47 Best Travel Jobs To Make Money Travelling The World

Last Updated on 14/05/2022 by Edy Ragnoli

Travelling 365 days a year is the dream of almost every human. But you need money to sustain this lifestyle. So how can you do that if you weren’t born a millionaire? In this article, I’m going to tell you the secret for lifetime happiness: 47+ best travel jobs to make money while you’re travelling all around the world.

In this guide, you’ll discover what these travel jobs consist of, how you can learn them, how to find job vacancies abroad, and how much you can earn per hour, month or year working abroad.

So take a cup of tea (or coffee), sit down and get ready to start your journey through the best travel jobs in 2020. I divided them into three “episodes” or categories to make your reading easier.

• Digital jobs with total flexibility in time and location
• Jobs with a short stay in the same place
• Jobs with middle to a long stay in a single location.

Digital Jobs for Maximum Flexibility

Digital jobs allow you to work everywhere, at your pace and following your schedule. In fact, you need just a computer and other digital accessories and gears to bring with you any time. As a digital nomad, you must be tech-savvy and enough skilled to perform professional digital tasks. As you get more experienced, you'll grow your revenue and reach financial freedom.

Digital nomadic life can be a dream coming true. On the other hand, who doesn’t wish to earn thousands of dollars a month working just 20 hours a week? Who's never dreamed of being able to work sitting on a terrace in front of the ocean all day long?

So let’s go into details and discover real examples of travel digital jobs.

1. Travel Blogging/Writing a Blog on Any Topic

A travel blog is strictly related to travelling. But you can write about any topic (parenting, food, photography, fashion, lifestyle, and more) and still make money while travelling the world.

To earn big money with blogging, you need time. Forget about any get-rich-quick scheme. Like any other honest jobs, you need dedication and great effort. What else do you need to make a living as a blogger? You must create interesting content and build a large audience or a moderate fan base, but very loyal and active.

Resources:

How can you earn money with your blog? You have five main revenue streams.

• Sponsored projects: you get paid by companies for talking about their products and services and putting a link to their web site.
• Direct advertising and banner ads: you earn from banners and other kinds of displayed ads on your blog (for ex. banners from a direct client, Google AdSense or other Ad networks such as adcash).
• Affiliate commissions: you earn a percentage on every sale generated by your referral links put on your blog articles. For instance, you can join the Amazon Affiliate Program.
• Press trips: you get paid by a tour company or tourism board for writing about your experience in their country where you’ve been invited to. Flight, accommodation, food, and entertainment are generally covered, but you can charge an additional fee too;
• Brand ambassadorship: one or more brands pay you (even monthly) for continuously promoting their products and services.

Revenue:

How much can you earn blogging? According to the firstsiteguide's blogging industry report 2020, nearly 50% of respondents are full-time bloggers and 68% of all bloggers earn over $50,000/year. 5% of them, reported an annual income of over $200,000.

2. Copywriter/Freelance Writer

This job has something in common with blogging. But instead of writing for yourself, on your own website, you do it for your clients. You can write for the Web (blogs, e-commerce, online news, and more) and/or for print media (magazines, newspapers, publications, books, circulars, sales and marketing letters, pamphlets, journals, periodicals, etc.). Print media can grant you higher pay but require more experience.

Resources:

To get writing assignments, you can create an account on freelance marketplaces (for instance, Fiverr, Freelancer.com or Upwork) or get hired by content marketing agencies such as Copify, Topcontent, and CopyPress.

Revenue:

It depends on your expertise and specialisation. For project-based fees, the more you know about the topic, the faster you'll complete your assignment. This will turn, in practice, into higher hourly pay. According to PayScale.com, the average salary for a copywriter in the US is $52,000/year.

3. Travel Photographer

Travelling allows you to see many wonderful places all around the world. If you are an expert in photography and take astonishing and unique pictures during your trip, you can sell them on your website and stock photo marketplaces. You can even try to pitch them to magazines, tourism boards, and marketing agencies. In addition, you may sell photography courses and workshops.

Resources:

To take good and valuable pictures, you need to know how photography works and what are the best gears for your style and needs. I wrote about that in several articles and revealed the top 15 travel camera models and the best photography equipment in 2020.

Revenue:

As for the revenue, according to Glassdoor.com, the average pay for a travel photographer in the United States is $30,000/year.

4. Vlogger/YouTuber

In this job, video content is king and you can publish it in multiple media. The most known and lucrative way is opening a YouTube channel and publish regular engaging videos to grow your fan base to a substantial number that allows you to earn enough money. I will explain that below.

Competition on YouYube is quite high, but with the right content, quality, dedication, marketing, and patience, you may reach the big YouTubers’ level and earn a six-figure income. How can you make money on YouTube? Here are the main revenue streams.

• Profit share from displayed ads.
• Sponsorship/product placement deals.
• YouTube Channel Membership (when you meet the eligibility requirements).
• Sales of merchandise: you must meet the YouTube requirements. But you can do that through third-party websites such as Printful and avoid this limit.
• Donations through third-party platforms such as Patreon.

Resources:

To get the most out of YouTube and make it your business, you must learn how it works. So I suggest you read these 6 effective strategies to make money on YouTube.

Revenue:

Influencer Marketing Hub published an interesting article about YouTuber earnings together with an interactive calculator. They depend upon the daily views and the number of the ads your audience have seen (likes and skipped ads are ignored by the YouTube algorithm).

For example, 20,000 views a day with an average 50% engaging rate can let you earn from $13,000 to $22,000/year.

5. Influencer

As an influencer, you get paid by companies to sponsor their products and services, introduce them to your online audience (on social media and websites, with Instagram being the number one). Do you see the similarities with the previous jobs? Yes, both bloggers, writers, Vloggers, and travel photographers can become influencers too.

You need good communication and networking skills to build a large and active social community around you. Eventually, you may earn even thousands of dollars per month. At this level, you may also get big deals outside the Internet such as TV commercials and guest appearances on TV shows.

Resources:

Do you want to become an influencer or improve your abilities and earn more money? I can suggest you take an online course on how to become a successful influencer. It’s suitable for both beginner and experienced bloggers/business owners and gives you a final certificate.

