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Are you a passionate traveler who loves to share travel stories and tips? You might be a perfect candidate to make money travel blogging.
According to a Forbes Advisor survey, 40% of Americans plan to travel more in 2024 than they did in 2023. By starting a travel blog and monetizing it, you can tap into this vast market, make a sustainable income and see the world.
Ready to combine your passion for travel and storytelling to inspire people and make money by starting a blog? This guide will show you how to make money as a travel blogger.
Starting a blog should feel exciting, not overwhelming, right? With the Wix Blog Maker, you get everything you need to create, design and grow your blog from scratch–without needing a tech degree. Use Wix’s intuitive tools to share your ideas with the world.
How to make money as a travel blogger: getting started
Even if you started out as a hobby traveler, you gathered valuable experiences with every trip.Like any other expert, you can monetize your travel know-how. A travel blog is an ideal place to start.
With the Wix Blog Maker, you can create a travel blog in just a few clicks. But first, let’s look at some things to remember when you start travel blogging.
Understand your audience
As a travel blogger, your biggest asset is your audience. They’re the ones that will visit your website, click on advertisements or make purchases through affiliate marketing links.
Your travel blog's design and content should cater to the needs of your target audience. For example, if your target audience is solo travelers, you could write about cheap and safe accommodations.
Other possible target audiences include:
Business travelers
Digital nomads
Family travelers
Adventure enthusiasts
Ecotourists
Your monetization strategy also depends on your audience’s needs. Let’s say you write a lot about camping trips. You could include affiliate links to camping products on Amazon that you’ve tried out and reviewed. Digital nomads, however, might need more information than products so affiliate income wouldn’t be such a large part of your monetization strategy for that audience.
Create quality content
Travel blogging is a competitive field with many creators competing for attention. Creating unique and quality content helps you stand out from the pack. There are two parts to creating quality content.
Engage your target audience
People quickly get bored with travel blogs without a unique tone and narrative. Personal travel stories, practical tips, itineraries and stunning photos are a must to keep people coming back for more page views.
Your blog could also include step-by-step guides for travel procedures, hotel reviews, travel accessory recommendations, travel insurance information and itinerary ideas.
Impress search engines
Travelers often search for destinations online, so it’s great if your blog appears at the top of the search engine result pages (SERPs). To grab those coveted spots your content must be search engine optimized (SEO).
Doing solid keyword research and including relevant keywords in your content, meta information and URL are a great place to start. Search engines like Google also rank pages based on how useful they are, so focus on making your content valuable to readers.
Blog consistently
Just like people watch their favorite TV shows weekly, they watch for their favorite blogs to post often. Creating a content calendar before you plunge into content creation is a great way to help yourself stay consistent and remind you to promote new content on your social media channels.
The content calendar is a plan that lists the blogs and social media posts you’ll create in the foreseeable future. It also includes a target date for creating and posting content. A good content strategy will help you create high-quality content while juggling your blogging and traveling.
Consistent posting will keep your blog fresh in your audience’s memory, and they’ll keep coming back for new content.
Build strong branding
An effective brand makes a lasting impression on its customers. You must create a strong brand identity to set your blog apart from the competition.
Here are a few things that will help you create a brand.
A unique name and tagline
Tone and format of your blog posts
Unique website design elements like logo, color palette, fonts and themes
Diversify your income streams
Multiple income streams are important for travel bloggers. Advertising on your website, using affiliate marketing links, writing sponsored blogs, accepting influencer brand partnerships and selling digital content are just a few ways to diversify your income.
Diversifying monetization channels will ensure a stable income even if one stream dries up.
16 ways to make money as a travel blogger
03. Sponsored posts
07. Advertising
12. Crowdfunding
13. YouTube channel
15. Podcasting
16. Blog flipping
01. Affiliate marketing
Let’s say you are writing a how-to guide for a camping trip. Your readers would want to know what camping gear you use. You can partner with a camping supply store, camping equipment brand or Amazon to include affiliate marketing links on your blog.
You'll get a commission whenever your readers click through the link and purchase something from the store. Required legal disclosures that your blog contains affiliate links may vary based on your location.
Other affiliate opportunities include travel websites, hotels, airlines and affiliate programs from popular travel platforms like booking.com. There are also affiliate marketing groups like ShareASale where you can sign up for multiple programs at once.
While affiliate marketing is a great way to make money as a travel blogger, endorsing brands you trust, even if you don’t have a deal with them, can help build audience trust.
02. Email advertisements
Building an email list helps build interest in your blog by sending them travel tips, new content alerts, travel resources and downloadables. Plus, it’s a great revenue opportunity.
Companies like buying email advertisements because email subscribers are more engaged than random website visitors. Email advertisements have a higher conversion rate than website advertisements, allowing you to charge a premium.
Remember to avoid cluttering your emails with too many ads and choose ads that are relevant to your subscribers.
