Guaranteed Ways to Make Money Travelling in 2024
Do you want to leave the office cubicle behind to start chasing waterfalls, experiencing epic adventures and discovering new cultures? There are more ways to make money while travelling than ever before!
New technological advancements such as video conferencing, cloud computing, tighter cyber security measures and a societal acceptance of remote work have contributed to the abundance of opportunity.
The uptake of remote work combined with the high demand for skilled workers gives you more bargaining power to negotiate flexible work arrangements. If you’ve already decided that making money while travelling is for you, learn the right way to ask your boss!
In this post, I will take you through the career choices and lifestyle shifts you can make, to turn your dream of making money while travelling, into a reality.
Finding the perfect fit for you that combines your travel goals, skills and professional aspirations is easy with these 5 options.
If you are wishing you could travel more but can’t afford to completely quit working, you’re in luck!
There are loads of jobs out there that allow you to work and travel full-time. The key is finding the right fit for you and your desired lifestyle.
Below I have detailed the paths you can take to make money travelling as well as their pros and cons.
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How to make money travelling?
If you are looking for a sign to leave your corporate office job to make money travelling the world, then this is it! Life is too short to spend most of it cramped up inside staring at a screen, feeling unfulfilled.
Start exploring, growing your potential and living the life you always dreamed, of but never imagined possible.
Let me show you, how you too can make money travelling and start living a life of balance.
Below are 5 career paths that can re-direct your life path and open your world to new possibilities.
1. Digital Nomad
The first thought of a path to making money while travelling is digital nomadism.
A digital nomad is a remote worker who makes money over the internet whilst travelling from location to location. Digital nomads are location-independent and typically won’t have a home base. They live a very minimalist lifestyle with little belongings and enjoy the thrill of freedom of movement.
A digital nomad won’t usually rent a home, instead, they are couch surfing, staying in AirBnb, hostels, hotels or living on the road.
It’s the ultimate lifestyle choice for people who want to see as much of the world as possible and feel comfortable living out of a suitcase.
How do Digital Nomads Make Money Travelling?
The digital nomad community is diverse, with loads of different skill sets, interests and career experiences.
There are more and more opportunities cropping up that allow you to live the digital nomad lifestyle. Some of the common ways digital nomads make money travelling are as follows!
Blogger
My personal favourite career path is blogging! A blogger wears many hats including writing, graphic design, web development, social media and business strategising. Building a successful brand and a blog that gains enough traffic to generate income from ad revenue, affiliate links, sponsorships etc. takes a lot of hard work that at the beginning is unpaid and unrecognised.
Drop shipping
A drop shipper uses the dropshipping model of buying inventory and fulfilment logistics from a third party, instead of warehousing and shipping the products themselves. For example, a lot of drop shippers buy products at wholesale prices from places such as Alibaba and sell and ship them through Amazon.
Technology
Web designers, developers, UX designers, software developers, app developers just to name a few. If you have an associated degree or the determination to learn online through platforms such as Udemy, a career in technology can be a fulfilling a lucrative path.
Virtual Assistant
A virtual assistant offers administrative services such as scheduling appointments, making phone calls, arranging travel, and assisting bloggers or small businesses.
To start as a virtual assistant basic knowledge and skills are generally required such as Microsoft Office, customer service skills, organisational skills, and multitasking.
Freelancing
Freelancing gives you ultimate flexibility to determine your hours, clients, rates, and of course destination. These days there is a range of freelance marketplaces such as fiverr and upwork where you can promote your services.
Or if you have a portfolio of work and relationships with clients, start your own freelancing business for higher earning potential. Work as a consultant, copywriter, content creator, designer, developer, translator, or social media manager.
Let’s now dive into the pros and cons of digital nomadism.
Pros & Cons
2. Remote Worker
The next path is working remotely full-time. Remote workers have permanent residence and aren’t travelling the world full-time. They lead a travel-filled life by balancing work and travel.
Work from home, a cafe or on the road while travelling. And in some cases, the occasional office visit.
While all digital nomads are technically remote workers, not all remote workers are digital nomads.
How do Remote Workers Make Money Travelling?
Remote workers can be either employed or self-employed. Check out below just a few jobs options for the aspiring remote worker.
Freelancing
Freelancing is a great career path for digital nomads and remote workers alike.
Sales
A career in sales is one of the most lucrative jobs for travel lovers. Depending on the industry you work in sales roles often involve loads of travel (that is paid for by the company!).
Some industries that are definitely worth considering if you’re interested in frequent travel and a generous paycheck are Technology, Medical, Pharmaceutical, Financial Services, and of course the Travel Industry itself!
Social Media Management
Social media is an essential platform for most businesses. Manage a portfolio of clients’ social accounts on the road. Even better, find clients that require travel content.
Recruitment
A recruitment career is a sort of matchmaking that involves filling job vacancies with talented candidates. Conduct job interviews, write job ads, create a promotional strategy and more.