In this job, you can manage everything by yourself or choose an intermediary such as a marketing agency or influencer marketing marketplace. Try the Activate or Fourstarzzmedia platforms and see how they can help you succeed as a professional full-time influencer.

I also suggest reading “Influencer: Building Your Personal Brand in the Age of Social Media” excellent book by Brittany Hennessy.

Revenue:

The influencer industry worth $10 billion with companies spending from $10,000 to $500,000 a year. Do you want to know what makes a quality influencer? Read these influencer marketing statistics and discover what marketers are looking for to conduct a successful campaign. They will be your clients, so it's vital you know what services you should offer to them as an influencer and how.

6. Computer Programmer

Do you have deep technical skills to write codes and develop software and apps? As a programmer or software engineer, you can start up a company or work as a freelance for multiple clients.

Resources:

There are plenty of options to find assignments for developers. The best online platform is Toptal.com, a marketplace for the top 3% of developers. You get top clients, solid pay, steady work, and last but not least, freedom to travel all around the world. If you specialize in WordPress, the best platform available for developers is Codeable where only 2% of the best developers are accepted.

Revenue:

Revenue depends on your location, skills, knowledge, and projects. According to U.S. News & World Report L.P., in 2018, a computer programmer, on average, earned $89,000.

7. Graphic/Web Designer

Both technical and creative, graphic and web design are among the most popular digital jobs for nomads. Since this is a common and requested work, you can find a lot of opportunities on job boards and freelance online platforms/marketplaces. To stand out from the crowd and deliver better results, graphic designers should also have knowledge of the printing industry while web designers should know how to code in PHP, CSS, HTML, and JavaScript.

Resources:

Here are the most commonly-used software in these digital professions.

• Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Indesign or alternative software for graphic design.
• Software and tools for Web and UI/UX design.

Revenue:

On average, a US freelance graphic designer can earn $45,000/year while a web designer can reach $50,000/year.

8. T-Shirt Designer/Illustrator

Are you good in graphic design, drawing and illustrations? You can try to build a custom T-shirt design business. You need talent, creativity, digital skills, and software knowledge. But this is just the beginning. The next step is researching the most trendy and best-selling ideas. For that, it’s essential you identify your audience and then find and create the best designs to offer them what they like and would buy. Remember to launch effective marketing campaigns too. 

Resources:

Thanks to the current online service, you can earn money from selling custom T-shirts without physically print and stock them in advance. Some examples are Printful, Teespring, Spreadshirt, Fine Art America, and Merch by Amazon. You just open an online store, create and upload your design, and start marketing and selling your artworks. If you prefer a less entrepreneurship path, you can work as a freelancer and sell your creations to other companies.

Revenue:

According to ZipRecruiter.com, an average T-shirt designer in the U.S can earn up to $45,500/year. Some people even tell they have made a six-figure income selling custom T-shirt designs. But remember. If you run your own business, you’ll need to spend a lot on advertising too.

WEB MARKETING

9. Social Media Manager

10. SEO Consultant

11. Online Ads Manager

A social media manager represents the company across its social channels and manages social media pages (posts, groups, communities, content marketing campaigns, etc.).

An SEO (Search Engine Optimization) consultant optimises the web pages for the search engines such as Google to get higher rankings, more targeted traffic, and more profit for the website.

An online ads manager promotes the company through ad campaigns on websites and social media apps. A few examples – and the most important – are Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Linkedin Ads, and Twitter Ads.

To make a good profit from these three jobs, you must be quite expert and bring positive results.

Resources:

The web marketing industry is wide and very dynamic. You need to keep update continuously with the latest trends and innovation. As a starting point, I’d like to suggest three books you can get directly online:

• The Art of Social Media
• SEO 2021 Learn Search Engine Optimization With Smart Internet Marketing Strategies (for Begginer)
• The Art of SEO: Mastering Search Engine Optimization (for Advanced)
• Ultimate Guide to Facebook Advertising
• Instagram Power

Revenue:

A social media manager can earn a salary of $44,000/year.

The salary for a SEO consultant in North America is $74,000/year.

An online advertising manager in the USA can earn, on average, $99,000/year.

12. Online English Teacher/Tutor

For this job, you need a college degree. Oftentimes, you’re also required to be a native English speaker. A TEFL certification is a plus and can help you apply for this position. Today, there are many online platforms through which you can give one-to-one private lessons or teach kid classes via Skype or other video conference tools.  

Resources:

Teaching to Chinese kids is getting very requested. For example, you can apply to teach English online with EF.

Are you expert in something else? Don’t despair. English is not the only subject. There’s an opportunity for you too. For example, you can teach online with Teachable.com, one of the best and most popular online courses platforms.

Revenue:

Can you make a living teaching online while travelling? According to the Teach Away online salary calculator, you could earn up to $1,840/month teaching English online. It means you could earn $23/hour and make an annual income of $22,000. See the image below or calculate the pay by yourself.

13. Online Translator

Translators are very requested in this globalised world and there are many online opportunities to get translation assignments. This job also requires a degree and certification. You can make more money if you are also specialised in other subjects such as law, finance, medicine, engineering, marketing, science, etc.

Resources:

One of the best online community and workplace for language professionals is ProZ.com. A friend of mine made it a regular job and now works on a lot of video game localisation projects. Are you not a translator yet? You can begin by attending some online translator courses offered by International universities and institutes.

Revenue:

According to Indeed.com, the average salary for a freelance translator in the U.S. is $40,000/year.

14. Selling E-Courses and E-Books

Are you a good writer and teacher? Do you have something useful and amazing to tell? The digital era made self-publishing easier and more accessible. Potentially, anyone can become an author and sell e-courses and/or eBooks online. If you are a blogger or influencer, this can be an additional revenue stream.

Resources:

Are you thinking of selling e-courses? You can go back to the point 12 and read how to become an online teacher. In addition, I suggest the Thinkific's guide on how to create and sell online curses.

Do you prefer written words? I propose you another interesting guide on how to make money selling eBooks online.

When you are ready to go, you can start selling your creations. Here are two websites that can make your dream true.

