How I Saved Over $115,000 on Journey by Making My Expertise Pay

One in every of my favourite issues about working Making Sense of Cents is attending to share distinctive methods individuals are earning profits and designing a life they love. Right now’s visitor, Rosie Bell, has constructed a very fascinating profession as a journey journalist, and he or she’s been in a position to see the world in a manner that most individuals solely dream about. Rosie has contributed to over 30 publications, together with BBC Journey, Condé Nast Traveler, Fodor’s Journey, and Lonely Planet. As an alternative of paying full worth for journeys, she’s used her writing expertise to save lots of over $115,000 in journey prices whereas additionally incomes earnings alongside the best way. On this article, she’s sharing how she received began, what it’s actually prefer to receives a commission to journey, and other ways you need to use your individual expertise to make journey extra reasonably priced too.

My expertise, not earnings or financial savings, have helped me see the world, touring by personal airplane, yacht, helicopter, and even a college bus transformed right into a ferry. As a contract journey journalist, I’ve managed to save lots of over $115,000 in journey bills by leveraging my writing expertise and business information.

This profession has allowed me to dwell out my wildest journey desires and tick off bucket-list experiences like over-the-water bungalows within the Maldives and crusing within the cerulean waters of the Caribbean.

On this article, I’ll break down the monetary actuality of journey journalism, define my very own path into the business, supply steering for early-stage writers, and supply inspiration for methods to make your travels pay.

Be aware from Making Sense of Cents: If you happen to’re excited by changing into a journey author, Rosie has a course referred to as Journey Writing 101: The right way to Construct a Full-Time Profession as a Journey Author the place she shares what she’s realized from her expertise within the business. It goes into extra element on methods to get began, pitch publications, and construct a sustainable profession.

How I turned a journey journalist

My first worldwide journey was after I was three years outdated. Rising up in a diplomatic household meant that shifting between nations and continents was merely a part of life. I additionally attended a college that prioritized studying by journey: museum-hopping in New York for artwork class, Moscow and St. Petersburg for historical past, climbing within the Pyrenees to attach with nature, and even tiramisu-making in Venice. I assume it’s no shock that I ended up being knowledgeable traveler.

My foray into journey journalism was the results of a contented accident, although. In 2017, I left London for Panama after falling in love with the nation on a visit by Central America two years earlier. I had simply stepped away from working a swimwear model in London and was in search of a contemporary begin after a deep-cutting private loss. I gave myself a yr to determine issues out, spending a lot of that point writing my first guide, Escape to Self.

Whereas residing there, a buddy occurred to share an open name from World Nomads for essays about life in Panama. I pitched, received the project, and was paid $300. That first cost confirmed me that writing about my life, travels, and perspective might kind the premise of a profession.

From there, I stored pitching numerous publications. I had no contacts and no formal journalism coaching, however being based mostly in Panama gave me a standpoint, and over time, that led to commissions from dream publications like Lonely Planet and Forbes Journey Information.

Although changing into a journey journalist wasn’t a part of a lifelong grand plan, it’s a profession that fits me completely, and a reminder that you just don’t need to reinvent the wheel and might make a career out of belongings you’re already doing.

Press journeys and money-can’t-buy experiences

Organized by tourism boards, PR businesses, accommodations, and types, press journeys are skilled invites prolonged to journalists to expertise a vacation spot, property, or providing firsthand. Reasonably than shopping for promoting, these organizations are investing in storytelling and trusting {that a} well-reported piece carries extra weight than a paid placement.

Not like journey content material creators, journey journalists will not be paid to attend press journeys.

As an alternative, some or all the prices, flights, lodging, meals, and experiences are coated, permitting writers to scale back bills and, in flip, journey extra regularly. Extra journey means extra tales, and extra tales imply extra alternatives to publish and earn cash.

Press journeys might be one of the crucial environment friendly and rewarding parts of a journey journalist’s profession. They permit journalists to construct relationships inside the business, expertise locations in ways in which can be troublesome to rearrange independently, and acquaint themselves with extra locations, which is good since information is our foreign money.

What additionally makes press journeys so compelling is the extent of entry they supply. Doorways open that may in any other case stay closed. You would possibly get VIP passes at a competition, personal gallery viewings, pre-opening resort excursions, introductions to hard-to-access people, or an invite to a tasting curated particularly for a small group of media.

Among the press journeys I’ve been on have felt surreal. I’ve discovered myself entrance row on the Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Competition being singled out mid-performance by John Legend in a crowd of 1000’s. I’ve rappelled down waterfalls in Honduras, shared meals with sumo wrestlers in Tokyo, had a flamingo-dotted lake to myself in Bonaire, and unwound on a non-public island in Turks and Caicos.

