How to get paid to travel
Have you ever dreamed of getting paid to travel? Imagine a career that would take you all over the world — and give you money while you’re at it! Sounds like a dream come true for some.
Believe it or not, there are plenty of jobs that would not only allow you to explore but require it as well. It can be a bit tedious at some point to be on the constant move. But for some, it’s a dream job that takes them on different adventures all over the country or the world.
If funds are what’s keeping you from becoming a bonafide wanderer, there are plenty of opportunities to travel for free on the job. If not free, then get subsidized or refundable travel expenses from your employers. Even freelance workers can enjoy such perks. If you want to know more about getting paid to travel around, check out this list.
Benefits of traveling for work
There are plenty of benefits when you get paid to travel. The most obvious being that you get to visit new places and meet a lot of people. If you’re the social type of person, you can take this opportunity to build many networks all across the globe or the country, depending on where you’re traveling. The nomadic lifestyle isn’t for everyone, but many people find themselves enjoying the uncertainty and the element of surprise to discover another place often.
While most of the jobs listed here aren’t always stable, especially if you work freelance, they can still give you a good annual income. You can also see jobs here that can be permanent with benefits in some companies.
Take travel photography and writing, for example. Some companies, such as airlines and the tourism industry, employ people regularly to keep up with content demands. You may start with small freelance gigs but keep at it, and maybe you’ll become a pro in the field someday.
Travel jobs that pay you to explore and wander
Traveling the world while working may sound horrible to some because the two usually mean the opposite of each other. Travel means rest and vacation, not paperwork and labor. But with an ever-evolving economy that demands all sorts of flexible work situations, the two can and have become synonymous to a lot of working-class Americans.
Travel jobs are also more suited to someone who lives alone or is also with a traveling partner. Although, these jobs don’t discriminate if you have a family. It’s just harder to move around and be on the constant move if you have kids or pets. Listed below are some travel jobs that pay well despite and because of the constant travel and relocation.
ESL Teacher
ESL or English as Second Language is a learning course for non-native English speakers. Sometimes these courses are taught in school. But, more often, they are taken via special classes or online lessons.
If you are a native speaker, this job is in high demand in many countries. These include Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East. Some employers or customers may require you to have a bachelor’s degree and a TESOL, TOEFL, IELTS, or CELTA certification. The pay depends on the country or location.
Travel Photographer
Travel photography isn’t just about taking pictures and posting them on your social media accounts. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it can become a source of income too. There are many tour companies, travel guides, outdoor brands, and tourism affiliate marketing teams that could be interested in your photos. Although it doesn’t pay and other jobs, it can still add to cover your travel expenses, or maybe you’ll find a client who will hire you to take the photos.
Public Speaker
If you’re a seasoned traveler, many conferences and events will pay to hear you speak about your experiences. These events gather other travelers or interested peers and invite relevant speakers. In addition, there are communities online that you can easily find and interact with. You can also share your passion for travel photography, writing, blogging, or whatever it is that you’re good at. If you become great at public speaking, you earn money and inspire other people as well.
Travel Blogger
There are over hundreds of bloggers out there now. Some of them write about their travels, while others chronicle their adventures with videos and photos. Some of these people earn a lot of money online with either sponsorship or paid ads on their blogs.
The difficult part about going down this route is coming up with unique and creative content that isn’t already out there. The blogging community is filled with inspiring bloggers that you can take your cue from. The first step is to start a travel blog and see where it takes you.
Brand Ambassador
The difference between travel bloggers and brand ambassadors is that the former often work independently and gain sponsors from their content. On the other hand, the latter are paid to work with brands to travel and endorse products or services for the company. Therefore, the sole purpose of your travel will be to promote the brand in every content that you produce. Whether that’s posting on social media, writing a blog, filming a vlog that you and the company come up with.
Travel Writer
There isn’t just one type of travel writer. Travel writing can range from paid blog posts, journalism, working with a tour guide, interviewing locals, writing a travel guide, or anything under the sun that can be written. Many budget travelers’ go-to job for extra income is travel writing, wherein they freelance for travel industries looking for a certain number of article content. The income stream isn’t high, but it can pay well enough to become good and well-known in the field.
Cruise Ship Crew
If you’re scared of heights or constantly being thousands of feet up in the air, being a flight attendant or part of a plane’s crew probably isn’t the best idea. Luckily, there’s a counterpart for that on sea travel.
Cruise ship crews sail around the world and get paid good money for their services. There are many jobs available, from being a tour guide to being part of the live entertainment for guests (e.g., bands, dancers, singers). Bonus is that most cruise ships provide their crew with free board and lodging plus food apart from their salaries.
What are the expenses when traveling while getting paid?
Travel expenses are costs associated with traveling. These typically include your hotel or stay-in-house, meals, transport services, airfare, communication devices, and other accommodations and services. While on the job, these may or may not be covered by your employer. If it is your job to travel, most likely, it will be covered. For example, if you are a brand ambassador tasked to attend the Paris Fashion Week, your company will probably cover most, if not all, of your expenses.
However, if you are traveling to sell your product or service, like photography or blogging, you may need to find sponsors or at least pay for your first trips. As you are getting better at earning while being on the job, you can look for similar job descriptions in travel companies and see if they offer relocation packages or all-expense-paid trips for your work.
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What is the biggest possible income of getting paid to travel?
Not surprisingly, there are jobs for which you can travel on your employer’s money that pay over $100,000 a year. Traveling is, after all, associated with being rich enough to afford the luxuries of planes and hotels. In addition, these jobs are often high-profile jobs like being a luxury travel advisor wherein you book, manage, and make sure everything is on track for your client’s vacation.
Hotel managers, pilots, art directors, and travel publicists are also examples of high-paying travel jobs. To qualify for these posts, you will need the requirements and qualifications. The jobs listed in this article can also become high-paying jobs if you book enough clients willing to pay fair and square. For example, some travel bloggers and brand ambassadors can earn up to $10,000 for every paid content, depending on their impact and online traffic.
Final Thoughts
Traveling on the job, getting paid while you go on a world tour, does sound like a good time. However, it is not for everyone. If you find yourself curious, maybe you can start with traveling jobs in your city first, then your state, then your country, and eventually to other countries all over the world. However, if you are only starting, be realistic about your expectations.
Most of these jobs pay low to average salaries. They may not offer luxurious accommodations, but you can always negotiate later once you start building up a name for yourself in the travel community. Above all, don’t forget to have fun on your travels. Some say it’s all about the journey and not always about the destination.
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