How to make money as a travel blogger

If you are thinking about becoming a full-time travel blogger, you probably would like to know how much travel bloggers earn. In this article, I will list all major income sources for travel bloggers. And if you haven’t yet launched your travel blog, you can read my step by step guide here. 

I also try to provide my own stats for every source of income mentioned. Note that my blog audience is not that big: I get around 1500 – 2000 pageviews per month. 

Based on my own experience, I have grouped the possible income sources for travel bloggers in two groups: Group 1 are income sources that are mainly referral credits (free accommodation, taxi coupons that you receive in exchange for the promotion on your blog), I name this group as non-monetary income. Maybe this is not the best wording, but this is how I name it. The second group (Group 2) are income sources that generate real money in your bank account. 

Group 1 – non-monetary income sources for travel bloggers

Referral credits

1. Airbnb is the largest online apartments rental service. Airbnb gives a free $25 credit for any new user – if you haven’t used Airbnb before, use my invite link and get the free credit. When have completed registration with Airbnb, you can start promoting Airbnb by placing invite (referral) link anywhere in your blog. Your unique referral link can be found at this page: https://www.airbnb.com/invite. For every new user that you referred through your unique referral link, you get $15 credit to your Airbnb account, which you can use to book stay in apartments all over the world. Note that each credit is valid for one year.
   My stats: During the last 12 months I have earned around 100$ worth of Airbnb credits. 
   

1. Booking.com will give you a 15 $ credit for every reservation made through your referral link. You need to register at Booking.com at first, and the referral link you can find here. See my example here.
   My stats: I have just started sharing the Booking.com referral link, so no results at the moment.   
2. Taxi apps: Uber and Taxify. 
   Uber and Taxify are popular apps for taxi ordering all over the world. They have their own referral programmes and on averages you get 3 to 10 $ per every new user who has used their services through your own referral link. 
   My stats: I recommend to use Taxify in my destination guides and get 1 or 2 referral credits every week. 

   Press trips/Free hotel stays.

   Some of the trips I take part in are organised and fully sponsored by tourism boards. Depending on the budget of the travel board, they will cover you a stay in a hotel, airline flights and entrance fees to the attractions. Tourism boards sometimes plan an itinerary of activities and sightseeing for me, but in many occasions, they give me a freedomto develop my own programme.  In addition, you can always request a hotel for a complimentary or a discounted stay in exchange for the publicity on your blog. I have created a short course on Skillshare about How To Reach Hotels For a Complimentary Stay as A Blogger. If you haven’t used the Skillshare before, you can get 2 free months free use of this educational platform with my invite link. 

   My stats: in 2018 I have got a complimentary stay in 4* hotel in Hamburg, a 80% discount for my stay in 5* hotel in Sri-Lanka. I also got offer to have a sponsored stay in Amalfi region of Italy and Cuba, but plans have changed and I haven’t visited these places. 

Group 2 – monetary income sources for travel bloggers

Affiliate marketing:

1.  

   1. Product sales:  Amazon.com affiliate programme allow you to promote any product (photo cameras, luggages, clothes etc) and earn small commission on every sale.  
   2. Service sales: Hotels, Airlines, Car rentals, Resort transfers. Booking.com and Hotels.com have affiliate programmes for bloggers. Carrentals.com has a popular car rentals affiliate programme for bloggers. 
   3. Skillshare.com – earn 10$ for for every new customer. Since they offer 2 months free membership for every new user, it’s quite easy to attract a new customer.
   4. Travelpayouts.com is one of the best affiliate systems that allow you to promote hotels, car rentals, excursions and many other travel related services and make commisions from every sale. 
2. Develop your own product: write an e-book and sell it through sites like gumroad.com 
3. Sell photos online $0.25 per download on Shutterstock
4. Crowdfunding. You can receive regular donations from your blog visitors through services like patreon.com or paypal.com
5. Advertising platform. Sign up for Google Adsense and receive small fees for every click your visitors do in your blog. 

So this was my list of possible income sources for travel bloggers. Know more? Leave a comment!