In Mexico, I dined on caviar tacos and gold-dusted grasshoppers and had an expensive spa ritual that bordered on theatrical, the place as many as ten folks attended to me directly. These are the sorts of extraordinary, immersive, and deeply memorable experiences press journeys can unlock, and I don’t take any of it with no consideration. If I had paid for these journeys myself, I might have simply spent properly over $115,000.

I really feel very obsessed with press journeys, which is why I created a matchmaking database to assist journey media get found for extra of the press journeys they need, and it’s referred to as Press Journey Professionals.

What one should bear in mind is that these will not be “free” journeys. After the journey, a contract journalist is anticipated to safe protection in a single (or a number of) of the publications they contribute to, and that’s the place their cash is made. After happening press journeys, I’ve bought tales to journey publications reminiscent of Condé Nast Traveler, Atlas Obscura, and Fodor’s Journey.

How I pivoted through the pandemic

When journey halted in 2020 through the COVID-19 international pandemic, I began internet hosting digital journey trivia video games through Airbnb On-line Experiences and rapidly labored my manner as much as five-figure months. I had company bookings from the likes of Google, Apple, Spotify, Etsy, Balenciaga, and LinkedIn, and Enterprise Insider even profiled my occasion.

Nonetheless, in June 2024, Airbnb eliminated all On-line Experiences from the platform, leaving me and different hosts with out a sizeable supply of earnings. This confirmed me the hazard of counting on one platform or “constructing your fortress on another person’s land.”

Lately, gamers can guide me as a digital journey trivia host through a platform referred to as Elevent, but in addition instantly on my web site. These profitable on-line classes can herald over $500 per hour, considerably outpacing typical freelance writing charges and offering some stability when media work fluctuates.

The right way to climate the highs and lows of freelance journey writing

There’s some huge cash in journey however it’s not at all distributed evenly. Final yr on the Signature Journey Community convention in Las Vegas, I met a number of profitable journey advisors who make thousands and thousands yearly, whereas a contract journey journalist may not attain seven figures throughout a 20-year span from article-writing for publications alone.

I typically say that being a contract journey journalist is like residing a millionaire way of life on a backpacker finances, as a result of you might get to relaxation your head on high-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets at a $3,000-a-night resort, however receives a commission $300 to write down a narrative about your keep there for a shiny journal.

The most important draw back of freelance journey journalism is monetary insecurity. Even once you write for high-profile publications, the pay might be surprisingly modest. Your hourly price additionally is dependent upon how briskly or gradual you write and the way hands-on the enhancing course of is (some publications have a coverage of not less than two rounds of edits). 

Commissioning budgets fluctuate, assignments aren’t assured, and your earnings might be inconsistent since you may need gaps between commissions and the assorted publications you write for have completely different pay intervals. I’m very sincere about this perilous nature in my on-line course for would-be journey journalists, Journey Writing 101: The right way to Construct a Full-Time Profession as a Journey Author.

The way in which to navigate the ebbs and flows is by constructing a portfolio profession and never counting on writing alone. Many journey writers I do know produce other gigs preserving the lights on, and there’s no disgrace in that. Diversification is safety and lets you do the work you like with out being fully on the mercy of an unpredictable business.

In my case, I’ve numerous strategies of leveraging my expertise, information, and travels past freelance writing for publications, together with:

• Journey Writing 101: The right way to Construct a Full-Time Profession as a Journey Author: A distillation of the whole lot I want I knew after I began as a journey journalist into an in depth PDF course of over 220 pages. My course has modified from a video format to a PDF in order that I can simply incorporate the fast adjustments within the business. I’ve welcomed greater than 1,500 college students into the course through the years.
• Ask me something classes: Individuals who need to choose my mind about breaking into journey writing, pitching, PR and media relations, or the locations I write about can guide 30 or 60-minute video calls with me.
• Press Journey Professionals: I created the matchmaking database Press Journey Professionals to attach journey journalists and journey content material creators with organizers of their dream press journeys.
• Enhancing and fact-checking: Proofreading, line enhancing, developmental enhancing, and fact-checking for numerous distant initiatives.
• On-line journey trivia: People and firms guide me to host enjoyable journey trivia video games for them through my website and a platform referred to as Elevent. I even have a group of on-demand video games for the curious and nerdy to play independently.
• Inventory pictures: I get royalties for my journey pictures that I add to Getty Pictures/ iStock. Consequently, you will discover my journey pictures revealed within the likes of USA Right now, CNN Journey, The Knot, and extra.
• RosieBell.internet: I get affiliate commissions from articles on my website the place I evaluate accommodations by a 7-point, video-first format and break down each vacation spot right into a definitive “Prime 7.”
• Content material advertising: As a result of I’ve in-depth information of Panama, I’ve gotten content material advertising gigs to write down for firms with Panama outposts, together with the luxurious Sofitel resort model.
• Translations: I’ve helped purchasers all through Latin America translate books and advertising copy from Spanish to English.
• Talking: I’ve been booked as a speaker for workshops and displays all over the place from conferences to worldwide colleges.  
• Skillshare programs: As soon as upon a time, I might pay my hire simply with passive earnings from my numerous Skillshare on-line programs on writing, pitching, and entrepreneurship. Nonetheless, a 2022 change within the firm’s income mannequin means it’s a lot much less profitable for lecturers. Once more, this was a lesson in not placing your eggs in a single basket and relying too closely on any platform you don’t personal or management.
• Ghostwriting: I’ve ghostwritten total books in addition to articles for time-pressed entrepreneurs in search of eloquent writing with all the glory however not one of the associated trouble.

