technology helps too. Booking systems can keep track of your clients and their needs. Starting with a strong base will help your tour business thrive.

Marketing Your Tours to Travelers

Good marketing is key to getting tourists to book your tours. For any travel entrepreneur, it’s about using social media, making exciting content, and teaming up with influencers. Having an eye-catching website makes booking easy for your customers.

Improve your search engine rankings with SEO to get more site visits. Also, going to travel expos and working with travel agents grows your presence. Stay focused on marketing to book more trips and stand out in the travel world.

As your company gets bigger, hire tour guide jobs for help. Guides with knowledge and charm will make trips unforgettable. Success comes from careful planning, smart marketing, and top-notch service.

Freelance Writing / Journalism

Freelance writing and journalism give you great freedom. They are perfect for those who love to travel and make money at the same time. With just a laptop and internet, writers can send their work to different well-paying publications. They can also look for jobs on many freelance websites.

Pitching to Travel Publications

One fun part of travel writing is sending story ideas to famous magazines. For example, 1859 Oregon Magazine pays 30 to 50 cents per word for most travel articles. And Adirondack Life Magazine gives 30 cents per word for features and news stories. These can be between 1,000 to 3,500 words long. If you love adventure, you might like Backpacker Magazine. You can get paid between $0.25 to $0.50 per word. The pay starts at about $150 per article and can go up to $2,000 or more for big stories.

For work in Afar Magazine, writers start at 50 cents per word for online articles and $1 for magazine articles. If you write about fishing, American Angler Magazine might pay you between $200 to $600. Also, Porthole Cruise and Travel pays well. They offer $500 to $600 for feature stories.

Using Freelance Platforms to Find Gigs

You can also find writing jobs online through sites like Upwork, Freelancer, and Contena. These sites let you set up a profile, show off your work, and find jobs that match your skills and interests.

These platforms offer a range of jobs and help you meet clients who want quality writing. They’re good for beginners or experienced writers. They offer a stable income and let you travel while you work. To do well in travel writing, keep writing great stories and have a strong portfolio.

Teach English Online

Teaching English online is a great way to earn money while traveling. You just need a good internet connection. This way, teachers can reach students all over the world. There are many platforms available for ESL online, like VIPKid, Twenix, Preply, and Qkids.

VIPKid pays up to $22 USD per hour for teaching English to kids in the US and Canada. Qkids offers up to $20 USD per hour for teaching students in China. iTutorGroup offers $18-24 USD per hour for teaching Taiwanese kids and adults, plus bonuses.

If you’re interested in teaching business professionals in Spain and Italy, Twenix has good rates. They pay 13-15€/hour in the UK and 7-11€/hour in Argentina. At Preply, teachers need a high school diploma and a teaching credential. They also need two years of experience and can set their own rates.

Whales English pays up to $26 for a 50-minute class, focusing on younger students. BEILS Turkey offers up to $1200 USD per month for certified ESL Instructors. They also offer flexible scheduling.

Getting started with online teaching requires a strong internet connection and the right software. Teachers also need engaging teaching tools, like flashcards or puppets. Payments are usually through PayPal or direct deposit. Some companies provide lesson plans.

Many online teaching companies are in China, so time zones can be tricky. Teachers can live in affordable countries like Thailand or Vietnam to save money. They often stay in hostels, Airbnbs, or budget hotels.

Having a TEFL certification is a plus. The TEFL.org’s 120 Hour Premier Online TEFL Course covers many teaching topics. It offers lifetime access to their TEFL Jobs Centre.

In conclusion, online English teaching is a great job for travelers. It’s a job that lets you see the world while making money. With the right qualifications and effort, there are lots of opportunities in this field.

Work as a Virtual Assistant (VA)

A job as a virtual assistant (VA) is a great way to make money from home. You help with different tasks like managing emails, planning calendars, and customer service. VAs are in high demand, especially in travel. Here, you could book flights or help plan someone’s trip.

Types of Services Offered by VAs

VAs do lots of tasks, especially in travel. They book flights, plan trips, and help with visas. They can also plan your budget and choose the best travel insurance for you. Plus, they’re always ready to help, any time, any place. They use online tools to make planning and tracking easier.

Finding Clients and Building Your Portfolio

To get clients, networking is key. Use social media and sites like LinkedIn to show off what you can do. Talk about your services online. Reach out to bloggers and influencers. Building a strong portfolio with your best work helps too. Show that you can manage tasks well, even from afar.

It also helps to know things like graphic design or WordPress. This can let you ask for more money, usually between $10 and $35 an hour.