Best ways to become a professional traveler will be described in this article. Do you long to see the world and work as a professional traveller but are unsure of how to get started? If that describes you, this post provides information for you. I’ve been taking family vacations for more than 11 years, and I’ve picked up a few tips along the way.
Read on if you want advice on how to travel like a pro or a list of ways to make money so you may travel the world! Life is either a thrilling adventure or nothing at all, as Helen Keller once stated. Inspirational saying from Helen Keller A professional traveller is what? There are two ways to define the word “professional traveller”; A frequent traveller who is an expert at exploring new places and is considered a travel “pro.”
Someone who travels for a living professionally (gets paid to travel) I’ll discuss both topics in this piece, but if you’re specifically interested in how to launch a career in travel, check out my post on 16 methods to explore the world while being paid.
How You Can Become a Professional Traveler In 2022
HOW TO BECOME A PROFESSIONAL TRAVELER AND MAKE MONEY IN are explained here.
1. Be Prepared
A seasoned traveller is never unprepared. They are conscious that their passport has well over six months left on it. They have met the required documentation and done their study on the visa and entry requirements for the countries they are travelling.
For nations that issue tickets upon arrival, they have different passport photographs. They have some local currency in their possession as well as a travel card with no fees for overseas purchases (see point 3) They own sufficient travel insurance (see point 2)
On their phone, they downloaded Express VPN or a comparable app (see point 7)
They get their phone unlocked so they can utilise local SIMs and save money (see point 8)
They probably will also have a list of their travel necessities made in advance and will be fully aware of what to pack for each climate. Also check traveling to europe
I’ve forgotten my glasses or contact lens solution on numerous occasions, and once, when travelling to Spain with my mother, I completely forgot my underwear!
Almost anything you forget can be purchased, but it’s best to be ready.
2. Have Adequate travel Insurance
A seasoned traveller will always make sure they have enough travel insurance for the destinations and activities they will be engaging in. I suggest the following insurance provider for business travellers:
Insurance from SafetyWing Travel insurance from Safety Wing
3. Have some local currency & a Travel card
This is another way to become professional traveler. Some undeveloped nations may not have an ATM at the airport or a mechanism to receive cash, despite being in the minority these days. In fact, Heathrow’s ATMs were down when I was returning to the UK during the pandemic for a family emergency, so I was unable to get cash at a significant UK airport.
Fortunately, I had some extra cash on hand, as well as my debit and credit cards, but it pays to be prepared when visiting foreign nations.
Before leaving for the airport, it is recommended to visit your local bank, credit union, or exchange because those at airports are known for charging more to exchange your money.
Online money exchange is possible, however the prices are once more unfavourable.
The following are some suggested travel cards that let you choose to pay in local currency (using the Interbank Exchange rate rather than an inflated exchange rate set by merchant):
4. Travel Lightly
An experienced traveller packs light. My sister and I recently travelled for three weeks through Nepal, India, and the Maldives with little more than a 7kg rucksack apiece. You don’t require as much as you think, I promise!
When you travel light, you don’t have to worry about misplaced luggage or having to wait for your bags when you arrive in your destination country because you have all you need in one small bag.
5. Take Minimal Liquids in Clear Bag
When passing through airport security, a seasoned traveller makes sure to carry as few liquids as possible in a clear bag they can easily access. This is another way to become professional traveler.
NB: In developing nations, this is less important, but big airports are very strict about segregating liquids.
6. Know how to access lounges
A seasoned traveller is aware that most airport lounges allow guests to enter for a fee even if they are not passing business or first class.
As a result, passengers who have a layover of three hours or longer will probably use the airport lounges to eat, drink, and clean up before their connecting flight.
Revolut and Monzo are two of the travel cards that offer cheap access to airport lounges.
Monzo, a seasoned traveller
7. Know when to board a plane
Professional travellers know to wait until everyone has boarded a flight if it is not crowded so they may look for any empty rows or seats that are well spread apart to make the flight more comfortable.
A seasoned traveller knows to get on the plane early if it’s crowded so they may store their luggage in front of them and avoid having to dig it out from behind them when they land.
8. Have a VPN downloaded on your phone
A few years ago, I abruptly found I couldn’t access Google when I arrived at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport in the late evening. Since there was a long line for cabs, I realised I would have to take the subway to get to my hotel unless I wanted to wait many hours.
Because there was only Chinese signage, I had no means to find my accommodation and no access to Google. Thank goodness Express VPN came to my aid so I could access Google and navigate the city.
