It’s no secret that travel writing has changed in the past few years thanks to the exorbitant rise of online publications touting top ten lists.

Information overload is well and truly upon us (anyone else’s shoulders feel particularly weighed down?) and it’s like swimming through treacle trying to get some kind of breathing space.

This is the same for finding decent travel articles in general, as well as finding places where you can submit your own work.

A month or so ago I published post about how to find and pitch for freelance travel writing jobs. Now, within that article I explicitly stated that travel writing isn’t what it used to be. Basically, it no longer just refers to the glossy, prose-peppered articles in print magazines – it can refer to many different things.

I consider myself a freelance travel writer because, well, I write about travel and I’m a freelancer, but my sole income isn’t made by pitching first-hand stories to big publications.

In fact, this is a very, very small blot on my pay-packet horizon. My income is made up of numerous different jobs and gigs – all travel related, mind you – and that’s what I love so much about freelancing these days. There’s variety and, where there’s variety, there’s always an under-saturated market waiting to be cracked into.

So, what different travel writing jobs are out there?

Feature Articles

Let’s start with the familiar.

Travel writing is often painted with a warm fuzzy glow because people automatically think of the National Geographics and Lonely Planets of the world. But whilst the industry has progressed in some respects, this is still a major job market.

It’s the piece a la resistance of travel writing. The Holy Grail, if you will. I guarantee that everyone who wants to be a travel writer wants to see their name in print in a large, world-famous publication.

And that’s great.

But competition is really, really tough, and many of the big-hitters don’t accept unsolicited pitches. The good news? The rise of the internet has meant that there are now thousands of publications out there looking for great stories to be pitched. You just have to spend some time seeking out the ones that are a good fit for you.

Blog Posts for Brands

If you haven’t heard, blogging is all the rage at the moment. Word on the grapevine is that if you don’t have yourself a blog then you’re doing something seriously wrong.

I don’t necessarily agree with this. I think that having no blog is better than having a really, really bad blog, especially if it’s attached to a commercial company. And, sadly, this is the problem for many travel brands and start-ups out there.

Luckily for you, though, this means that there is a wealth of work out there waiting to be snapped up. Most of my clients are travel brands who were looking for great, conversational bloggers who could really engage with their audience.

A blog post I wrote for one of my clients, Furthest City

The best part about blogging gigs is they’re usually regular affairs. Maybe you’ll be asked to write twice a month, or maybe even twice a week. That’s a (fairly) stable income right there.

And, if that wasn’t enough, there’s a wide variety of different types of blog posts, from top ten lists and personal experiences, to general travel advice and more, so things never get dull and dry.

If you want to get into travel blogging for brands, start poking around some of them to see what works and what doesn’t. If you can identify something that a brand can improve on, why not get in touch and mention it? I mean, don’t go all in guns blazing, but a quick email introducing yourself and offering your services can do absolute wonders.

Website Copy

In this day and age every single travel brand should have a website, which means that there is a helluva lot of website pages out there that are in dire need of some spicy content.

I’ve had plenty of copywriting gigs and, if I’m being honest with you, these are some of the better paying travel writing jobs.

If you land a copywriting job you can expect to write anything from the introductory text on the homepage to staff profiles on the about us page. Literally anything goes. I’ve worked with some great brands and their websites, and the best part for me is really nailing the right tone for their audience – something which is so important in a commercial setting.

Like with blogging, you can always reach out to brands you admire, or brands you think could do with a spicier website and introduce yourself – what’s the worst that could happen?

Destination Descriptions

You’ll find a LOT of destination description jobs in the travel writing industry because, well, it’s all about the destination, right?!

I’ve had tonnes of jobs writing destination descriptions, from flowery-prose covering European capitals to introductory paragraphs about an eclectic mix of countries. These descriptions then might be published as an enticing morsel before itineraries or, like one of my previous jobs, underneath the booking form for holiday apartments.

Product Descriptions

The term product descriptions always draws a bit of a yawn. It just sounds dull, doesn’t it? In the travel industry, though, product descriptions can be awesome – especially if said product is an amazing package to some far-flung destination.

You might be writing compelling text for itineraries, hashing out all the nitty-gritty for package holidays, or even spinning out a few words about travel-related gadgets – whatever floats your boat. Remember, the travel industry is a diverse place that caters to all manner of consumers, so there’s bound to be something out there that’s the right fit for you.

For example, I’ve written hotel descriptions, daily itineraries, text for tours, and loads more. Think of any product in the travel industry and it’ll need a description to really pull customers in. The possibilities are endless.

Advertising Materials

Good ol’ advertising.

Like copywriting, this is one of the better paying verticals in the travel writing industry, but it definitely doesn’t mean dry, dull, sleazy sales text.

In fact, these days, advertising materials often tell stories, particularly in the travel industry where narratives make the world go round.

Since the internet burst onto the scene, advertising materials and their place in the world have become a little blurry, but you can expect to write things like newsletters, posters, brochures, and pamphlets, as well as headlines for banner ads and more.

Social Media Spiel

There are so many people out there who tout themselves as social media gurus simply because they can whack a picture up on Facebook and click ‘post’, but there is actually an art to engaging people on busy social media feeds.

I’ve written loads of one-liner tweets for brands, as well as headlines and calls-to-action for Facebook, and even Pinterest board descriptions.

If you have a way with words and can really grab people’s attention in this fast paced world then this might just be the job for you.

The possibilities are endless here, too, from co-ordinating campaigns, writing micro-blogs, and scrimping down sentences so they fit that magic 140 character size.

Press Releases

Press releases are a whole party unto themselves.

I’ve only written a few press releases in my time, and those were to promote new tours that had just been released. There’s an art to writing press releases because they need to be concise, informative, and definitely not too pushy.

They aren’t adverts. Instead, they are simply well-strung together morsels of information about a new product or an upcoming event that can be solicited out to publications in the hope of a bite (a.k.a. news story or mention).

Press releases are all over the travel industry like a rash because there are always new products, new events, and new stories emerging.

E-Book Writing

I actually haven’t delved into the world of e-book writing yet – well, not for anyone other than myself, anyway. That’s not to say I won’t in the future though.

So many brands are jumping on the self-publishing bandwagon these days, either to create a product that they can sell alongside other goodies, or as a way to get potential customers to subscribe to their newsletters or broadcasts.

E-Book writing is a beast of its own kind and can vary hugely depending on the client and the topic. Usually, though, non-fiction e-books run between 20,000 and 50,000 words and can be about anything, from general travel advice to niche destination guides and more.

If you have a patient hand and don’t mind whittling out thousands and thousands of words on one particular topic then, hey! This might just be for you.

There you have it. As you can see, the travel writing industry and its many positions are seemingly never-ending. It’s no longer a case of pitching long-form, narrative pieces to big publications (though this is still a great way to get experience and portfolio cuttings), and no job is bigger or better than another.

Each method listed above offers its own highs and lows but, at the end of the day, if you’re writing about beautiful places and getting paid to do it then guess what? You’ve made it as a travel writer!

Can you think of any more travel writing jobs that I’ve missed here? Do any of them stand out to you or, if you’re already weaving those words, which is your favourite kind of job?