Since the pandemic arrived in early 2020, normal life has been put on hold for many, at least for various periods. For anyone interested in travel it has been particularly hard.
Millions of people normally flock to exotic locations such as Thailand each year, and the tourism industry has been particularly hard hit. Students who were planning gap years are left wondering when will Southeast Asia be open for touring and visiting again? Families planning European breaks found themselves staying home.
Now that there are signs of some sort of normality returning, many people are starting to think once again about travel and adventure. However, many are considering a different way to travel now, one that can pay for itself.
Part of the cause for a new type of travel trend is quite possibly the pandemic.
What does Covid have to do with a new travel trend?
To say that the pandemic has created a different way to travel would be an oversimplification and a slight fabrication. But, the virus has changed the way many people work, and that can be carried across into traveling.
As restrictions were brought into place, and companies decided, or were forced, to close their doors, people started to work from home. This way of remote working was something that many people had wished for over the years, and it came about in the most unlikely way.
For some, remote working isn’t enjoyable, but for a high percentage of employees, it brings many benefits. Working from home means more autonomy, less travel and expense, more productivity, and more time for the family.
Before Covid happened, there was a certain breed of travelers who had already adopted remote working but had taken it one step further. These people were known as digital nomads, and as Thailand’s airports open once more, many are ready to return to continue once again.
What are digital nomads?
Digital nomads are very similar to remote workers beavering away from home. However, the difference is that they are generally not tied down to one specific spot. Quite often though, digital nomads do find a place that suits them after a while and make a base there.
There are several popular areas for digital nomads, including Southeast Asia, South America, Australia, and some European countries such as Portugal.
The appeal is that the work that they do online can fund a lifestyle that they couldn’t necessarily afford at home. They will often work fewer hours, in less stressful situations, than they would have to back in the US for instance.
Often digital nomads will teach online, but others might be freelance. Some will have a permanent employer back home that allows their trusted worker the freedom to travel.
Now though, there is another way to fund travel…vlogging.
Why is vlogging the new travel trend?
After realizing how enjoyable remote working is, some people are now wondering how that could transfer to travel. Not everyone wants to teach English online, and some may want to use their love of travel to make an income.
The rise of influencers and vloggers has led to an opportunity that almost anyone can try. If an individual has enough personality and can come over well on film, then there is no reason why they couldn’t try to vlog.
One of the reasons why vlogging is becoming the new travel trend may be simply because it is easy to do. Or at least, it is easy to try. After all, you will be your own boss.
Can anyone vlog while traveling?
Anyone with a love of travel could start their own vlog quite easily. Perhaps the biggest key to vlogging about travel is to show off just how enthusiastic you are about the places you are visiting.
The idea of vlogging about wonderful places in Australia or Thailand sounds great. But if you aren’t enjoying visiting yet another market or temple, then it will come over in your videos. A travel vlogger really needs to make other people want to jump up and fly off to get their own adventure.
There is also the possibility of legal problems. Digital nomads are still misunderstood in some countries, and it wasn’t that long ago that police raided a shared workspace in Chiang Mai looking for illegal workers. Some countries hold the view that if someone is working online then they can do so on a tourist visa, while others demand that working visas are applied for.
In most instances, there should be no problem, when in doubt, check the local laws or ask other digital nomads.
What do you need to vlog?
You will need a few pieces of equipment to start your new travel-oriented career, but first, you will need to choose your platform.
This could be Instagram, YouTube, a blogging site, or your own personal website. You can of course choose a combination of all of these. You might want to set up a Twitter and Facebook account too, to help drive traffic to your main channel.
When you are just beginning you could probably get away with just using a smartphone, but if you are looking to show off the beauty of the places you visit, you might need to invest in something with a bit more power.
Panasonic Lumix GH5 is perhaps the best all-rounder for making videos for Instagram and YouTube. This camera is used by beginners and experts alike and has 4K video capabilities. It is also mirrorless meaning there are fewer delicate mechanisms to worry about as you travel to your next destination.
You will also need a laptop, some video editing software, and a way to connect to the internet. As some remote areas, even in tourist destinations, don’t always have the best WiFi, perhaps buy a local data SIM so that you can hotspot at all times.
You will need one other thing too, an audience, or following.
Can you fund your travels through vlogging?
There are many successful travel influencers today. Individuals and couples working their way around the world and recording their travels are not completely rare anymore.
To make money out of this activity takes time and patience though. An audience needs to be built up before you will get sponsored or get an income from affiliate advertising.
National Geographic is the most followed travel influencer according to Statista. Julia Paes is the second most followed with 25.6 million Instagram users and she posts aspirational videos and photos from exotic locations including the Maldives.
However, don’t be put off by these figures. Most travel vloggers would have a much smaller following. Growing an audience organically is far better in the long run, so just produce interesting and relevant content and be patient.
As for making a living, at first look for ways to reduce your travel costs. Many travel influencers starting out will receive free accommodation in return for a post on the vlogger’s website or social media.
Summary
Vlogging as a travel trend is set to become more popular as people look to transfer the idea of remote working to an overseas location. Vlogging can also take some of the worries about travel costs away once an audience is established.
Perhaps the key to being a successful travel vlogger though is to forget about getting rich and just enjoy filming and sharing the great locations that you can visit around the world.
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