If you spend most of your time at your current job looking forward to those few weeks a year when you can hit the road and explore, consider the world of travel-related opportunities. While your mind may immediately go to things like traveling salesmen or flight attendants, there’s an incredible diversity of jobs out there that allow you to travel, including some highly-skilled, lucrative ones. Let’s take a closer look at six of the best.
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Travel Writer or Blogger
If there’s one thing travel lovers enjoy almost as much as a good trip, it’s reading about different journeys and destinations. If you’re good with words and a talented storyteller, you can make money by chronicling your travels.
This can range from running your own blog and making money on ads and affiliate revenue to working for well-known magazines, news organizations, or others who publish travel content. In the former case, you’ll have the most freedom but will also need to build a sustainable business, which can be challenging. In the latter, you’ll have less control over where you can travel to and write about, but the potential for easier earnings, either on a freelance or full-time basis.
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Travel Nurse
Healthcare is undoubtedly one of the world’s most important career fields, but those pursuing it can still enjoy life on the road. Travel nurse jobs let skilled nurses apply their trade in different places around the country or even the world, allowing hospitals and other medical facilities to quickly scale up in the face of increased or seasonal demand.
Nurses typically sign short- to medium-term contracts, sometimes arranged by convenient travel nurse staffing agencies that can link them with facilities in diverse locations and responsibilities. Meanwhile, nurses will have plenty of time to explore their new temporary homes and can even take time off between contracts for more in-depth exploration. In addition, travel nursing is one of the more lucrative travel jobs, with participants earning significantly more than traditional nurses, in addition to benefits like tax-free housing stipends.
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Business Consultant
Those who love the world of business and would like to spend some time on the road should look into the world of consulting. Consultants typically develop a broad set of skills for advising and coming up with solutions for a range of businesses. This can include research, project management, strategy planning, and communication, many of which require extensive on-site time with clients. These clients can range from smaller regional businesses to massive international conglomerates, meaning you’ll never know where you’re heading next. Plus, like travel nursing but unlike many other travel-focused gigs, the pay and benefits are typically quite comfortable, ensuring you won’t need to skimp while on the road.
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Photography and Videography
Creative travel lovers can use their technical and artistic skills to make a travel-based living doing photography and videography. Options range from documentary and nature film production to selling stock photos or documenting weddings or other events.
In many cases, photographers and videographers may work as freelancers and build their own businesses. However, many can also find regular gigs with media companies or even production groups. While there are naturally technical and business skills involved, folks can get a great head start simply by being willing to travel and be in the right place at the right time.
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Event Planning
If you’re the type who loves to throw a good party but also has the smarts and organization to run it like a finely-tuned machine, event planning may be a great travel-related career for you. Some event planners organize business gatherings like corporate retreats, conventions, and trade shows, while others focus on weddings and other personal parties and events. They’re typically responsible for gatherings from the initial idea through the planning and coordination stages and eventually to the actual management and logistics as it occurs.
This job often involves traveling to check out venues, meet with suppliers or partners, or do other face-to-face advance work or planning. Depending on the nature of your employer, this can take you anywhere from around your region to around the world.
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Teaching
Teaching abroad has long been a popular route for those looking to travel, especially if they don’t mind staying in one place for a while. International schools are always looking for more help, particularly from native English speakers who can help tutor students in the language. This is an excellent choice for those who want to give back and develop lifelong relationships while exploring places overseas. It’s even possible to do this within the United States with programs like Teach for America.
In addition to the more tried-and-true travel teaching methods, the advent of video calling technology has untethered teaching and tutoring in many cases. It’s easier than ever to teach or tutor online, finding clients on your own or through a variety of matching or job services. This allows you to be anywhere in the world you choose, as long as you have a reliable internet connection.
Travel Careers Are Waiting
As you can see from this diverse list, there’s a traveling job out there for just about everyone. And these are just a tiny fraction of the many creative ways to make money on the road. So whether you’re just getting started in the employment world or looking for a big change after decades at work, pack your bags – your new career is waiting!
