5 Side Gigs That Pay For Your Travel

Visit all seven continents. Climb Mount Everest. See the wonders of the world. If you look at many people’s bucket lists, they include a lot of travel and adventure. For most, these excursions are difficult to complete while working a nine-to-five office job. However, these five lucrative side hustles can free up your schedule and support you financially while you travel the world.

Also if you are curious about other side gigs, here are 10 of the most popular ones.

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Freelance Writer

Freelance writers may write blogs, articles, reviews, guides or newsletters for clients. They must have strong writing and organization skills in their specific niche. Additionally, an excellent understanding of search engine optimization (SEO) and how to integrate it into their work is vital. Freelance writing content doesn’t have to specifically relate to travel, but as long as the work is remote you can still do so. However, writing geared specifically to travel may lead to sponsored trips.

A freelance writer’s income will depend on their niche, experience, engagement and education. Clients may pay writers per word or project. The average amount that a freelance writer makes in the U.S. is $23 per hour, according to ZipRecruiter.

Some freelance writers create their own travel blogs to document their adventures. While this is a bigger challenge and not as secure as writing for clients, it can equate to a very high income. Travel bloggers who write for their sites don’t make money per word or piece. However, they can make money in various other ways, including sponsorships, advertisements, affiliate marketing and product sales through their blog.

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Travel Vlogger

Travel vlogging is a competitive niche, but successfully breaking through and earning money from it can be quite rewarding. Travel vloggers explore the world and document their trips through videos.

Creating travel vlogs can be very expensive and time-consuming. Initially, vloggers must pay for their own flights, accommodation and expenses for content appearing in the video. Additionally, travel vloggers also need to purchase and carry equipment, including cameras, microphones, computers and extra batteries. Vloggers may choose to edit their own videos or hire freelance editors.

Travel vloggers often post their videos on YouTube, where they can begin earning money from ads after gaining 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time or 10 million valid YouTube Shorts views. Once a travel vlogger has a loyal following, they can make additional money from business sponsorships or donations from fans. Advertisers may also pay their travel costs in exchange for publicity. The amount that a travel vlogger can make varies widely depending on their subscribers and sponsorships but it can add up quickly.

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Photographer

Photographers who want to use their talents to support their travels can do so in multiple ways. They can take pictures to sell as stock photography, work freelance assignments, work for magazines or websites or post images to social media. Travel photography may focus on different areas, such as wildlife, landscapes, events, people and cultures.

To be a paid photographer, you must have excellent knowledge of cameras and photography techniques. Most photographers create a website or portfolio of their best work to attract new clients and opportunities. Photographers must also be able to edit images with computer software to enhance their quality.

The type of photography that you do will dictate how much you can earn. In the U.S., freelance photographers earn an average of $63 per hour. However, this may be significantly more or less depending on your platform, following and skills.

Tour Guide

Being a tour guide allows you to travel the world with a group of people and lead them to various cities, sites, landscapes and attractions. International tour guides must thoroughly research their destinations, coordinate logistics, manage the groups and create a positive travel experience for tourists.

The job requires tour guides to have an in-depth knowledge of the destinations that range from local landmarks to cultural norms. Tour guides must have excellent communication skills and often need training in first-aid and emergency response measures in a crisis. In many cases, being a tour guide will allow you to travel without worrying about the expenses, as they may be covered by tour companies and agencies. However, it may also limit your trips to specific locations.

International tour guides in the U.S. make $19 per hour on average. This will vary based on the organization you work with, the country you visit and the amount of people in your tour groups. Tour guides may also receive tips from satisfied tourists, which can significantly raise your income.

Musician

Talented musicians can earn an income from booking gigs with local venues while traveling to support themselves. Established musicians with large fanbases will travel in luxury and leave most of the planning to managers. However, traveling as an underground musician means extensive planning and hauling a lot of luggage, including one or more instruments and any equipment needed for performances.

Musicians must be skilled with their instruments and talented performers. Additionally, they must be good at marketing and networking. Working as a musician to support your travels means you’ll have to constantly network with venue managers, booking agents, event planners, concert promoters and other musicians.

Earnings for musicians vary widely depending on their skill and popularity as well as the country they are performing in. In the U.S., musicians make $22 per hour on average. They can boost their salary by selling merchandise like shirts or albums while touring. They can also make money performing for private audiences, such as at weddings or corporate events.

Make Money While Traveling the Globe

Modern times have made it easier to earn money while traveling, or even from traveling. Becoming a successful musician, travel vlogger, freelance writer, tour guide or photographer takes a lot of time and dedication. Much like starting your own business, you’ll need to invest in your side hustle before fully reaping the benefits and traveling while you work.

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