Get paid for your travel writing! Fund your adventure, literally, writing about what you love doing the most. If you are already a travel blogger, you’ll be used to writing just for the fun of it. We do it because we love blogging, creating content, and every blog post we write can support a career we believe in.
So, why not do all of that, and get paid for it? Unless an article is perfectly aligned for your blog, like this one, it’s worth checking with a small collection of editors in case they want to publish your work for cash-money.
Here are 10 publications that will pay you for your travel writing:
All email addresses have been edited to protect the editors’ privacy from spam bots!
1. Great Escape Publishing
Great Escape Publishing focus on working while you travel, so if you like my blog, you’ll probably like these guys. Sign up to their newsletter to familiarise yourself with the style they publish.
They also have a host of previous articles you can read for inspiration surrounding the topics of import/export, travel blogging, photography, creating tours and many more.
Payment: $50-$75 for a request to the website. $100-$150 for interviews and personal stories. $150-$200 for specific income advice.
Instructions: Email lori(@)greatescapepublishing(dot)com and make sure to include your full name, address and telephone number. Submissions should be in a .doc or .docx format. You can find more instructions here.
2. Verge Magazine
Verge magazine is a small, Canadian digital-only publication.
Verge specifically looks for articles “with purpose”. This can be in the form of working, volunteering, studying or any other purposeful reasons for travelling.
Their audience consists mainly of socially aware individuals who want to make a difference. They are not looking for people focussed on one particular organisation or self-promotion, but more about a general issue or theme.
Payment: A small flat fee for contributions
Instructions: You can send all submissions and enquiries to contributing(at)vergemagazine(dot)com. Verge has a few themes you can write for, or you can try to submit your work as a featured article.
3. Horizon Guides
Horizon Guides is a publisher of special interest travel guides, covering niche subjects from fishing in Ontario to photography in Burma, and pretty much everything in between.
For destination experts to create in-depth downloadable travel guides. You’re credited as the author with a bio, links to your social media and your website.
Payment: They pay competitive rates for researchers and contributors, with a starting rate of £400 per assignment.
Instructions: Join their contributor network to receive details of relevant assignments.
4. Go World Travel
Go World Travel consider writers from all ends of the spectrum, as long as you write well and set yourself apart from the standard “how to get there” articles. The style of writing should be around a destination or place. They are looking for descriptive, straightforward writers who encourage people to go and see the place for themselves.
Anecdotes, curiosity about the place and a detailed insight into your personal feelings towards it, are all things they are after.
Payment: $30-$40 per article (up to 1600 words)
Instructions: Submit your articles to submissions(at)goworldtravel(dot)com. Include the story title and destination in the subject line. More instructions here.
5. Tales to Go
You can write for one of the Tales to Go issues that are available on their website or as a subscription service. Read some of their previous issues to get an idea of the style of writing and types of stories they are after.
Payment: $50 per submission (1000-3000 words submissions have a better chance of being accepted)
Instructions: Previously published stories are welcome, as long as you retain the copyright! They also consider material for books so have a look at their guidelines for more information.
6. Matador Network
Matador Network work with thousands of writers, photographers, and filmmakers. “From industry-leading voices to young creatives published for the first time.”
Matador’s ‘Creators Community’ is one of the best resources out there for beginner travel writers. MatadorU allows you to hunt for opportunities with specific calls for submissions and market leads posted regularly by their editorial team.
Payment: $40+ for short commissioned articles
Instructions: Sign up to their Creators Community on MatadorU and set up a profile. After completing your profile, click the “U” logo to access the user dashboard and market leads.
Here’s one of my articles published by the Matador Network; “Stop waiting to be picked, choose yourself”.
7. Listverse
Listverse are looking for writers who can write a distinctive and interesting listicle (list-articles). They want authors to think outside of the box with an alternative perspective, hidden knowledge or some unique facts on a given subject area.
The list should be no shorter than 10 items and be all of your own work, no copying someone else’s ideas. Sound simple? Give it a go!
Payment: $100 per submission. You must have (or be able to create) a PayPal account.
Instructions: Lists should be 1 or 2 paragraphs per point with a minimum of 10 items in a list. Submissions can be filled in here.
8. Fund Your Life Overseas & Incomes Abroad
Similar to Great Escape Publishing, Find Your Life Overseas & Incomes Abroad focusses on making money while you travel or expats living abroad. They want stories about somebody you know or if you yourself are living on a portable income.
They are always looking for new and unique stories of people earning a living abroad. If you have a story to tell, then get in touch!
Payment: $75 per article for Fund Your Life Overseas e-newsletter. $400 for your story in Incomes Abroad.
Instructions: Email submissions to sormond(at)internationalliving(dot)com for Fund Your Life Overseas. Or email submissions to Cleomurphy(at)internationalliving(dot)com for Incomes Abroad. Read their instructions and examples here.
9. Viator Blog
If you have expertise or insights into specific destinations, then Viator could be looking for you! They ideally want individuals with a lot of experience and knowledge of numerous destinations or an entire region.
Authors should know the ins and the outs of a few destinations and can confidently write short articles, frequently. These can be 300-400 words about navigating the area, things to do, popular festivals or even hidden gems.
Payment: $45 for writing and publishing each post. This will be created ‘in WordPress, including sourcing photos, and adding links, tags, and categories.’
10. Wanderlust Travel Magazine
Wanderlust Travel Magazine writes just 10 issues are year, so getting published is tough! If you are a first-time writer they suggest you try and aim for the shorter slots.
Overall, they are looking for individuals with a talent for writing in a professional manner. They really want the “crème de la crème” for writing, photography and ‘the most authoritative facts.’ It is definitely one to aim for if you are hoping to develop your travel writing skills.
Payment: It would be best to contact Wanderlust directly regarding rates as they vary from type of post, to length of article. Generally they offer £220 per 1,000 published words and £90 for fact pages (approx. 750 words).
Instructions: For the print magazine, email submissions(at)wanderlust(dot)co(dot)uk. For the website, email website(at)wanderlust(dot)co(dot)uk.
BONUS TIP: Most publications will ask you for photography to accompany your words. This can bring in some extra dollar, or at the very least, win over a few editors. Invest in a DSLR or the latest smartphone and brush up on your photography skillz.
Join my Facebook Group for “Travel Bloggers & Online Entrepreneurs” and talk with me about how to make money while you travel!