• PayHip: sell eBooks on your own website
• BookBaby.com: distribute your eBooks on digital stores worldwide.

Revenue:

Do you know how much you can make writing eBooks? I tell you the overall industry value. According to the Statista market forecast, the global revenue in the eBooks segment is estimated at $16 billion with the United States counting $6 billion.

15. Online Virtual Assistant

Thanks to computer technology and the Internet, working from home is now easy and can substitute many office jobs. An online virtual assistant can be a good example of smart-working and is becoming more and more important.

Remote working is a more comfortable way of doing a job for both the company and employees. As a virtual assistant, you can do a lot of tasks, from research and data entry to customer care, from calendar management to media scheduling.

Resources:

You can find virtual assistant assignments on job boards and freelance marketplaces (e.g. Upwork, PeoplePerHour, OnlineJobs.ph, Speedlancer, CloudPeeps, Freelancer.com, etc.). If you have an entrepreneurial spirit and are more tech-savvy, you can open a website and sell your service through it.

Are you ready to start your VA career? I found a book about how to become a successful virtual assistant with a lot of tips and dozens of positive customer reviews.

Revenue:

Now the good news. An average VA with specialized skylls may earn up to $145,000/year.

16. Online Poker Player

You may say this is just gambling and a risky job. Well, you may be right. But some people become enough expert and good to make it a living.

Resources:

Quitting your regular job to sustain your life just with online poker is not easy. So you can start by reading these 12 steps to becoming a professional online poker player.

There are plenty of online poker websites where you can play the game regularly. It’s important you pick and choose a legitimate poker site that offers a good selection of games. For example, you can start online poker career on PokerStars.com.

Revenue:

Don’t expect to get rich overnight tough. Start slowly. You may end up in becoming a millionaire like these best-know online poker players.

17. Stock Day Trading

Like online poker, stock day trading requires time, knowledge, and wisdom before turning it into a job. But once you master the right trading strategies, you can earn thousands of dollars even in a day.

Resources:

There are a lot of online trading platforms. To decide which one is better, you can read online reviews to discover the best online brokers in 2020. The best day trading platform with professional tools is Interactive Brokers.

Revenue:

How much can a day trader make? There’s no definite answer to this question because it all depends on your starting capital, strategies, and risk management techniques. On this article, which is also a nice how-to guide, the author explains how $500 of starting capital can let you earn a net profit of $2,750/month.

18. Dropshipping

Dropshipping is a retail fulfilment method that allows you to sell goods on your online shop with no need to pack and stock the products in your own warehouse. That’s the ideal business model for any digital nomad.

Here’s how it works. Customers place their order on your online shop. You then pass it to a third-party entity (the manufacturer) who will ship the product directly to your clients.

Resources:

To be successful in a drop-shipping business, you need to find the best-selling products, the right suppliers and wholesalers, a good order management system, and an online store platform such as Shopify, Volusion or Amazon.

Are you a beginner? Read the Oberlo’s guide on how to start a drop-shipping business and the  dropshipping for dummies guide by Volusion.

Revenue:

Drop-shipping revenue can vary and depends on your management and entrepreneurial abilities. But the global market is huge. In fact, the drop-shipping value reached $102 billion in 2018 with an estimated annual growth rate of 28.8% from 2019 to 2025.

Digital Travel Job Earnings & Resources – Table

Short-Stay Travel Jobs in the Same Place

Some travel jobs require physical work rather than digital skills. You don’t necessarily need a computer or other digital devices. These jobs are based on social contacts and manual work. In this chapter, I’m going to talk about the travel jobs that may require you to stay in the same place for a short time (a few weeks).

19. Cruise Ship Jobs

A cruise ship moves from a location to another through the world. So it’s an amazing opportunity to travel to multiple destinations, see a lot of exotic places and meet international people (guests and colleagues). There are several job positions available on a cruise ship. Some of them don’t require specific knowledge, but if you have previous experience, a degree (especially in hospitality), and knowledge of foreign languages, you can be advantaged.

Working on a cruise ship is one of the most lucrative jobs you can do while travelling. With accommodation, food, transportation, and insurance covered, you can keep all your earnings (an amount that you'd never save with an ordinary job).

But you must be prepared to pass your time at open sea for a few weeks with a demanding and unconventional schedule. Do you think it's a disadvantage? Well, consider that you will leave the boat with your bank account full of money. So you have enough cash to visit and live the world for the remaining months.

There are many work opportunities onboard a cruise ship. Have a look at this list.

• Cruise Directors
• Cruise Staff
• Pursers
• Junior Assistant Pursers
• Hosts and Hostesses
• Gentleman Host
• Bedroom Stewards
• Lifeguards
• Administration Assistants
• Air/Sea Reservation Agents
• Booking Agents
• Sales and Marketing Positions
• Customer Service Representatives
• Information Technology Staff
• Engineering Department Crew
• Production Managers
• Hospitality or Hotel Managers
• Deckhands

• Expedition Leaders
• Naturalists
• Shore Excursion Managers
• Shore Excursion Staff
• Cosmetologist
• Fitness Directors
• Fitness Instructors
• Dance Instructors
• Personal Trainers
• Water Sports Instructors
• Medical Staff
• Massage Therapists
• Youth Counselors
• Beauticians

• Bar Stewards
• Bartenders
• Cooker/Chef
• Waiter/Waitress
• Gift Shop Positions
• Photographers
• Casino Staff
• Entertainers
• Disc Jockeys
• Lecturers.

Resources:

You can find cruise ship jobs on many job boards such as All Cruise Jobs, the biggest job board within the cruise line industry, that lists hundreds of vacancies waiting for you to apply.

I’d like also to suggest books to improve your knowledge and skills in the cruise ship industry so that you can get a better job. But the list is too long and would require a separate article.

For now, I just focus on music and entertainment and recommend an easy-reading book on how to become a piano bar entertainer on a cruise ship full of insight and information for better performance and satisfied audience.

Revenue:

To have an idea of the potential revenue, Business Insider interviewed current and former employees and revealed that 40% of the cruise-ship workers earn $2,000/month, but some others reported even $10,000/month.

