How to make money as a travel blogger: Simple and proven ways to earn online while you travel
EVER WONDER HOW TO MAKE MONEY AS A TRAVEL BLOGGER?
Most bloggers have a mix of income streams that help fund their adventures, and the good news is, if you are truly interested in being a travel blogger, you can do it to!
It is a common misconception that you need a big following to start earning as a travel blogger.
If you're willing to share your travel experiences, give honest opinions, and put in the time and effort, there are plenty of genuine ways to turn your blog into a source of income and make your passion pay off.
With so much information available online, I know it can feel overwhelming at first, so I’ve rounded up what I believe are the best ways to monetise your travel blog!
So, let’s take a look…
1. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing for travel bloggers is hands down one of the easiest ways to start making money with your blog.
You basically recommend travel services or products to your readers that you already know and love. Such as flights, hotels, tours, etc and earn a commission when someone books through one of your links.
It’s a simple concept, but it’s super effective. You’ve probably clicked on affiliate links before without even realising it!
If you are interested in affiliate marketing as a travel blogger, you might be interested in my post >>> Maximize Your Travel Blog Earnings with Travel Affiliate Programs: Earn Commissions with WayAway, Booking.com, Expedia, and More
2. Sponsored Posts and Brand Collaborations
Once your blog starts attracting some traffic, brands may want to work with you directly, requesting you write them a sponsored post.
This is content that you specifically create in collaboration with a brand or company, which they pay you to write.This can be about their product, service, or offer and is typically created to promote the brand in a way that fits with your usual content style and audience.
In exchange for your promotion, you receive compensation, which could be in the form of a flat fee, free products, or affiliate commissions.
Sponsored posts allow brands to reach your audience in a more authentic and engaging way, while you, as the blogger, benefit from the partnership both financially and in terms of content.
These posts must be marked as sponsored to maintain transparency with your readers.
3. Create & Sell Your Stuff
This one’s fun and totally personal.
A lot of bloggers sell digital products like travel guides, itineraries, Lightroom presets, or even packing checklists.
If you’re good at planning or have local insight somewhere, turn that into a resource.
You don’t need to be a really good designer, there are plenty of free design programs out there now. You just decide on an item, create it once, and due to its completely digital nature, it can sell repeatedly in the background without any extra work involved on your part, this is the passive income travel blog dream.
4. Offer Trip Planning or Consultations
If you’re the go-to planner in the family, this one’s for you.
Some bloggers offer travel planning services such as creating personalised itineraries on request or offering specific destination guides.
It’s a great way to monetise travel content, especially if you specialise in a certain type of travel (like backpacking, family travel, or solo travel etc).
5. Run Ads on Your Blog
This one can take some time to start generating a decent income.
Once your blog has consistent traffic, you can run display ads (like Google AdSense or Mediavine) and earn some passive income each month.
It won’t make you rich overnight, but it’s a solid way to earn money from travel blogging.
6. Use Your Social Media
Even if your blog is your main focus, don’t underestimate the power of social media platforms.
Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest can be great for landing partnerships or driving traffic back to your blog.
If you have enough followers, you may find that some brands will even pay for one-off posts or reels if your engagement is solid.
I also suggest joining Facebook groups that align with your niche. This will allow you to share your expertise, help others, and promote your blog by sharing relevant links that can drive traffic back to your blog.
Final Thoughts
Making money as a travel blogger isn’t instant, and it’s not just about pretty pictures, but with a bit of consistency and creativity, it’s totally doable.
Start small, try a few income streams, and see what feels good for you.
You don’t have to tackle everything at once. Focus on one strategy, experiment with it, and let it grow over time. It’s the advice I wish I had followed when I started, instead of trying to do everything all at once.
Ready to start monetising your travel blog?
Take a look at my TravelPayouts post and find out how best to gain access to some of the top travel brands all in one place.