Aside from that somewhat unpleasant experience, utilising a VPN has been helpful while travelling on numerous occasions, including viewing local websites in English, accessing bank accounts, and finding cheap flights.
Over the years, I’ve tested a few different VPN services, but Express VPN has consistently surpassed them all. Page of the website for Express VPN
9. Purchase a Local Sim
Roaming costs vary depending on where you are from and what kind of phone operating contract you have. In my view, roaming costs are exorbitant and there are more less expensive options for connecting to WiFi and remaining in touch while travelling. As you pass via the airport in most nations, you’ll presumably be offered a local Sim.
If not, there will be a phone shop nearby! We had to purchase a prepaid mobile dongle to access the internet while we were sailing in the middle of the Pacific while in French Polynesia.
There is a way if you have the will. Depending on the type of travel you’re taking, it can occasionally be nice to take a break from using the internet. Access to the internet is necessary if you run an online business, like we do.
This is another way to become professional traveler. The majority of local sim service providers are affordable and trustworthy, but it pays to do some research before travelling to the target country to make sure you choose the one with the most network coverage. Just make sure your phone can be used with a different sim and isn’t locked to a contract from your own country.
10. Have The hotel name written in local language
Use Google Translate, or ask a local who speaks English to write down the name of your hotel on a scrap of paper or your phone as soon as you arrive in the nation, or even while you’re still on the plane.
When we landed in a non-English speaking nation late at night, I tried to tell a poor Vietnamese cab driver the name of our hotel, and then I had to use google maps in the dark to try to lead him. That experience convinced me to always do this when landing in a non-English speaking nation.
11. Learn a few words of the local lingo
The fundamental phrases like “hi,” “goodbye,” “thank you,” and “please” will have been studied by a professional traveller. A true experienced will also know how to request a cold drink, but that’s a topic for another discussion.
As we visited each nation on one of our yearly “sisters on tour” travels, my sister and I developed the practise of asking the airport employees how to say “Hello.” My sister dutifully inquired at the immigration office upon arrival in Singapore, which is a country where English is the direct language, “How do you say hello here?
He greeted her while giving her a blank stare. She turned a shade of pink that I had never seen before, and as we left the airport, we both chuckled. But always ask questions! Also check booking air tickets and hotel
12. Only book 1 or 2 nights initially
A professional traveller who is travelling quickly from one city or nation to another will originally only reserve a hotel space for one or two evenings to make sure they are in the proper location and that they enjoy the neighbourhood.
Years ago, when we first arrived in Bagan, Myanmar, we discovered that we were situated far from where we had hoped to be, in the middle of a dusty construction site.
Fortunately, we only reserved one night, and the next morning, while taking a hot air balloon flight at sunrise, I was able to see the hotel I intended to stay in from the air!
We had an incredible stay right in the heart of all the temples and stupas.
If we had already made reservations and payments at the other location, it wouldn’t have been as wonderful!
Myanmar’s Bagan’s Aureum Hotel
13. Searching forums and groups to find a local to be your tour guide
A seasoned traveller will approach sight-seeing and exploring the neighbourhood in one of two ways.
As I explain in the next step and strongly advise, they will probably already have reservations made for certain vacations they want to take. This is another way to become professional traveler.
However, they will also probably have already looked into forums, organisations, and neighbourhood tourism boards and discovered a dependable local driver to serve as their tour guide.
Nothing beats having a local guide to take you off the beaten path and arrange experiences that regular package tours won’t provide you.
Professional traveller – forums on TripAdvisor
Source of the image: Tripadvisor Forums
14. Have a pre prepared bucket list and book trips up front
It’s a good idea to make reservations in advance for vacations or adventures you’re certain you’ll like because there’s nothing worse than flying halfway across the world only to discover they’re closed or sold out.
When planning travels, use websites like tripadvisor.com, klook.com, or getyourguide.co.uk to avoid disappointment.
NB: A seasoned traveller will never pay the first rate they come across without first conducting their own research.
Use the travel websites as a starting point, and then consider whether you can organise the trip yourself for greater flexibility and perhaps a cost savings.
You can do it sometimes, but more often than not, it’s much simpler to use a tour operator.
Book vacations using Get Your Guide
Source of the photo: GetYourGuide.com
15. Tip Generously
A seasoned traveller is a handsome tipper for excellent service.
I always give tips to kind and fair local taxi drivers, the hotel porter who brings my things to my room, welcoming waiters and waitresses, informative tour guides, and anybody else who makes my vacation more enjoyable.