20. Working on a Yacht/Delivering Boats

Do you like luxury travel surrounded by expensive stuff? Wish you visit many exotic places without spending a cent? Working on a yacht can be your ultimate job. On a private yacht, you can do several types of jobs. If you are experienced, you can deliver the boat from port to port. Otherwise, you can apply for an entry-level position that, anyway, still pays very well such as steward/stewardess or deckhand.

Resources:

Finding a yacht crew job is simple. Here are some of the most important job boards for the industry.

Yacht Crew Job Board

• Bluewater
• yaCrew

Yacht Online Community

• Yotspot
• The Crew Network

Although some yacht jobs don't require experience, you must get some basic qualification first. Here’s a quick guide on how to work on luxury yachts with courses and suggestions.

Do you prefer the classic way and the smell of paper? Here are two books that can help you in your career onboard a Yacht.

• A Guide to Working in The Superyacht Industry
• How to Get a Job or Run a business on a Boat

Revenue:

Your pay depends on the job position and vessel dimension. In addition to the salary, you get free accommodation and board, and the opportunity to work close to famous rich people.

According to Flying Fish, the yacht jobs earnings can go from $2,400 up to $19,300/month.

21. Flight Attendant

Working as a flight attendant can be exciting and glamorous. To apply for cabin-crew jobs and then have the luck to land on countless different cities all around the globe, you must be well-taught.

You don't need a degree to work as an airline cabin crew. But a degree in travel, hospitality management, tourism, leisure or languages is helpful. In addition, most companies require you to complete a qualification course together with having some key soft skills such as good communication, assertiveness, and diplomacy.

Resources:

Do you want to work in the sky? You can apply for a cabin-crew job on the airline's websites or on some job boards such as Latestpilotjobs.

Are you not ready yet? Read this Essential Guide to Becoming a Flight Attendant.

Revenue:

The pay for a flight attendant can vary based on your role, skills, certifications, experience and whether you work for regional or international carriers. On average, the flight attendant salary in the United States is $77,000/year.

22. Deckhand on Fishing Boats

A deckhand clears the decks, prepares and maintains equipment and handles the catch on offshore fishing vessels. If you choose this path, you may work in the evenings, on weekends and bank holidays away from home. Do you like the sea, manual activities, and hard working? You found your job.

Resources:

If you don’t have any experience, you can apply for entry-level unqualified deckhand positions. Otherwise, you must attend a maritime training school and become a certified deckhand.

Are you from the UK? Learn how to become a fishing boat deckhand in England.

Revenue:

In the United Kingdom, the pay can go from £10,000 to £26,000/year while in the US, the average salary for a fishing vessel deckhands can be $57,000/year.

23. Commercial Fisherman

Also known with the more simple name fisher, a commercial fisherman catches fish and other aquatic animals using various fishing equipment. Then, he/she stores the captured fish in refrigerated or ice-filled holds. Fish can be destined to both humans and animals or used as bait. A fisherman also measures captured fish to ensure compliance with legal size requirements and releases illegal catches.

Resources:

A commercial fisherman is often required to have specific training and a tall stack of documents, licences, and certifications depending on the type of fish and location. Let’s see a couple of examples, but you should search for information about your country.

United Kingdom

• Commercial fishing mandatory and voluntary training courses
• Fishing certification and training

United States

• Marine safety training for commercial fishermen
• Fishery certification guide

Revenue:

Would you like to know how much you can earn as a fisherman? According to CareerExplorer, the average salary for a commercial fisherman i the US is around $37,000/year and can go up to $81,000/year.

24. Travel Agent

As a travel agent, you may stay at the office doing administrative things and receiving clients. But some times, the company may ask you to travel and visit the destination to personally experience the holiday and know better what you're selling. What an exciting way to travel the world free of charge! How many jobs give you this opportunity?

A friend of mine continuously posts pictures on Facebook and Instagram depicting her always in different gorgeous beaches around the globe. How can she do that? She’s a travel agent. She runs her own business now, but you can work as an employee for a large travel company too, especially at the beginning of your career.  

Resources:

Do you like what I’ve just said and wish to start working in this industry? If yes, read these 4 steps to becoming a travel agent.

Revenue:

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median travel agent salary in 2019 was $44,000/year.

25. International Tour Leader/Guide

Working as a tour leader or guide offers you the opportunity to do what other people just dream of and consider pure luck. An international tour leader must be passionate and friendly, with the ability to deal with a lot of different people coming from all around the world.

As a tour leader or guide, you can work locally or internationally. You’re in charge of introducing the tourists (big or small groups) to the various local attractions and heritage either in urban or wild locations. In fact, in the tour guide industry, you can find different roles:

• Sightseeing tour guide
• Adventure/eco/sport tour leader
• Freelance guide
• Tour manager.

To do well in this job, you need to be comfortable with social interaction, talking (possibly in different languages), travelling, walking, and organizing things. Do you feel you have these soft skills?  Move to the next paragraph to know how to become a tour leader and apply for a tour guide job vacancy.

Resources:

Are you ready to start an exciting journey and life? First of all, learn how to get a job as a tour guide. After that, you can try to apply for a position. For example, G Adventures is hiring tour leaders who will get paid to travel the world. They call them CEOs (Chief Experience Officers) and are looking for individuals who are passionate and purpose-driven. This company is the leader in small group adventure travel. To get additional tips, read the resources table at the end of this chapter.

Revenue:

How much can you earn as a tour leader? According to PayScale, a tour leader in the U.S. typically makes between $33,000 and $72,000/year with an average salary of $48,000/year.

Instead, the tour guide median salary is $23,500/year, but can go up to $34,000/year.

26. Secret Hotel Tester/Inspector

I’m not talking about the TV show. A hotel inspector or tester is a real travel job. It’s an excellent way to get free or discounted accommodation, drinks, and third-party services. So, in exchange for your opinion about the stay, services, and amenities, you can get free nights in exclusive hotels. And if you are a full-time inspector, you get a regular salary too.

What skills do you need? Honesty, fairness, respect of values, and sharing philosophy.

