10 Best Travel Writing Jobs That Offer Real Opportunities

All you need to know.

July 21, 2023

There are numerous freelance travel writing jobs for full-time and part-time writers. See detailed information about some magazines and websites that offer travel writers an opportunity to improve their writing skills and earn a living.

How much can you make from freelance travel writing jobs?

Freelancers earn different amounts of income from freelance travel writing jobs. The payment varies depending on your publications, topics, and how regularly you write. Most companies pay writers based on the number of words. However, the travel industry is among the leading sectors that offer attractive payments.

Top travel writing jobs for freelance writers in 2023

1. Backpacker

Backpacker is a popular digital magazine that offers some of the well-paying travel writing freelance to jobs; the rate varies between $ 0.25 and $0.50 per word depending on topics and sections. The company focuses on foot-based trips, particularly hiking trails in North America. More than half of the articles published on the website are creative works of freelance writers, meaning you can secure an opportunity to make a living from this platform if you prove your competence and writing skills.

Backpacker has a strict eligibility criterion that requires interested candidates to write brief assignments for various departments. So, to increase your chances of being hired, you should write an insightful story with valuable lessons for the readers.

2. Lonely Planet

Lonely Planet is a popular travel and adventure website that depends on freelance writers to provide interesting content to support its portfolios. As an adventure-themed online platform, the site requires every travel writer to produce articles daily; the submissions focus on different stories across the globe, particularly travel. Writers earn about $0.3 per word depending on the content of travel stories submitted to the site. However, they must produce quality content that meets the webpage’s required standards.

3. International Living

If you’re a freelance writer interested in writing articles on fascinating places to live or travel, International Living is the right place to help you achieve your goals. In addition, the platform allows freelancers to explore where to travel after retirement. Most of the site’s articles are produced by authors who share travel tips and advise on local and international destinations, including Do’s and Don’ts.

Most writers attest that International Living offers some of the best travel writing jobs with favorable payment rates; the reimbursement varies depending on the word count and is pretty satisfactory.

4. Listverse

Listverse offers one of the best and most flexible travel writing jobs for freelancers who like handling short articles. The site features brief but fascinating listicles comprising at least ten items on different topics, including science, politics, popular culture, and technology. In addition, the platform has a travel writing section that focuses on exploring famous tour destinations across the globe, travel hacks, hidden gems, adventure activities for travelers, and other fascinating things about tours and travel. Although this platform has relatively low payment rates compared to other sites, individuals who regularly write quality posts focusing on the travel industry have a good flow of income.

5. Upwork

Upwork is the apex of all writing gigs and opportunities for freelance writers in search of a side hustle or a chance to explore their writing skills through sustainable means. Although the website enables writers to maximize their potential through regular job offers, it acts as a bridge connecting other sites and employers seeking employees on a part-time or full-time basis and content creators monetizing their skills.

As a freelance travel writer, you can secure great opportunities in Upwork depending on your experience and knowledge of the travel industry. Since there are numerous gigs and high competition, compensation for one’s skills depends on diligence and hard work.

6. The Travel Magazine

As its name suggests, The Travel Magazine portal explores the tourism sector through its compilation of various travel articles, festivals, cultural events, individual reviews, particularly local and international tourists, and news. The platform covers a wide range of topics and diverse cultures, making it one of the best travel writing jobs that allow freelance writers to explore their niche.

If you’re a freelance writer looking for a place to nurture your skills and improve your writing career, The Travel Magazine is your ideal option. You can focus on hotel reviews, travel destinations, first-person narrative articles, or choose to research and report the latest trends and news in the travel industry. Although the magazine specifically targets writers who can produce compelling articles, it doesn’t encourage them to criticize or promote companies. Individuals interested in working with this entity must reach out to the managing director and enquire about writing gigs, including the payment rates.

If you’re a student doing travel writing as a part-time job, seeking online homework assistance might be a good strategy to help you complete and submit your essays and other academic tasks on time. Professional essay writers from CustomWritings paper writing service can handle different topics and disciplines, guaranteeing users quality materials.

7. Matador

Matador provides opportunities for travel writers, filmmakers, photographers, and social media influencers. The platform offers considerably great writing gigs with an approximate compensation of $0.06 per word for a 1000-word article and $0.02 per word for a 2000-word piece. The chances offer excellent travel experiences and reward hardworking authors for their efforts.

8. Rova

Rova is another platform that publishes articles on tourism and gives freelance writers a great opportunity to grow their career profiles. The website accepts articles about traveling, specifically on roads, and encourages its authors to write and publish narratives on adventurous road trips, highway excursions, and other tours. Rova pays freelance writers for their continuous efforts exploring different travel routes, journaling their experiences, and connecting with people, primarily local and international tourists, thus providing them with memorable expeditions. The site reportedly pays approximately $200 per article, and writers can freely interact with the support team through their LinkedIn portfolio if they have any inquiries.

9. The Verge Magazine

The Verge Magazine is a Canadian magazine that offers travel writing jobs to travel writers across the globe, including those doing writing for leisure, as volunteers, students, or workers in overseas countries. Besides producing content about adventurous travel destinations, authors can discuss their personal experiences on different events and topics as long as they align with the platform’s goals. The Verge pays writers an average of $0.08 per word and features articles comprising 2000 to 2500 words.

10. Escapees Magazine

Escapees Magazine combines the interests of writers and photographers to provide fascinating stories on travel and adventure. The strategy has helped the platform secure its niche in the market. As a bimonthly magazine, Escapees requires travel writers to produce intriguing stories of their adventures while exploring various destinations. Furthermore, the authors should include photographs in their articles, which can fetch up to $25-200 per written piece.

Is travel writing really worth it?

Travel writing is one of the most promising and rewarding careers for freelance writers. The niche explicitly benefits individuals in the digital space since it requires information about trends in political, social, cultural, and technological environments. Although securing a well-paying job in the initial stages might not be easy, it becomes rewarding as you advance and gain experience. So, however challenging it might be as you start your career, you should continue learning, researching, and writing to improve your skills until you find the right fit. Hopefully, this review will give you tips and relevant information to help you find a promising opportunity to start or advance your travel writing job.