Many dream of travelling the globe and living a nomadic life. Some even consider making travel their full-time job. But realistically speaking, since we live IRL and not in the metaverse (yet), is that even possible? Since the only way to answer it is to find out how much money a travel blogger makes, that’s what we do here!
What is travel blogging?
When you write or create content around travel, it becomes travel blogging. From sharing your experience to talking about regional cuisine, from road trips to local traditions, the niches of travel blogging are wide open.
Isn’t a blogger someone who writes blogs?
True…sort of.
Originally, a travel blogger was someone who had an actual blog and uploaded and published posts on a regular basis.
Today, blogging is a multidimensional undertaking that involves more than simply writing. From travel vloggers to Instagram creators, you’ll find a variety of content formats.
So, a vlogger is someone who uploads their content in the form of video diaries, with YouTube being the most prominent site. Then there are others who post via social media (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.).
Call them travel bloggers, content creators, social media influencers, or even digital nomads—the end result is still the same. You’re sharing your travels with the world.
How much do travel bloggers earn?
Now that’s out of the way, let’s get down to the real stuff. And right off the bat, we make one #thng clear. The new clothes, luxury stays, and exotic dinners most creators post would make you think that travel bloggers make a lot of money.
Not true. #AlternateFacts
When you’re starting as a travel blogger, money is tight. Look no further than Bruised Passports or The Shooting Star for proof. They’ve written extensively on how they funded their full-time travel blogging.
Once you grow as a travel blogger, you’ll start getting perks and #thngs in exchange for promoting the brand. Retailers may give you clothes (or just loan them to you); a few hotels may reimburse you for the stay (or give a discount).
But, how much money does a travel blogger really make? In hard figures!
Well, that’s a tough question to answer.
Like in most niches, there are a few travel bloggers right at the top who make a modest fortune. The Shooting Star (Shivya Nath) says she earns around INR 1-2 lakhs (US$ 2,000 – 3,000) per month, on average.
However, a more realistic range could be anywhere between INR 7,500 to 7,50,000 in a month. There are travel bloggers with 10k followers who earn INR 500 from one post and there are bloggers with more than 90K followers and an engagement rate of 6% who earn INR 5,00,000 from one Reel. A few earn even more than that, but it takes a lot of time and work, and they are now known as India’s star travel bloggers.
As an aspiring blogger, what’s more, important to you is that most travel bloggers have many sources of income.
How do travel bloggers finance their travels?
Travel bloggers have multiple revenue streams. You can’t just write a travel blog or post photos of your ideas and feelings about a place and expect money to appear out of nowhere.
To make travel blogging profitable, you’ll need to employ every ounce of entrepreneurialism, ability, and expertise you possess. Here are some of the most common ways travel bloggers earn money, so they may explore the world:
- Interpretation/Translations
- Affiliate commissions
- Merchandising
- Brand collaborations
- Freelance writing for well-known publications
- Book publishing
- Location-independent jobs
- Social media promotions
For more information on how travel bloggers can earn, read this, Goats on the Road blogpost, or Shivya Nath’s.