Resources:

Before starting this job, I suggest you read about the hospitality industry and management. If you’ve already attended a hospitality training course, you can move to the next step and visit the following websites where you can find real job vacancies for hotel inspector.

• Fair quality tester: with this company, you can apply for a mystery customer position to start your holiday at the hotel of your choice.
• Hotel Inspector: you may be required to have more skills and a bachelor’s degree (for example, in hospitality management or related subject), but this is a professional job that grants you annual pay.

Revenue:

In the United States, on average, a hotel inspector earns $31,000/year. But you may reach a higher amount depending on the city. For example, you can make up to $77,000/year if you work as a hotel inspector in New York.

27. Work Exchange/Short-Term Volunteering

Here's another way to get free accommodation in exchange for your work and support. You help the host or local community in the daily activities and, in return, you get free room and board during your stay.

I’ve already talked about that in my guide on How To Find Cheap Travel Accommodation in 2021.

Resources:

I give you two examples, Here are two communities you can join any time to find work exchange or volunteering opportunities abroad.

• WWOOF: you live and work in organic farms around the world and help spread the movement for a more sustainable life.
• WorkAway: this is a global community, active in 170 countries, where you can connect with travellers and hosts, choose the project you want to participate in as a volunteer and get a free stay in exchange for your work.

Some examples of volunteering projects are alternative spring break or pre-organised programs, environmental cleanup, construction, disaster relief, and recreation placements. Which one have you tried already?

Revenue:

As for the earnings, through work exchange or short-term volunteering, you get a memorable life experience, the opportunity to help others, and free accommodation and board.

28. Working at Backpacker Hostels 

Are you a budget traveller? Take your backpack, leave your country, find a hostel everywhere in the world, and ask the owner or manager if they need help for a couple of weeks. In exchange for your work in the hostel, you get free accommodation. If you are good enough and stay longer, they may even pay you some money.

Depending on skills and experience, you may cover different roles such as housekeeping, bartender, front desk, and more.

Resources:

To find job positions at backpacker hostels, you can use job boards or dedicated platforms. I suggest you visit Hostel Jobs, register a profile for free, and find the hostel with the best job vacancy you can apply for. Do you love Japan and its unique culture? At the time I’m writing, they are looking for a helper in Sapporo, Hokkaido.

Alternatively, you can search for the right hostel on Hostelworld.com, book your stay, and ask them directly if they need some help.

Revenue:

Your revenue? In my example above, you get free accommodation, free use of the facilities (Internet, kitchen, shower, etc.), in-person learning of the Japanese language and culture in contact with real Japanese people and places. For some travellers, this would be better than a regular salary: an experience and memory that will last forever.

29. House Sitting and Pet Sitting

Are you a caring person and/or animal lover? As a low-budget traveller, this is an opportunity you can’t miss. As a house and pet sitter, you'll take care of the host’s house and pets in exchange for free accommodation. Thanks to international communities, you can find house sitting jobs all around the globe.

Resources:

My first recommendation to find a house/pet sitting opportunity is TrustedHousesitters where, for a small annual membership fee, you can apply for unlimited jobs.

Would you like to live in luxury houses, I have another website for you: Luxury House Sitting.

Revenue:

Through house and pet sitting, you can get free accommodation (unlimited times), the unconditional and warm love of fluffy animals, and the opportunity to stay in places you wouldn’t see otherwise.

30. Travelling Street Vendor

Are you a salesperson and/or a craftsman? Do you have a nomad spirit? Take your vehicle (if you need one), pack your goods, and start selling them in the main squares and streets (where allowed) across Europe, America, Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

A street vendor usually sells self-manufactured jewellery, paintings, clothing, leather goods, merchandise, and even food. But if you have more negotiation and entrepreneurship skills, you can try to search and buy items from other manufacturers and resell them to your clients.

In any case, the street vendor is a regulated business. Therefore, verify with the local authorities what you can do to avoid getting into troubles.

Resources:

Do you like this lifestyle and want to know more? Careerexplorer.com wrote a quick and easy guide to explain what a street vendor does.

To get the most out of your street vendor business, I suggest you get also a mobile payment system (which is even mandatory and some countries). For the purpose, here are the three best solutions for European, American, and International retailers.

• Easy & Safe Mobile Payment Kit for EU & Mexico (iZettle)
• Mobile Payment Solution for USA & Europe (SumUp Air)
• Mobile Payment Terminal for International Steet Vendors (Square)

Revenue:

Making a living with this travel job is possible. In fact, a street vendor can earn, on average, $27,000/year ($13/hour). Anyway, your revenue will depend on your abilities, goods, and location.

31. Street Performer/Artist/Busker

How many times have you visited a big city and encountered a street performer? Some of these street artists are talented entertainers and give a breathtaking performance. Probably, the most engaging street performers are singers, musicians, dancers, and magicians. They are nomad, travellers, and creative workers without boundaries.

Potentially, if you travel and work as a street artist, you can go everywhere and perform in many different places and occasions (squares, shopping streets, parks, train stations, undergrounds, events, parades, outdoor games, etc.). Just check with the local authorities whether you need any permit.

Resources:

This travel job can consist of different art forms. It’s all about your talent and creativity. Are you undecided on what you may do? You can find many street art performance ideas on Pinterest.

Would you like to be a street music artist? Read how to make money with busking or street performing.

Are you more inclined to acting or juggling? Read 1,001 Tips on Practicing, Perfecting and Performing Your Act.

Revenue:

Are you wondering how much you can earn? A friend of mine is a singer and last year he performed with his band in the streets of a small city in Central Italy. Each member earned almost $100/day. As another example, read what they say about the economics of busking and how this musical duo earned $532 in just one day.

32. Working at Travelling Festivals

Do you like travelling, having fun, breathing a young dynamic atmosphere, and getting paid for that? Working at music festivals and events are what I suggest. Festival jobs can be seasonal, but allow you to go on holiday and earn money meanwhile. This type of work can include food vendors, security, installation and event staff. You need to work hard, but you’ll have a rewarding and unforgettable experience.

Resources:

Wish you improve your skills and make this job a career? You can enrol in Music and Film Festival Management Online Courses.

