Are you one of the millions of people who dream of getting paid to travel in 2025? The good news is, it’s not all that hard to do. The bad news is that while it’s not impossible, it will take a lot of effort and doesn’t come easy.
If that sounds a bit paradoxical, it is, and that’s why we’re presenting the YPT Guide to How to Get Paid to Travel in 2025.
How to Get Paid to Travel in 2025 – It’s All About the Job
First things first: to get paid to travel, you’ll need a job or business. It might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people forget this simple step.
How do you pick such a job? Well, you need a role that allows travel, not the other way around. And if you’ve got a skill that can help you travel, that’s even better. Personally, I bartended in the Cayman Islands and on P&O Cruise Ships. It was rewarding financially and spiritually, but bloody hard work.
There are plenty of other jobs, too, and your choice depends on what skills you have that can support your career. A good example would be tour guiding for Young Pioneer Tours, which I’ll review later.
Getting Paid Travel Gigs
The holy grail of travel jobs are those linked directly to your travels. This can include blogging and influencer gigs, but we’ll cover those separately.
A prime example is travel writing. You can get paid through traditional publications or various websites that pay for travel stories. I did a gig with Perceptive Travel, and there are many others offering similar deals.
You’ll need to be a good writer and have a following. Unfortunately, these jobs don’t grow on trees.
Start Your Own Blog
Another route is to start your own blog. I’ve written about this before, but the key is having a unique angle or niche, something that others aren’t doing. This will take thought, research and perhaps a bit of trial and error.
For me, that’s manifested with my Street Food Guy blog and Paid to Travel, with more projects on the way. With this keep in mind that things take time and you will not be earning right away.
Working Remotely – The Digital Nomad Vibe
Since the pandemic, working remotely has become more popular than ever. How you go about it depends on your job and how much free time you have. Some gigs are fully remote, while others might require occasional travel back to your home country.
This could cover various industries, but jobs that tend to suit the “paid to travel” lifestyle include writing or journalism. During the pandemic, I worked remotely for NK News, Khmer Nights, and others. Some gigs, like my work with Khmer Times and Cambodia Investment Review, were location-specific.
You’ll need to deal with time zones and the realities of working remotely and sometimes it’s not as easy as it seems.
Start a Travel Agency or Become a Tour Guide
Another classic option is to start a travel agency or become a tour guide. This is my approach to getting paid to travel, and while it sounds appealing, it’s not easy. Starting a travel agency in 2025 involves finding a niche, building a website, and spending time in the trenches (trust me, I know). Even if successful, you’ll be visiting the same places constantly.
Tour guiding is another option. At YPT, we regularly hire tour guides, but the job’s not easy to get with about 1 in 20-25 applicants getting hired (at best). And even if you land the job, being on the road all the time isn’t for everyone and not everyone can hack it in the end.
The Real Obstacle Is You
The biggest obstacle to getting paid to travel is you. Most people say they want to work abroad, but why don’t they? It’s simple: sell your stuff, buy a ticket, and move. It really is that straightforward.
We see this often with people who get a job offer but back out at the last minute. Many think they want to travel for work, but not everyone has the courage to take the plunge.
If you do have the guts to go for it, though, you could end up living an extraordinary life.
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