The typical daily income here in Thailand, where I am as I write this, is only 500THB ($15), so a 50 or 100THB ($1.50-$3) tip goes a long way!
10 Ways a Professional Traveler Can Earn Money
It’s time to look at how to make money as a professional traveller now that you are familiar with the methods and tips for turning into a travel pro.
This list differs significantly from my post on 16 ways to travel for a living because a professional traveller does not necessarily need to be making money in the tourism industry (which is what that post focuses on).
A professional traveller might even work for a corporation with locations all over the world, which would explain why they are on the road so frequently. This is another way to become professional traveler.
However, I’m going to concentrate on all the ways you may make money online while seeing the globe, providing you complete freedom to go whenever and wherever you like. This is how I truly define an online lifestyle business.
1. Become a Freelancing
Freelancing is one of the quickest forms to make cash and have the flexibility to set your own hours from anywhere in the planet.
Simply take the knowledge you have acquired over the years, register for a freelance job site like upwork.com or freelancer.com, and begin submitting bids for tasks.
If you enjoy writing, freelancing may be for you. You may also excel at graphic design or WordPress website development. Also check solo trip
There are tens of thousands of virtual assistant positions available covering a wide range of responsibilities, so if you have a variety of abilities that lend themselves to many sectors of a business, you may use them.
Simply registering as a freelancer and beginning to look through the available projects is the simplest approach to get started.
You may begin making money in a matter of days, and in a matter of weeks, you might be making enough to quit your day job and embark on a career as a professional traveller!
2. Start a blog
Why not create a travel blog given that you’ll be seeing some incredible places while traversing the world? Although it brings some effort to obtain started, blogging is a great method to support yourself while exploring the world. Start by deciding on a blog niche, such as travel blogging (but you can choose any area that interests you and you think will draw a dedicated readership).
Pick a name for your blog, buy a domain and hosting, and create a basic WordPress website. The posting may begin! Look for what people are searching for in your niche using a tool like the Google Keyword Planner or even just Google search and autosuggest.
What inquiries do they make? What search terms are they entering? Use those keywords to produce insightful content that clarifies issues, provides solutions, informs, educates, or amuses. For further step-by-step information on how to establish a blog, read my piece on how to start a travel blog. Nomadic Matt is a professional traveller. Nomadicmatt.com, source of the image
3. Become an Influencer
Why not become a travel influencer if blogging isn’t your thing because you’re more of a social media whiz?
Instagram users frequently post images of picturesque waterfalls and verdant marigold fields. This is another way to become professional traveler.
It might be you!
Take lots of pictures, make creative films for reels or TikTok using one of the many user-friendly video editing programmes, and start sharing frequently and consistently.
Tell stories about your experiences to captivate your audience and expand your fan base.
As your audience expands, you can approach hotels or travel agencies to negotiate reduced rates for accommodations or airfare in exchange for uploading videos or images about the company you’re using to travel.
Additionally, you’ll begin to draw sponsorship and brand partnerships, and with the TikTok creator programme, you’ll start to make money just by posting your work.
Jack Morris, an entrepreneur in travel, on Instagram
Image source: jackmorris.instagram.com
4. Become a Videographer or photographer
The path to becoming a professional videographer or photographer is one step closer to being a social media influencer.
Companies will pay you to develop advertising campaigns for their hotels and travel services if your video and photography abilities are such that you can start charging for your services rather than offering discounted stays.
You might conduct a photoshoot for an online publication or develop a specialty in drone photography or filmmaking.
The need for media exposure after the pandemic will be great, therefore now is the time to practise!
Aerial shot of a professional traveller at a beach
5. Start a print on demand business
Starting your own print-on-demand e-commerce company is another way to earn money while you’re a professional traveller.
A great business strategy is print on demand because it can be carried out entirely on the go with no upfront investment in inventory or stock storage needed.
That is what print on demand is.
Only at the time of purchase is a design printed onto a product and sent to the purchaser.
The designs are made by you, the store owner, and are displayed on hypothetical products with the aid of sophisticated software.
When a product is ordered, your design is immediately printed on it before being sent to the consumer.
The three major ways to begin using print on demand are as follows:
You don’t even have to open your own store if you opt to sell on a print-on-demand marketplace like Redbubble, Zazzle, or Teepublic.
A print-on-demand app can be integrated with a front-end e-commerce site like Etsy.
This is another way to become professional traveler. On Shopify or Bigcommerce, you can build your own online store.
For additional information, see my guide to launching your own e-commerce firm.
e-commerce website redbubble
6. Start a drop shipping store
Dropshipping is an alternative route into the world of ecommerce if creating t-shirts isn’t your thing.