Are you ready to enjoy the moment and spend an amazing weekend or summer? Have a look at the Live Nation job listings. You'll get a salary together with some perks such as free access to the concert ground.

Revenue:

To get an idea about the salary, consider that Festival Foods pays the employees $20,000/year on average. This is just an example and I suggest you search for information about the specific event, place, and role you’re interested in.

33. International Furniture Installer/Assembler

Furniture assembling is another job for those who love manual activities. Furniture assemblers/installers take care of trimming, adjusting, fitting parts, checking the quality standards, inspecting wood, handling material, and so on.

If you work for a company that installs furniture on-site (in your country or abroad) such as office and store furniture, you can travel and visit many places for free while getting a regular salary.

A friend of mine used to do that when he was young and visited many countries around the world, from West to East, including South America, the Middle East, Russia, and Southeast Asia. He still tells us many amazing stories about his memorable experience.

Resources:

Office and store furniture installation requires some experience and ability. If you wish to practice first, get a furniture assembly tool kit. In case you decide to be self-employed, you’ll need that anyway.

Do you feel ready to work? You can apply immediately on job boards. For instance, you can find many well-paid commercial office furniture installer jobs on SimpliHired.com.

Revenue:

According to Zippia.com, the average furniture installer salary in the U.S. is $23,000/year. But you can earn much more once you pass the entry-level roles. On the link above, you can see the difference in salary based on the industry, company, experience level, and location.

34. Renting Your House on B&B Websites

Renting your house or apartment on Bed and Breakfast online platforms allow you to collect a rental fee and get paid regardless of where you are. That's a perfect solution to earn a passive income while travelling. For example, imagine you’re in Bali and while relaxing on the white-sand Balangan beach at Kuta, you're earning a recurring income doing nothing else.

Resources:

Let’s go straight to the point and see the most popular and visited B&B websites and marketplaces.

• Airbnb
• Vrbo
• Booking.com
• Agoda
• Homestay.com
• Sonder

Revenue:

Revenue depends on the location, accommodation, amenities, price, and marketing campaigns. Competition is wide. Therefore, your management and customer care skills are key to success, especially for small establishments.

Anyway, according to the Association of Lodging Professionals (ALP), the Bed and Breakfast industry in the U.S. is worth $3.4 billions with average revenue of $58 per available room.

35. Sub-letting Your Apartment Rental Abroad

Also called sublease, sub-letting is an unconventional travel job, but there are travellers who do that to sustain their stay abroad. Through sub-letting, you, as a tenant, agree with the apartment/house owner to sublet it to other guests.

To make sub-letting profitable, you must rent the property long-term (for one year would be nice), but some people did it for even 10 years to get a big discount. Then, you can sublet it for a few days to other visitors as a vacation rental.

Resources:

Are you intrigued by this earning formula? As a starting point, you can learn what subletting is, how to do it the right way, and the pros and cons. I can also recommend a more general book on how to build a passive income through sub-letting.

Revenue:

Profit from sub-letting depends on many factors: how much you spend for your rent, the discount you get, the property condition and look, and the sublet price you ask. Some people choose to rent a villa in developing countries and sublet it at double its price. But first, get informed about the legal aspects.

For example, a tenant in Paris sublet her apartment for €60/day against €20 she paid daily to the landlord. Unfortunately, she didn’t get the legal permit and was fined €47,000. In addition, in France – and many other countries – it’s forbidden to charge more than you pay as the main tenant.

So, you should always get the permit from the landlord, sign a legal agreement, check with the local authorities, and consult a tax advisor or lawyer to avoid any surprise, fines, and criminal charge.

Short-Stay Travel Jobs Earnings & Resources – Table

Long-Stay Travel Jobs in the Same Location

Some jobs require you to stay in the same place for longer (several months or years), such as expatriate jobs. Let’s see the main ones.

36. Teaching English Abroad

Teaching online is a great choice for digital nomads. But if you prefer a more stable and ordinary life abroad, you can apply for teaching jobs overseas.

Resources:

To apply for an English teacher position, you need a bachelor’s degree and TEFL certification. In addition, most countries require you to be a native English speaker to obtain an ESL teaching work VISA. Therefore, it's all right if you are a passport holder from the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK, Ireland, and South Africa.

To start your teaching adventure abroad, I give you a few resources to get certified and find teaching positions overseas:

• Get a Free TEFL certification
• Teacher courses and certification programmes to jump-start your teaching career abroad
• Become an English teacher abroad with EF
• Find teaching jobs abroad with TeachAway international recruitment company.

Revenue:

As for the pay, the highest-paid English teacher jobs are in Asia and the Middle East. For instance, the English teacher salary can reach $6,500/month in Hong Kong or $5,000/month in Japan or in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

37. Travel Nurse

Working as a nurse is one of the most honourable jobs in the world. There are many places where they need qualified professionals to take care of the elderly and, in general, of sick people. So you have plenty of options to find the best opportunity.

As a travel nurse, you can work with independent staffing agencies where you'll be assigned to temporary job positions to fill employment gaps. There are many well-paid travel nurse jobs available and I'm going to explain how you can apply for them.

Resources:

The first step is learning how to become a travel nurse. After that, you can start searching for a nurse position either within your country or abroad. Here are two wonderful nursing job sites.

• Apply for travel nursing jobs within the U.S.
• Get supported by international travel nursing companies.

As a bonus, I suggest you get a travel nurse kit so that you can leave for your next destination already equipped with the basic professional medical nursing tools.

Revenue:

Are you a qualified nurse? According to Nurse.org, a travel nurse can earn over $3,000/week or $100,000/year.

But now, with the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, you may find packages offering even $10,000/week or $100,000 for a 3-month assignment.

38. Travel Massage Therapist (Masseuse/Masseur)

As a travel massage therapist, you can work at resorts, Spas, luxury hotels, health/athletic centres, gyms, cruise ships, private jets, and other places.

Do you have a more nomadic or entrepreneurial spirit? You can open your own business, buy a folding massage table, and start offering a mobile service travelling from one place to another. But get informed about the required local licence and Visa.

Resources:

Are you new in the massage industry? There are many massage courses you can attend to get ready for your great journey. Below, I propose some massage schools and online certification courses.

