When the travel bug bites, it’s hard not to respond by striking out! Society advocates this notion as well. Every day, more and more destinations are opening up opportunities for tourists who want to enjoy an extreme adventure, or a relaxing bask in the sun. Locations that once seemed remote, inaccessible, or exotic are now widely known as common destinations.
The reasons for travel are expanding as well. Many are in search of ways to make family memories, discover hidden treasures, research and explore historical locales, seek out their ancestral roots, or shake up their day-to-day routine. Whatever the reason, every excursion needs to be financed and many are doing it while they venture.
With the advent of camera capabilities on mobile phones, freedom has been granted to a huge population to capture a moment during a trip and sell it or post it on a monetized blog. There are all kinds of sources looking to pay photographers for images: travel related websites, travel agencies, hard copy and online magazines, and tourism boards, to name a few.
As a shutterbug, selling memory-inducing photos can add padding to travel expenses and provide the flexibility to work and play anywhere photos can be downloaded.
Pro Tip: Remember to make images high resolution and do a thorough check of any agreements or contracts for payment terms and rights of use or image ownership.
Creating a blog that incorporates writing about trips as well as photography or videography can be a great source of entertainment and income while globe trekking.
Chances are, you are journaling about your experiences anyway, why not add a photo or video and post it? Blog readers are very interested in the personal side of a writer’s life. Writing in such a way that reveals part of the adventure in a story format, followers will engage, making it easier to attract affiliate advertisers to a blog and begin generating income. The more you travel and blog, the more engaged the audience becomes, and the blog’s value increases.
Pro Tip: Providing something of value to give the reader will make the blog more appealing. Create a guide of do’s and don’ts from personal experiences; maybe it’s a list of tips for how to connect with locals for an authentic cultural experience. Also, make it relevant to the post or overall blog theme.
One level deeper from a generalized, experiential travel blog is to specialize in writing about specifics such as writing reviews for restaurants, hotels/B & B’s, transportation services, and various local attractions or events.
For example, while zip lining in Costa Rica, the overall experience may have been great, but the prices were high for the area even though the views were fantastic. That is valuable information that the zip lining company needs to know, the tourism board would like to be aware of, and blog readers who are planning that type of excursion in Costa Rica can benefit from. Next, after zip lining with more than one company, a comparison chart could be provided and presented for readers to evaluate and make informed decisions about their own plans.
Not only can this information be posted on a personal blog, but it could be added to dedicated review sites like Yelp, Urban Spoon, or Trip Advisor. With a little time and research, all kinds of websites can be found that may pay for freelance-style review content.
The idea of potentially uncertain income may trigger anxiety for freelance writers or bloggers. The cure may be to become an independent contractor with a handful of strong industry leaders looking for web content. Big travel-related companies are looking for stories and information to fill their sites without the hassle of hiring a full-time staff.
Pro Tip: While negotiating the terms of potential contracts, request the style or voice in which to write, destinations to visit, or topics and attractions to explore.
Lastly, consider getting a job in an industry that sends you around the world. There is a plethora of options available. For example, au pair, importer/exporter, or English teacher. These jobs may keep you in one location for an extended time period, but that region can be thoroughly explored before moving on to another assignment, thus adding deep value to the time spent there.
Other options might include becoming a yoga or workout instructor. Travel to locations around the world and create a workout video while on site. Then, post the footage on a monetized blog or sell it as a workout package on a personal website. It could also be sold it to app companies looking to use video to a variety of home workout systems.
Seasonal work and working with all kinds of people, could include becoming a surf or ski instructor, cruise ship service employee, tour guide, or docent.
Pro Tip: Look into becoming an international house or pet-sitter. This is a rapidly expanding industry for the trustworthy animal lover.
There are a number of ways to make money while traveling. Start with these ideas, and create your own. Do you have an idea how to make money while traveling? Let us know in the comments below.