03. Sponsored posts
Do you have a favorite travel accessory, such as trekking gear or a camera? Partnering with those manufacturers to create sponsored posts on your blog or social media is a way to earn income and build credibility.
You could make money as a travel blogger by writing sponsored posts like:
Hotel reviews
Travel experience reviews
Products/services comparisons
Travel accessories reviews
It's vital to stay on topic and promote brands that align with your travel niche and business values. You’ll also need to disclose when posts are sponsored. A sponsored post should also cover the product's positive and negative aspects so that it will add value to your audience.
04. Selling digital products
Digital products like ebooks and travel planners are an excellent way to make money as a travel blogger. You could sell them through your blog or online marketplaces like Etsy.
Here are a few examples of digital products you could make as a travel blogger:
Digital travel guides/ ebooks
Printable itineraries and packing lists
Photography presets
Creating digital products takes time, but they can bring in passive income after the initial setup.
05. Travel consulting
Do your friends and family always ask you for travel advice? Do you love drawing up travel plans for them? A travel consultation business can become a great source of income by creating personalized travel itineraries and curated travel experiences for your clients.
Travel consulting will also help you gain more business through referrals and a larger blog audience through word-of-mouth marketing.
06. Online courses and workshops
As a travel blogger, you’ll have expertise in creating great travel articles, taking stunning photos and maintaining a travel website. You can use that knowledge to make money through online courses and workshops.
Based on your niche, you could offer a wide range of courses on:
Travel photography
Low-budget travel
Travel planning
Travel website creation
Sustainable travel
You could sell your courses online or hold face-to-face workshops. Your courses will also help you gain visibility among travel enthusiasts and are a great opportunity to promote your travel services and merchandise.
As you gain credibility as a travel coach, you could also make money from speaking engagements at travel expos and tourism events.
07. Advertising
Displaying advertisements on your website is a great way to make money as a travel blogger. You can sell advertising spots directly to brands or sign up with a service like Google AdSense, which automatically places relevant advertisements from many advertisers on your blog.
Advertisers often pay for every click on their ad, so ad revenue grows with your blog traffic. Blogs with more page views command the highest pay-per-click advertising fees.
However, be careful not to clutter your travel blog with advertisements. The ads shouldn’t tamper with user experience; otherwise, they could result in unhappy readers and lower SERP rankings.
08. Freelance travel writing
If you love writing and have time to write more articles than your blog requires, you can make extra money as a freelance travel writer.
As a seasoned travel writer, you can make money by:
Writing for travel magazines
Creating brochures for travel companies
Ghostwriting travel books
Some freelance writing assignments offer you a byline, which is a great way to reach more people and establish yourself as an authority in a travel niche.
09. Merchandise sales
Including a merchandise store on your travel blog or selling it through online marketplaces and social e-commerce platforms is another way to diversify, whether you create unique merchandise or resell products. Wix’s eCommerce website builder will help you set up a store in a few clicks.
Here are a few merchandise ideas that will help you make money as a travel blogger:
Tote Bags, t-shirts or posters printed with your travel photos
Collectible items and souvenirs from your favorite destinations
Travel books and accessories
Learn more: How to start an ecommerce business, Best ecommerce platforms.
10. Paid partnerships and collaborations
According to the Influencer Marketing Hub’s benchmark report, 85% of respondents have dedicated a budget for influencer marketing. Paid partnerships and collaborations are lucrative ways for travel influencers to earn money.
Common travel blogger partnerships include government tourism boards, destination marketing companies and travel-related businesses like hotels or airlines. In addition to paying you, these brands might also sponsor your travel and accommodation.
11. Travel tour hosting
Are you an expert on local travel destinations? You can make money by hosting travel tours showcasing your insider information. Examples include walking tours through your city or exploring a particular landmark.
Hosting travel tours make money through:
Charging an entry fee for your travel tours
Referral fees from local businesses
Expanding your blog audience
Curating travel experiences for tours requires time and energy. You’ll also have to check local laws for required permits or licenses.
12. Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding is a great way to raise money for your next epic expedition. Travelers often raise money from their readers through donation forms on travel blogs, and you might even want to consider setting up a donation website.
You could also sign up on websites like Patreon, where you’ll receive recurring financial support from people who love your work in return for access to exclusive content like destination guides or travel deal alerts.
13. YouTube channel
According to Pew Research, YouTube is the most popular social media channel in the U.S. Advertisements, affiliate links and sponsored videos are the main ways to make money from YouTube.
Need some inspiration? Check out these YouTube travel vloggers.
Vagabrothers: 1.14 million subscribers
Viatravellers: 15.3 thousand subscribers
Learn more: How to make money on YouTube
14. Social media monetization
Most travel bloggers are active on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok. These social media channels can help you make money as a travel blogger.
Instagram features like subscriptions and gifts allow followers of an Instagram page to make one-time or recurring payments to a creator. The platform is also working on a creator bonus program. Brand sponsorships are also popular on social media channels.