• American Institute of Alternative Medicine (AIAM)
• Discover Massage Australia
• Medical Acupuncture Certification
• Chinese Medicine Certification

Once you are ready, you can use job boards to find the best travel massage therapist jobs.

Revenue:

Are you still undecided? Have a look at the salary. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports, the median pay for a massage therapist in 2019 was $42,000/year.

39. Sports and Fitness Instructors

Being a travel instructor is an amazing way to help people keep fit and have fun. If you take this road, you may teach sports activities in beautiful places around the world. This is the ultimate job to have a thrilling experience worldwide with your students/clients.

To become an instructor, you need to take a course and, sometimes, get certified. After that, you can work for agencies or a local service company (for example, a diving centre that rents scuba equipment).

Resources:

What are you expert in? What would you like to teach? Here are eight examples of travel instructor jobs with links to apply for a vacancy.

• Scuba Diving
• Surfing
• Kayaking and Canoeing
• Kitesurfing (or Kiteboarding)
• Skipper/Sailing
• Ski and Snowboard
• Yoga
• Fitness instructor at American summer camps

To improve your skills and enrich your services, you can take additional courses either online or in-person. I propose three of them, but the list can be much longer.

• Fitness Instructor Certification by New Skills Academy
• Yoga – Sun Salutations Certification
• Odysseys Surf School in Bali

Revenue:

Since there are many types of travel instructors, the salary can change accordingly. In general, a training instructor in the United States can earn, on average, $59,000/year.

40. Overseas Manual Labour

Manual labour jobs are, generally, seasonal and depend on each country's annual request. You may need a certification, licence, and experience if you want to be, for example, a technician, mechanic, engineer or worker in the construction, oil and gas industry. But you can also find entry-level jobs abroad such as farming, harvesting, and planting works.

Resources:

Are you more suited for entry-level positions that allow you to travel? You can apply for farm, agriculture, fruit picking and vineyard jobs abroad on One World 365. Some of the countries you may visit are Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, the UK, Ireland, and other European countries.

For technical people, instead, the Tech On The Move company, as an example, offers international services to find and apply for overseas mechanic jobs in Australia.

Revenue:

Salary depends on the country and type of work. For example, unskilled foreign workers in Canada can ear from $25,000 up to $77,000/year. While an offshore mechanical engineer in the U.S. can earn, on average, $250,000/year.

41. Bartender, Waiter/Waitress, Chef, General Staff

For some of these job positions, you need a degree and certification. Previous experience and some knowledge of foreign languages are a plus (if not mandatory nowadays). If you think you are not skilled enough, you can still look for entry-level positions abroad such as hotel housekeeper, janitor, and custodian.

Job positions as bartender, waiter/waitress, chef or hospitality general staff are often seasonal but very requested. Therefore, I suggest you follow this path if it’s your passion. Australia and Asia are the most popular destinations for hospitality jobs abroad, but you can find a vacancy in many other countries.

In the food category, we can find executive chef, sous chef, demi chef, pastry chef, assistant cook, and food preparer. As a chef, you can work in restaurants, hotels, catering and retail, fast food, the public sector and social service.

More generally, as a hospitality worker, you may work in international restaurant chains, luxury hotels, resorts, casinos, cruise ships, clubs, sports centres, hospitals, schools, or government institutions. Some people, during their whole career, manage to work in all these places until they settle down, maybe opening their own business on a famous location (e.g. a beach in Bali, Miami or Australia or a square in Tokyo, Paris or London).

Resources:

Are you impatient to work? Read how to find a hospitality job abroad and take all the necessary information.

Once you’re ready, pack your things, reach your destination, and start searching, asking, talking, and applying directly for as many vacancies as you can. Alternatively, you can join a hospitality job abroad programme that matches your interests.

To not leave empty-handed, I found some beautiful – and useful – hospitality travel kits you can use for your training and work.

• Travel Bartender Kit Bag w/ Pro Bar Tool Set
• Server Book for Waitress & Waiter
• Leather Knife Roll Storage Bag for Travel Chef
• The Art & Science of the Hotel Concierge Paperback

Revenue:

Salary is variable and changes from country to country. For an overall view, I created this simplified table with the salary and wages for each category. To the amount, you must add potential tips that, sometimes, can be very generous.

42. Tourist Entertainer

This category includes staff and entertainers for tourist villages, 4- and 5-stars hotels, beach resorts, and Theme parks such as Disney World. You'll leave home to reach national or international holiday destinations where your mission is to animate the party and keep the guests busy and happy.

There are many roles you can cover. You must be young (below 35 years old), active, talented, creative, and friendly if you want to excel in this job. Below, you can read a quick list of entertainer roles that can turn your hobby into a job.

• Chief animator
• Team leader
• Set designer
• Choreographer
• Dancer
• Singer
• Musician
• DJs
• Sports entertainer
• Fitness entertainer
• Children entertainer
• Decorator
• Sound and light technician
• First experience entertainer.

Knowledge in foreign languages and/or other disciplines are a plus in obtaining the position and other contractual benefits. Generally, the requested availability is for several months (at least three) and your destination will be chosen by the company you work for. Countries you may visit can be Greece, Spain (e.g. the Canary Islands and Ibiza), Egypt, Dominica Republic, Turkey, Zanzibar, Capo Verde, Thailand, and so many more.

As a tourist entertainer, you'll visit many international places, meet new people every week, make many international friends, and learn new foreign languages. This is not just a job, but a pure life experience. You need to work hard, but you'll have a lot of fun.

Resources:

Tourist entertainment covers a lot of art disciplines. Some agencies offer quick training before selecting the right staff to send to their holiday destinations. But you can get prepared in advance and become better in a discipline and propose yourself as a professional entertainer to increase your chances of getting hired.

For the purpose, you can attend courses both online and off-line such as music and art academies. Just as an example, I’d like to focus on the Internet and propose a few links of art and entertainment online courses and books.

• Acting Courses
• Electronic Music Performance Techniques
• Online Magic Classes
• Online Comedy Classes
• The Art of Stage Lighting

The list can be long, with physical schools, colleges, universities, and masterclasses. So choose your discipline, enrol to a specific training course, practice over and over again…and always have fun!