Journey journalism in itself not often makes you wealthy, not less than not in money. However what it affords is entry, experiences, and the flexibility to dwell a life that may in any other case be prohibitively costly. It’s a career outlined much less by what you earn and extra by the intangible belongings you acquire.

Once you’re a contract journey journalist, diversifying your earnings makes you much less weak in mild of dry spells, stagnating pay charges, and adjustments being introduced on by AI.

The state of journey writing in 2026

Based on a 2025 Microsoft research, writers and authors are among the many prime forty jobs most threatened by AI.

With the introduction of AI Overviews on Google in 2024, many web sites have seen click-through to their websites decline, which implies diminished visitors and fewer advert income. Due to this fact, the digital platforms that freelance journey journalists contribute to have smaller budgets to pay writers for tales. Even employees writers are affected by this and there have been a number of waves of layoffs from large media firms. Which means that extra employees writers are getting into the freelance pool, leading to extra competitors for fewer alternatives to have your work revealed.

Journey bloggers will not be exempt from these hostile adjustments. AI additionally implies that anyone can whip up a 2,000-word weblog publish detailing what to do in Mexico over three days. There’s numerous AI slop on the market, which tarnishes the general perceived credibility of journey websites. How does one discern what’s written by a human with lived expertise or not? For that reason, I embrace video excursions in my resort critiques on my website as an example that I’ve genuinely visited the locations I’m writing about.

Sadly, as a result of adjustments in on-line publishing, many journey writers are giving up altogether. Some main journey bloggers have bought their websites on Flippa.com and I’ve seen others shifting into journey planning, for example.

Folks have been declaring for years that “running a blog is lifeless,” the identical manner printed books have been predicted to go the best way of the dodo within the web age, however folks will at all times love tales for people written by people. Many bloggers are nonetheless thriving. What they’ve executed is adapt their website positioning and promotional practices, and so they have integrated new companies.

Methods to make journey pay

Having the ability to earn a residing from writing about your travels is a tremendously rewarding state of affairs to be in, additional sweetened by the truth that it is a distant job you are able to do anyplace on the planet.

My principal bread and butter is writing articles for on-line journey publications and authoring journey guidebooks. I’ve labored on Lonely Planet guidebooks for Panama, Brazil, Argentina, and Central America. Past writing, there are numerous strategies for reworking your journey experiences into income streams.

These are a couple of methods I’ve seen fellow journey writers monetize:

