Whether you enjoy sitting on a cruise ship, sipping margaritas, or would prefer to traverse around the Serengeti, snapping photos of wildlife, there are plenty of ways you can get paid to travel.
Traveling can be expensive. For some people, it can be downright impractical, especially if you have a full-time job that doesn’t offer a lot of paid time off.
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways you can get paid to travel – you just need to think outside of the box!
In this guide, we’ll discuss some of the best ways to make good money (enough to cover your travel expenses, living expenses, and then some!) so you can pursue a career while also getting paid to traverse the globe. Ready to learn how to get paid to travel? Let’s get started!
Get Paid To Travel: 13 Options
Believe it or not, there are plenty of jobs out there that will allow you to make a decent wage while also being able to travel around the world. Below are a few top ideas.
1. Try Travel Blogging
Travel blogging is one of the most common ways in which people get paid to travel.
However, it can be somewhat tricky to get started. There are a few options – you can start your own travel blog, or you can get paid as a subcontractor, as many freelance travel bloggers do.
Most travel bloggers make their money through the following avenues:
- Affiliate marketing
- Content creation
- Social media management and marketing
- Destination marketing – many tourism bureaus and tour companies for various cities will pay professionals to come and write about their experiences there
- Media and product sales (such as eBooks, courses, and “swag” like tee shirts)
- Press trips
Whatever you choose, know that this is a great way to make money with your own online business, allowing you to pursue your passion for writing and your passion for travel all at the same time.
2. Be a Social Media Influencer
This is another dream travel job that can take some time and effort to get up and running – but if you’re lucky enough to make it big on Facebook, Instagram, or any other social media, it’s a great way to burst into the travel industry.
You’ll be able to use your online platform to showcase a product or destination. Of course, in order to serve as such an inspiration to others, you’ll need to have a solid social following – usually on Instagram or Youtube.
3. Teach English Online or Abroad
Teaching English online or in-person in other countries is another way you can get paid to travel.
For many people, this is a dream job. You’ll be able to meet new people and build your skills as an educator.
Just make sure you invest some time in finding a reputable company. Not all schools and websites you find are legit, so you will want to do some research to find ones that will provide you with honest work – and pay you to travel, too!
4. Work as a Boat Crew Member
Do you like to sail? If so, working as a crew member aboard a boat is a great way to make money as you travel.
Often, companies and yacht owners need people to bring their boats from one particular destination to another while they’re not around.
Boat owners might not want to sail across the Atlantic to get their boat to the next point – so they’ll hire you as a crew member to get them there. You might also just be paid as a yacht crew member, helping to service the yacht and perform various duties while the boat is being operated.
5. Become a Brand Ambassador
Companies frequently pay people to become brand ambassadors, paying them to travel in order to create content for them.
You might be sent on adventures all over the world – sometimes, you’ll be flown to different places to share written recaps on your social media accounts, and in others, you’ll be sent there to create a video about a certain topic.
6. Work for a Cruise Line
You can even get paid to work on a cruise ship! Many cruise lines pay workers more than $1,800 per month along with free accommodation and travel. You will virtually have no expenses and will get paid to travel around the world as you cruise from port to port.
Just be sure to pack the sunscreen!
7. Start Your Own Travel Tour Business
There are thousands of different tour companies out there – and if you’re a seasoned traveler with some specific knowledge of a particular destination, you might want to consider setting up your own tours.
Just pick a niche and run with it!
If you’re a foodie, for instance, you could start a food tour of Europe. If you love traveling to southeast Asia, you can specialize in tours visiting that area.
You can make quite a bit of money with this sort of dream job, but make sure you have the insurance and practical skills necessary in order to be successful first.
8. Become a Virtual Assistant
Of course, a virtual assistant job is something you can do from anywhere, so it’s not necessarily travel-related. However, it’s a great job to consider if you want to be able to pay your bills and travel because it doesn’t require a particular connection to any specific location.
From setting up social media platforms to editing YouTube videos, there are all sorts of jobs you can do as a virtual assistant. Many make up to $50 per hour – plenty of money to help pay your travel bills!
9. Public Speaking
Do you have a strong, persuasive voice and expertise in any kind of area? If so, you might be able to get paid to travel as a public speaker.
Whether your specialty is in education, tech, finance, fitness, or something else, chances are, there’s going to be a conference event out there that will allow you to make good money as a speaker.
You will often be reimbursed for your flight and travel expenses, your food, and your lodging – in addition to earning a nice salary!
10. Consider Working on a Farm
If you like to work outside, you might consider traveling around to various vineyards and farms. It’s hard manual labor, but you’ll usually be rewarded with room and board plus a small stipend – enough to provide for all of your living expenses while also allowing you to travel!
11. Freelance Writing
This is similar to travel blogging but it won’t limit you just to blogs. As a travel blogger, you will more or less be beholden to work for yourself – although there are some big-time travel blogs out there that may hire you as a freelance travel blogger, too.
However, you can also begin pitching companies and magazines and work as a freelance travel writer, too. Some of the larger publications, like the New York Times and National Geographic, will send you out on assignment to compose an article. Of course, you’ll be paid for your work there, too!
12. Get Into Travel Photography
Travel photography is another way that many people get paid to travel. You can make tens of thousands of dollars by combining income streams like photo and video licensing, print sales, and more. With the Internet, it’s easier than ever to make money with your photography.
13. Become a Travel Nurse
If you’re a nurse who wants to get paid to travel, this one can be a bit tricky – but totally worth it if you find a way to make it work. You’ll just need to research licensing requirements in the various places you want to go – but often, traveling nurses make two or three times the amount of money they would make just by working at one hospital alone.
Save Money to Make Money as You Travel
Your first step in making money as a traveler is to think about ways you can save money.
If your goal is to quit your day job and be able to rely solely on income streams generated while you are traveling, then you will want to pare down your budget as much as possible.
What can you sell or pay off? Do you really need a car or a large, expensive house? If you’re planning on traveling ten months out of the year anyway, then these things are probably not necessary.
Getting rid of these unnecessary items will free you up both financially and logistically to travel as you see fit.
A few other things you can try to save money include:
- Rent out any accommodations that you won’t be using while you are traveling (even if it’s just a spare bedroom in your house)
- Work overtime shifts or take on second jobs to help you stash more money in the bank before you start traveling
- Put yourself on a budget
- Downsize and consolidate – do you need the premium cell phone plan, cable, or Internet?
- Sell as many possessions as possible – and cash in on those employment payouts!
Final Thoughts: Get Paid to Travel
Are you ready to get paid to travel? It doesn’t matter what your dream job or dream destination might be. There are plenty of ways you can generate multiple income streams and get paid to traverse the globe – you just have to be creative!
Consider a few of these ideas – or perhaps brainstorm and come up with a few of your own! You never know what might turn up.