Are you ready to go? You can find and contact specialised entertainment companies. For example, Life Tourism & Consulting selects staff and entertainers for the hotels and resorts worldwide.

Revenue:

The salary for a tourist entertainer isn't the highest in the job market, but remember what you get: free accommodation and board, great experience, and a lot of fun. Let’s see two real examples.

LUX Entertainment is looking for artists, entertainers, and animators for five-stars hotels and pays from $1,000 up to $2,400, depending on qualification and long-time experience.

Golden Wave Animation is recruiting tourist entertainers for different hotel animation roles and pays between $800 and $1,500 in addition to a flight ticket refund.

43. Working Holiday Visa

A Working Holiday Visa (WHV) programme is an open work permit that allows you to stay in a country for 12 months and, meanwhile, find a job. Australia is one of the most requested destinations. But you must hurry up because most countries just accept participants between 18 and 30 (or 35) years of age.

The list of countries offering WHV is long and each of them accepts citizens of specific nationalities. Just keep in mind that you need to prove you have enough fund to sustain yourself during your stay abroad while you are looking for your first job. Moreover, some countries may require you to purchase health or travel insurance.

Resources:

Wherever you are from, there’s always a destination for which you can apply for a Working Holiday Visa. To get updated information, I suggest you check the websites of Immigration or Ministry Foreign Affairs of each country.

For example, if you love the oriental culture, read the Working Holiday Programmes in Japan or have a look at the Working Holiday Visa Schemes in New Zealand.

Revenue:

Are you wondering about how much you can earn? It’s impossible to give you a single answer as there are too many variables to consider: the country, job position, your experience, duration, etc.

44. Translator and Foreign Language Interpreter

As a translator or interpreter, you work in-person for a company, school, hospital, meeting rooms, conference centres or organizations and help them in international communication and exchange. For example, one of my school mate's friends lived in Kyoto for several years and worked as an interpreter for an international company.

Resources:

To do this job, you need a bachelor’s degree (sometimes a certification and licence) and a native-level proficiency in English and one another language. So, be proactive and find the right school to become a translator or foreign language interpreter.

To add more value to your translation and interpreting skills, I’d like to recommend an inspiring and well-organised book full of resources and tips for anyone who’s passionate about language like you: Maintaining Your Second Language: Practical & Productive Strategies for Translators & Interpreters.

Revenue:

Can you make a living abroad with this job? According to CollegeGrad, the interpreters and translators median salary is $51,000/year.

45. Foreign Service Officer Jobs

This travel job position requires an advanced degree such as a Master of Arts in Diplomacy. At the end of your education career, you’ll become a diplomat or international affairs assistant who represents the government abroad.

Resources:

Would you like to work as a foreign service officer? You must get a Bachelor or Master of Science in Foreign Service or International Relations. To be successful, you also need to be outgoing, social, and problem-solving.

Do you want to increase your knowledge further? Read the “Career Diplomacy: Life and Work in the US Foreign Service”. This book is an insider’s guide to the foreign service as an institution, profession, and career.

Revenue:

As a foreign service officer, you can earn between $25,000 and $100,000/year.

46. International Au Pair

The Au Pair job lets you spend your time abroad learning a foreign language while earning some money. As an Au Pair, you can have a wonderful experience living with the local people and helping the local families.

Are you an aspiring Mary Poppins and love to take care of kids? Would you like to feel like a member of a foreign family? If your reply is yes to both questions, an Au Pair job makes you an international nanny and can be a good option for you.

Resources:

Would you like to start your job soon. Here are three websites for you.

• GoOverseas.com: Au Pair jobs abroad programs, resources and reviews
• AuPairWorld.com: bringing au pairs and host families together
• AuPair.com: become an Au Pair and find host families from abroad

What’s your dream country? How much do you already know about the foreign language you have to speak? If you are a beginner or would like to improve your language knowledge, there are many language courses available.

I like the Coursera platform because it offers dozens of high-quality language courses, certifications, specialisations, and degrees from leading universities and companies that you can attend from the comfort of your home or everywhere in the world.

Revenue:

As for the pay, there are several differences depending on the country and whether you live out or in the host family house. To give you an overall idea, an Au Pair can earn $800/month in the USA or $950/month in Ireland.

47. Middle to Long-Term Volunteering

Through long-term volunteering, you can maximise your contribution and experience abroad. There are a lot of volunteering projects. Following, I propose a rich list.

Volunteering projects for a few-months:

arts, water, conservation, reforestation, animal welfare, senior citizens, and health-related placements.

Volunteering projects for several-months:

education, computer training, childcare, youth services, women empowerment, public health, nursing, marketing, community development, business, microfinance, human rights, orphans, street children, disabilities, nursing, counselling, volunteer management.

Resources:

In my article How To Find Cheap Travel Accommodation in 2021, I revealed some free online communities to find volunteering and work exchange projects. Now, I’d like to suggest three other international resources to join a volunteering project safely.

1. Peace Corps: U.S. agency and volunteer program
2. European and International NGOs
3. VolunteerWorld.com: volunteering platform

Revenue:

Volunteering goes beyond money and salary. They say you should do it for as long as you can to make a difference and give the maximum support. In exchange for your work and help, you get free stay and food plus an unforgettable experience that will last forever.  

Long-Stay Travel Jobs Earnings & Resources – Table

Travel Jobs Recap – Have Your Say

Thanks for reading my travel jobs guide. We discovered 47+ work positions you can do while travelling the world. They can be temporary, seasonal or permanent. They can let you visit and enjoy vibrant multicultural cities or mesmerizing heavens on Earth. But they all have one thing in common: they make your travel easier and sustainable financially or ethically.

This complete list of travelling jobs with tips, resources, and salary information, can support you in deciding what journey to start whether it's for a few months or a lifetime. Do you have any friends looking for an effective way to make money while travelling? Share this guide with them. Eventually, you may even travel together and follow the same path.

Which job do you prefer? Do you have any experience? Share your opinion and story by commenting below. You’ll contribute to making this guide better and better to help like-minded people.