SEO
SEO, short for Search Engine Optimisation, is all about growing website rankings, page views and earnings. Work with businesses, bloggers or freelance professionals to help them grow their online presence.
Account Manager
Manage the relationships between the business and customer base as an Account Manager. Build relationships, provide recommendations, reporting and best practices and cross-sell new products for a generous commission.
Marketing
Marketing is where my heart lies. Work for an agency and manage a portfolio of clients (this usually involves the most travel), work for a B2C (consumer) organisation, B2B (business) organisation, or a non for profit.
Specialise or become a more generalist marketer. For example, copywriters, content creators, and film and photography specialities often involve travel to a range of destinations.
Pros & Cons
Let’s now cover off the pros and cons of becoming a remote worker so you can make the right choice for you.
3. Backpacker
Life path number 3! Backpackers make money travelling usually through casual, more hands-on jobs that don’t require a computer or a degree. Pay could be under the table or traded for benefits such as discounts or free accommodation.
How do Backpackers Make Money Travelling?
Working in hostels/hotels
Negotiate free or affordable housing plus a small income or in exchange for your services.
Clean, work the check-in desk, bartend or maintain the gardens.
Fruit picking
Work outdoors and live on a farm picking fresh produce. Great choice for those that love getting their hands dirty!
Work on a cruise or yacht
Set sail and live out at sea as a yacht crew member.
Cruise ships need waiters, bartenders, tour guides, entertainers, customer service staff and more. Cruises often have over 1,000 crew members, so there are plenty of opportunities.
Bartending
Master the craft of mixology or pouring schooners of beer. There are plenty of bars all over the world in need of casual workers.
Barista
If you are an early riser instead of a night owl, skill up as a barista and work in local cafes.
Pros & Cons
Here are just a few of the pros and cons of the backpacking lifestyle to consider.
4. Expat Traveller
Next, we have expat travel. Expatriates or expats live and work in a foreign country for a longer period of time.
Expat travel can be a slower pace than backpacking or digital nomadism whereby you will hold a job for longer and have a longer-term place of residence. A great way to learn a new language, learn new skills, immerse yourself in a different culture and make new friends.
How do Expat’s Make Money Travelling?
There are a range of different ways to make money travelling as an expat. The trick is choosing your destination wisely! I would suggest looking for countries that have lower costs of living and a high demand for your skill set or desired career path.
Teaching English Abroad
Teach English abroad, there are endless countries where you can work! There are billions of people around the world learning English, so teachers are in high demand.
Check out some of the best countries to teach abroad based on feedback, salary, certifications, and more.
Au Pair
Provide live-in care for the children of a host family as an Au Pair. This job is great for travelling to a foreign country with a small budget available.
An au pair will typically help with childcare and light housework, in return for a free room to live in and some money.
Receptionist
Answer phones, assist with office administration and schedule appointments.
If you want set hours, a set work location and to be around people, this is a good path for those who don’t have much experience or qualifications.
Surf / Ski / Scuba Diver Instructor
Spend a season abroad on the slopes or on the beach!
Tour guide
Run guided walking tours, bike tours, adventure tours or food and wine tours. Start out in your hometown to get the hang of it, you’re an expert at navigating your home after all!
Personal Trainer / Fitness Instructor
If fitness is your passion, get your accreditation as a personal trainer, yoga teacher, pilates instructor or group fitness instructor.
Pros & Cons
Below are the pros and cons of expat travel.
5. Travel Specialist
Finally, I’ll include a few popular travel industry career options. These are more “traditional” business travel jobs that are often what people think of first.
Travel Agent
Travel agents can make a decent living, especially once relationships with customers are formed and targets are hit! They can be remote or work in storefronts.
Expect to be on the phones, talking to customers, sharing travel advice, booking trips, assisting with budgeting and cost-saving strategies and forming relationships.
A travel agent job usually doesn’t require much experience, so it is a great entry-level job for anyone looking to get started in the travel industry.
Flight Attendant
Enjoy the journey of travelling as much as the destination? Explore a career as a flight attendant.
Pilot
Prefer to be up the front of the plane driving ship, so why not become a pilot? To become a pilot you will need to study hard, pass exams, complete training, receive a license, and obtain medical clearance.
Travel Influencer / Blogger
Getting paid to travel the world seems like a dream job to most. But like most things in life, it’s hardly simple.
Earning a living as a travel influencer can take years of hard work, often unpaid. The ones that are successful are persistent and have an undeniable passion for the work. It is not a get-rich-quick scheme so you have to be prepared to work unpaid for a while.
Pros & Cons
Lastly, let’s cover off the key pros and cons of working as a travel specialist.
This list is by no means exhaustive! Check out my top 21 best jobs for travel lovers for additional career paths that allow you to make money while travelling.
Leave a comment if you are planning on leaving your 9 to 5 for a travel-filled life!
