5 Steps to Get Paid to Travel

To travel, even on a budget, you need a good amount of money for transportation, insurance, lodging, food, fun, and other great experiences that might pop up during your stay, such as trade fairs, music shows, sporting events, etc. So, the present-day economic situation is working against many people’s wishes to satisfy their insatiable wanderlust.

 
But what if you could experience new cultures, traverse through beautiful landscapes, and meet new people without spending a dime? What if you could even get paid for doing what you love? You would jump at the opportunity.

 
Here, we have compiled five ways you can spend days, weeks, or even months in exotic lands while earning some cash:

5 Awesome Career/Job or Business Ideas for Travel Lovers

1. Teach English in a foreign country

One of the easiest and most lucrative ways to get into foreign lands is to take up a job teaching English. The demand for English teachers is exceptionally high in Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, and most don’t even require you to be a native speaker of the language yourself.
And if you are a native English speaker, you have a more significant advantage. Schools in non-English speaking countries hire English speakers who can teach the “direct method” by which students learn through concepts, gestures bod,y language, and the target language exclusively.
Although not all schools require it, a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certification can improve your chances and make you a desirable candidate. In countries such as Japan and the United Arab Emirates, English language teachers earn up to $40,000 a year.

 

2. Become a tour guide

Leading tours through some of the world's most iconic and historic places is a dream come true for you, as it can afford you various opportunities.
Imagine yourself becoming a tour guide in a dream place—like Paris—and leading hordes of American tourists through The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and the Bastille. Similarly, you can show them on longer trips that go through a series of destinations. Either option can fetch you a decent income while allowing you to see new cultures.

 
Working as a tour guide has its own cons, though. If you stay in one location, chances are you will be working freelance, which may mean uneven paydays and a lack of job security. While some freelance tour guides charge tourists upfront for their services, others give free tours and try to use their personalities to get tips from generous tourists.

 
On the other hand, however, you may be lucky enough to get a contract or a full-time gig from a touring company. This adds stability, but you will be dealing with all the logistics, planning, and headaches that come with managing a group of tourists for weeks.

 
It goes without saying that working as a tour guide requires you to be extroverted and friendly at all times, even on days when you wake up on the wrong side of the bed.

 

3. Start an import-export business

This actually requires some capital to start with. Consider getting into the import-export trade and heading out to exotic countries to find products that will appeal to travel-hungry consumers back home.
Local, specialty and handmade goods usually sell very well. But you need to select goods that certain areas are known for (such as Italian leather, Turkish ceramics, Arab clothing, Mexican hammocks, etc.) and one-of-a-kind products that can’t be purchased in large quantities.
Once you are back home, you can sell the products to stores, collectors, or others for a handsome profit. You can even sell online through stores like eBay. Note, however, that you will have to figure out how to navigate customs regulations that apply to your country. You don’t want to get apprehended for what you are not doing.

 

4. Become a flight attendant

If spending some hours of your day in the skies means no problem or worries, then becoming a flight attendant is a great option combining good pay with the opportunity to travel to different parts of the world. On average, flight attendants make $35,000 a year and get free travel benefits for themselves and their families. While the pay might seem low, the average flight attendant works just 20 hours a week.

 

5. Work for a cruise line

By working on a cruise ship, you get the opportunity to visit exotic locales. Sadly, the job usually comes with long hours of relatively low pay. But the bright side is that you enjoy free travel with all expenses paid. And crew members have their own dining halls, Internet cafes, gyms, party areas, shops, and organized activities, creating a fun culture.

 
There are numerous job positions on a ship, from washing dishes to chaperoning passengers on exotic excursions. While there is an expected difference in a paycheck, other benefits are usually distributed equally and evenly.