Just like Instagram, you can make money on TikTok in different ways. TikTok monetization opportunities include:
The Creator Fund (only available to existing participants)
The Creativity Program for creators in the U.S.
Creator Marketplace for brands to find creators
Gifts and tips from TikTok viewers
Learn more:
15. Podcasting
According to Edison Research, 42% of the U.S. population listens to podcasts. If you love to speak about your travel experiences and share travel tips, podcasting can be a great source of income.
There are many ways to earn money from podcasts:
Charge a subscription fee for premium content
Partner with brands for sponsored content
Teach courses and hold special live events
Need a great podcast name? Wix’s podcast name generator can help.
16. Blog flipping
Free spirits that don’t want long-term commitments might find blog flipping perfect for them. Create or buy a blog, improve it and resell it for a profit.
While building a successful blog takes time and effort, selling it could yield a sizeable one-time payout. You could also build multiple niche travel blogs at one time and sell a few as your focus and interests change.
How to get started with making money as a travel blogger
Making money from a travel blog requires meticulous planning. Finding a unique niche, building a blog, creating content, building an audience, creating a content strategy and monetizing your blog are crucial steps in this plan.
Find your travel blog niche
Every traveler has specific interests. Some like hiking national parks, while others prefer luxury tours. When you start a blog, focus on a niche inspired by your travel tastes.
Your travel blog niche could be based on the destination type, experiences or travel budget.
Travel niches include:
Adventure tourism
Budget travel
Luxury tourism
Solo travel
Gastro tourism
Picking a niche will help you establish yourself as an expert in your field. It will also allow you to explore a specific category and create in-depth content.
Set up your travel blog
Setting up a blog is the vehicle for how to make money as a travel blogger. Your blog will be your home base that connects your other monetization efforts.
Let’s take a closer look at the process of creating a blog:
Choose a blog name: Your name will stay with you across platforms, so choose carefully.
Register a domain name: Once you have a blog name, register a domain based on that name. The Wix free plan comes with a free subdomain, and premium plans come with a one-year free custom domain.
Build and host your blog: Choose a reliable website builder and hosting service. For example, Wix offers a drag-and-drop website builder and free, reliable hosting. Wix also ensures your website’s security and performance.
Customize your blog: Wix offers plenty of travel website templates to jump-start your blog design. Then, you’ll customize your travel blog to match your style by adjusting your logo, color palette, font, layout and images.
Build an audience
Your success as a travel blogger depends on the size of your audience. As your blog’s traffic increases, your advertisement revenue also increases. Plus, having a dedicated following makes you an influencer in the travel industry and can lead to sponsorships and paid partnership opportunities.
Build an audience for your blog by:
Creating unique content that inspires and helps people.
Staying active on social media and engaging with your audience.
Increasing your visibility by participating in online travel forums.
Networking with other travel bloggers to understand their processes.
Starting a multilingual blog to attract an audience from across the globe.
Create a content strategy
Every successful travel blog has a solid content strategy. Your content strategy describes your target audience, the type of content you’ll create, content distribution channels, content goals, key performance indicators and a detailed content calendar.
Optimize your content for search engines'
People often research travel destinations online. Appearing on top of SERPs will increase the traffic to your blog.
Using an uncluttered website design with easy navigation.
Performing keyword research and optimizing your content for those keywords.
Including relevant keywords in the meta title and meta description.
Adding keyword-rich alt-text for all your images.
Creating useful content that adds value for your readers.
Create a monetization strategy
A monetization strategy will help you diversify your income streams and focus on the most lucrative revenue sources. Base your monetization strategy on your travel niche. For example, if you are a photographer, you can focus on selling high-quality prints and digital copies of your photos or hosting photo tours.
Regardless of your niche, advertisements are a part of most monetization strategies. Paid partnerships or influencer marketing gigs are also desirable as you gain a more extensive social media following.
Travel blog examples
Ready to dive into travel blogging? Now that we’ve explored how to make money as a travel blogger let’s look at a few unique travel blogs for inspiration.
The Wandering Wheels
The Wandering Wheels is a unique travel blog that combines adventure travel with jewelry making. Hannah, the founder of Wandering Wheels, creates jewelry inspired by nature and makes money by selling accessories inspired by mountains, lakes and forests.
She Can Adventure
She Can Adventure is run by Crystal Batlle, an avid traveler who organizes adventure camps for women travelers. She diversified her income by selling merchandise and accepting donations from patrons.
Tipsy Atlas
Tipsy Atlas is a robust travel blog with stunning photos that makes money from creating international travel itineraries and curated travel experiences.
How to make money as a travel blogger FAQ
How much do travel bloggers make?
Your income from travel blogging depends on your travel niche, audience, monetization strategy and marketing efforts. While some bloggers make a few hundred dollars monthly, others make a six-figure income or more. With a great content strategy and diverse income streams, you can make a substantial income from travel blogging.