1. Substack newsletters: Fairly a couple of journey journalists have arrange their very own premium newsletters on Substack (like Joni Candy’s). They might publish a mix of free and paid articles that readers can solely entry if they’re premium subscribers. If you happen to had 200 subscribers paying you simply $5 every month, your Substack might herald over $800.
2. Person Generated Content material: UGC is creating content material for manufacturers to make use of on their very own channels, moderately than in your personal viewers, which means you don’t must have a large following. You’ll be able to attain out to particular manufacturers and introduce your self or apply to hitch a UGC platform like Clip.
3. Vlogging on YouTube: If you happen to’re snug in entrance of the digital camera, this is likely one of the methods which you could make some chilly, exhausting money as soon as your channel meets the necessities for monetization.
4. Properly-researched explanatory movies on YouTube: Johnny Harris’ YouTube channel is a superb instance of explanatory journalism with a world focus. He has movies like “What’s really taking place in North Korea” and “How Switzerland engineered the right nation.”
5. Social media content material creation: You’d be constructing a presence on platforms like Instagram or TikTok and monetizing by model partnerships, internet affiliate marketing, and/or direct funds from the social media platforms.
6. Managing social media accounts: Help a resort, tourism board, or journey firm with their social media presence. Many manufacturers outsource this to freelancers.
7. Podcasting: You might create a travel-focused podcast centered on tales, business insights, or area of interest matters and monetize it by sponsorships, partnerships, or listener assist. Examples of journey podcasts are Design Her Journey and Courting Past Borders.
8. E-books and self-published guides: Nothing stops you from writing an in-depth information to a spot you understand very properly and self-publishing it on Amazon.
9. Video enhancing for journey creators: A number of years again, I had an ask-me-anything session with a media graduate who wished to work on-line and change into a digital nomad. She now makes an incredible residing serving to social media content material creators edit their movies and travels the world along with her laptop computer in tow.
10. Digital nomad teaching: In case you are a digital nomad, you possibly can assist folks navigate the life-style. You is perhaps educating them about visas, potential locations, and nomad communities they’ll be a part of.
11. Distant job teaching: Serving to individuals who need to work on-line tailor their resumes and discover distant jobs they’ll do 100% remotely. Andrea Valeria is a widely known voice on this house.
12. Journey pictures: Promoting your journey pictures on inventory pictures websites or on to publishers. Magazines want pictures to convey their tales to life.
13. Underwater pictures: This may be monetized in a number of methods, together with licensing or promoting your pictures to tourism boards, dive firms, and publications, working with resorts or liveaboards to create advertising content material, or partnering with conservation organizations that want highly effective underwater visuals.
14. Curated itineraries as a service: Serving to folks put collectively itineraries for his or her journeys however not dealing with any of the bookings for stated journeys. That is often known as journey planning.
15. Journey advisors: Doing the whole lot from creating personalized guides to creating the reserving itself, normally with some form of perk that solely you possibly can present.
16. Area of interest journey company proprietor: Arrange your individual firm the place you assist a particular subset of individuals guide a sure sort of journey or give attention to a specific vacation spot or area.
17. Digital location scouts or consultants: If you understand a spot rather well, you possibly can promote your self as an skilled whom folks can ask inquiries to earlier than they journey there. You might help manufacturers or movie crews find visually robust places.
18. Native fixers: Being the on-the-ground eyes and ears for a manufacturing group after they come to your location to movie a present or marketing campaign.
19. Vacation spot specialist: In case you are seen as a go-to individual for all issues associated to a vacation spot, you possibly can be referred to as up for advertising campaigns, skilled interviews, or discover vacation spot consulting work.
20. Language tutoring: This may very well be one of many ways in which you’re taking your travels with you and package deal that right into a product. You might educate folks one-to-one, through a mini course, be a part of a language-learning market like Preply as a tutor, or create a YouTube channel and/or TikTok account with suggestions for studying that language.
21. On-line programs: On-line programs supply a scalable approach to monetize your experience whereas serving to others succeed. Creating them requires appreciable upfront funding of effort and time, however as soon as they’re dwell, they’ll generate earnings with minimal ongoing work.
22. Testing and reviewing journey gear: Whether or not it’s backpacks, suitcases, journey clothes, or equipment, you possibly can associate with journey gear manufacturers to check merchandise in real-world circumstances and supply consultancy-style evaluations.
23. Affiliate internet marketing: Incomes by product suggestions in a weblog or e-newsletter. Every time somebody clicks on considered one of your hyperlinks and makes a purchase order, you earn a minimize from their buy without charge to the shopper.
24. Tour information: If you happen to dwell someplace and also you’re actually obsessed with that place, you possibly can create a bespoke tour that helps folks fall in love with the place you reside.
25. Cooking courses: In case you are a bastion of information with regards to a sort of delicacies, you possibly can supply cooking courses and even culinary excursions that commemorate it.
26. Occasions for vacationers: Host small-scale occasions for vacationers visiting your metropolis or city. These might be run independently or in collaboration with venues, and you may promote them on Airbnb Experiences, Get Your Information, Viator, or Meetup.com.
27. Hosted small group journeys and retreats: Many social media journey personalities curate and lead intimate journeys for his or her audiences.
28. Net design for journey manufacturers: You might goal firms within the journey house and ship them proposals to overtake their principal on-line presence.
29. A journey app: You might create an app that solves a typical drawback for vacationers. To give you concepts, take into consideration what you usually wrestle with. Is it getting from A to B? Hauling your baggage round? Reserving flights? Assembly folks once you journey? What issues might you remedy with tech?
30. Arts and crafts gross sales: You might import gadgets to your property nation or export arts and crafts from the place you reside to different markets.

Look into your treasure trove of expertise and take into consideration the belongings you already do and love doing.

What may very well be a facet hustle or grow to be one thing extra financially meaty for you down the road?

Everybody has marketable expertise. Yours might show you how to see the world by airplane, boat, helicopter, or whichever mode of transport your coronary heart needs.

What’s your dream approach to generate profits whereas touring – writing, pictures, social media, or one thing else?

Creator Bio: Rosie Bell is a journey journalist who has contributed to over 30 publications, together with BBC Journey, Condé Nast Traveler, Fodor’s Journey, and Lonely Planet. She has taught greater than 1,500 aspiring journey journalists through her on-line programs and appeared as an skilled on the likes of ABC Information, NBC Information, South China Morning Submit, and The Guardian. Learn her articles at RosieBell.internet and comply with her on Instagram @TheBeachBell.

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