Due to the low fence to entry, it’s a competitive game, similar to print on demand, but if you’re prepared to test and evaluate and start experimenting with social media marketing, this is a very successful business model.
Similar to print on demand, dropshipping doesn’t require an initial investment or stock storage.
When a consumer makes a purchase, the item is supplied directly to them from the manufacturer. You market products within your specialty that are available on specialised dropshipping sites around the world, such as aliexpress.com.
You keep the difference between the product’s stated price and the price you paid the manufacturer.
Making an online store using Shopify or Bigcommerce and adding the dropshipping tools Oberlo or Spocket is the ideal method to begin dropshipping.
These two programmes make it incredibly simple to carry out dropshipping.
Professional traveller – dropshipping vendor spocket
Source of the image: Spocket
7. Become a Coach, tutor or consultant
You could develop a career as a professional traveller by working as a coach, tutor, or consultant, depending on your skill set. Maybe you can teach individuals how to launch their own online lifestyle businesses and embark on global travel. Perhaps you seek advice from travel or tour operators on how to better market their offerings online.
You may even make money by giving online English lessons to people all around the world. A teaching or coaching position is undoubtedly for you if you enjoy working with people and assisting them in reaching their objectives.
For teaching positions, check out tefl.com; for coaching and consulting positions, try upwork.com. Tefl website jobs
If you enjoy writing, creating and publishing books can be your ideal career.
Being a published author in the modern era is simpler than ever.
The decision is yours as to whether you want to write quickly and publish a number of ebooks on Kindle or sell actual hardback books on Amazon! This is another way to become professional traveler.
Even publications with little or no content, such diaries, planners, or journals, might bring in money.
Of course, Amazon is the ideal way to sell your books, and using their Kindle KDP platform is incredibly simple.
If you like your book to be sold in bookshops, it’s a good idea to also look into Ingram Spark. You can also sell print-on-demand books or books with little to no content on Etsy.
There are countless opportunities!
Professional traveller – Kindle books
9. Start an Amazon FBA Business
Starting an Amazon FBA business is a very lucrative and profitable business strategy, albeit a little more difficult and cash-intensive to do it on the road.
The products that are selling well in the market niche you have selected to target will be found through Amazon research on your part as the business owner.
Then you will purchase those goods from a supplier who can mass-produce them anyplace in the world.
The products will have your branding applied to them before being sent to the Amazon warehouses.
Fulfilled by Amazon, or FBA, refers to the fact that Amazon stores the inventory, ships the goods to the consumer, handles returns, etc.
Although Amazon handles the storage and delivery, you’ll need cash up front to buy the inventory, and you’ll want to see samples to check the quality of the goods you’re selling under your brand.
Once the company is up and running, though, you can easily manage it while on the road.
Check out my detailed piece on how my husband and I used Amazon FBA while travelling to make seven figures in a year!
Professional traveller and Amazon partner
10. Stat a Not for profit business
If, like me, you want to advance your career as a professional traveller while also having a beneficial impact on the world, why not establish a non-profit organisation while travelling?
Build any of the businesses I have listed above with all the earnings going to the cause you choose to support, such as microlending to women in Africa or building schools in Haiti.
Maybe the items in your e-commerce site were created by regional craftsmen to benefit their communities.
Or the stories of Cambodian children whose families cannot afford to send them to school are all over your social media influencer account.
Perhaps you establish your own online training programme for other business travellers hoping to make a difference.
Traveling the world will undoubtedly expose you to people and places that will both greatly expand your perspective and profoundly touch your heart.
Pay yourself enough to survive on and donate the rest if seeing the globe and having an influence are your top priorities.
Your ultimate objective would be to draw sponsorship, which would cover the costs of operating the firm so that all proceeds could be donated to the organisations you support.
Organization or society that is not for business
How to Become a Professional Traveler Summary
It is a fallacy that you must be wealthy in order to travel. We rapidly discovered that travelling around South East Asia was more affordable than permanently residing in the UK, the US, or Australia when we first began doing so 11 years ago.
The phrase “professional traveller” may mean whatever you want it to, whether you’re just an expert at seeing the world or you want to do it as your full-time job.
However, there are numerous ways to make money while travelling.
Although the direction of this article is on creating your own lifestyle business, there are many international job alternatives available, such as working on a cruise ship or finding employment in the travel sector.
In my piece on how to get paid to travel the world, I go into greater detail about how you can volunteer your way around the globe.
