blog about travel agency

(413) 345-2696

SEO Blogging for Business

10 Travel Blog Ideas For Travel Agencies Who Want to Sell Bigger, Better Vacations

You, my dear travel agency blog writer, are the authority on all things travel. Have you forgotten how awesome and knowledgeable you are?

When you are deep into the day to day of running a business, it’s easy to forget that you are an authority on what you do. Running a travel agency is no different. And while you probably know that a travel agency blog is a good idea, you may feel stuck for travel blog ideas.

Inspiration to the rescue! Or maybe, simplicity to the rescue. Or maybe both. See, there are a lot of people who don’t know anything about traveling (have you been through an airport security line recently?). Or maybe they don’t know anything about venturing to a new location.

In other cases, seasoned travelers may be looking for new destinations or new thoughts on an old favorite location. As a travel agent, you have the knowledge and insight that people want.

But maybe you’ve lost your way, run aground for travel blog ideas, or have just forgotten how awesome you are.

Fortunately, there is inspiration all over the internet for travel blog ideas. Your favorite travel agency blog is one good source of inspiration, but you can also look to travel blogs themselves for ideas.

Your experience in the travel business is full of travel blog ideas, too. In fact, a good travel agency blog has an almost endless supply of possibilities.

Here are 10  travel blogs and travel agency blogs full of ideas, inspiration, and a dash of beauty.

At BuzzFarmers, we help fellow businesses by researching industry trends and then relaying our findings. This helps us, too, because we use this data in our daily work of blogging for businesses. Below, I’ve assembled 10 travel blog ideas that will bolster your web presence starting today and turn traffic via search and social into customers paying cold hard cash.

I’ve also found examples to illustrate the ideas in action. They come from other travel agencies and blogs. In red, you’ll find keyword phrases that we hand-picked as low-hanging fruit. Target these keywords and you could have a good chance of ranking on them in search!

1. Focus on a destination

Title:  The Best Italian Cities to Visit in Southern Italy

Suggested Call to Action:  “Are you traveling to Italy, but want to keep away from the big tourist destinations? Head south. We’ll show you the best Italian cities to visit, and get you there in style.”

You could then write a post for every major city to which your company sends tours. Here, The Quirky Traveller  offers up some great ideas for Italian destinations outside of Rome and Venice, therefore catching your eye with something a little out of the ordinary. Depending on your focus, a post like this could even be broken into several travel blog ideas, with a blog post for each one of these cities – which means even more potential to reach your customers.

2. Get off the beaten path

Title:  Travel off the Beaten Path  on Your Next Vacation

Suggested Call to Action:  “Make your next vacation memorable. Travel off the beaten path and discover a whole new you. We can help you make it happen.”

While few can resist a tropical beach, Budget Travel encourages their readers to get out and explore a destination. There’s more to travel than hitting the hot spots. It’s also about discovery. This approach reaches the traveler who wants to explore and do something a little different. When your blog post hits their eyes, they’ll be calling you to schedule that getaway.

3. Think of thematic blog ideas

Title : Amazing Places in the World to Visit   in the Next 10 Years

Call to Action : “You’re ready for a vacation, but don’t know where to go? We go to the most amazing places in the world to visit, and you can join us. Just pack your bags, drop us a line, and we’ll be in touch.”

If there’s a travel agency blog that knows what it means to get muddy shoes and wine stains on your last clean shirt, it’s Sonia Jones Travel . The theme of this travel agency blog is first-hand stories, travel advice, and, of course, an experienced travel agent who will help you plan your trip. And with vivid descriptions from her trips, I’m sure her readers are more than ready to book a vacation.

4. Hone in on family vacations

Title:  Family Friendly Vacations  Your Kids Will Never Forget

Call to Action: “ One of the best gifts you can give your children is great memories. Family-friendly vacations are a fun way to share those future memories. Let us know how we can help you find the perfect vacation.”

Let’s Take the Kids Travel Agency  is, as you can imagine, a travel agency that specializes in arranging vacations for families with kids. Family vacations are big business, too, with some estimates for the average vacation coming in at $1,600. But as you know, four plane tickets and five nights in a hotel could easily hit $2,000 before any activities are planned. If you can help families save some of that money, you’ll have a new best friend. Oh, and money in the bank.

5. Consider the budget minded traveler

Title :  Cheap Ways to Travel : Because the World is Calling

Call to Action : “Vacations are expensive, but they don’t have to be. We’ll give you some cheap ways to travel, whether you are going around the world, or around the mountain. Call us to save big on your next journey.”

Not everyone wants, or can afford a luxury vacation. Cheap Tickets , long known as a place to find good deals on air travel, has a blog based on how to travel on the cheap. If you use your travel agency blog to write about ways to save money while vacationing, you’ll not only attract search traffic from people who are planning to vacation, but you’ll have a chance to schmooze them with good content before you offer your vacation-booking services.

6. Teach through “how to” posts

Title :  Bumped from a Flight ? Here’s How To Make the Most of Your Time

Call to Action : “No matter how much planning you do, sometimes things just don’t go right. Did you get bumped from a flight, or locked out of your hotel? Try to make the most of it. Call us for ideas on how you can plan for the unplanned.”

A post on travel blog ideas wouldn’t be complete without suggesting some “how to” posts. Your travel agency blog is just the place for this type of advice, too. How to pack for a hiking trip, how to rent a car in San Francisco, how to avoid sunburn in Costa Rica…I could go on.

Columbus Travel  has regular posts on how to handle unexpected situations. Although they aren’t titled as “how to” posts, they do offer blog visitors helpful advice for when they get bumped from a flight, how to plan for their first cruise, and how to eat well in San Francisco. You can do this, too. There are so many possibilities for “how to” blog posts that you could work into your travel agency blog. And do you know what happens when your clients read all your wonderful posts? They come to you when they are ready for a vacation. Maybe they’ll even book right away.

7. Tailor to a specific audience

Title :  Brazil Vacation Packages  for the Winter Weary   

Call to Action : “Here in North America, it’s the dead of winter. Trade in those grey skies and fierce winds with these Brazil vacation packages. Remember, summer is just a short trip south. Call us today.”

Down Under Answers  targets independent travelers interested in Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific with advice and personalized travel packages. Their blog highlights staff picks, hotel spotlights, and beautiful locations. In the process, they’ve positioned themselves as the go-to source for people interested in vacationing in the South Pacific. The trick here is to decide who your audience is , and then make sure you write directly to them. They will thank you with their wallet.

8. Create lists and lists of lists

Title :  Packing Light for Travel : The 10 Things You Can Go Without

Call to Action : “You’re ready to go, but you can’t get your suitcase closed. Do you really need everything in that bag? Probably not. Packing light for travel is all about figuring out what you really need, so give us a call. While you unpack some of the extras, we’ll make sure your itinerary is in order.”

Lists are always a good way to go. They are easy to write, easy to read, and usually offer very useable information. JoyRide Travel, Inc  has some great travel blog ideas based on lists. “10 Tips for a Kid-Friendly Summer Cruise” and “6 Benefits of a Staycation” are both fabulous travel blog ideas, and good inspiration for a travel agency blog. And once readers see how much you care about their travel experience, they will call you first when they need to book that vacation.

Title :  My First Disney Trip : What Our Clients Have to Say

Call to Action : “Can’t you just hear the excitement in your child’s voice when he or she says to a friend, “It’s my first Disney trip!” Disney is magic, and you want to make sure you pack in all the fun. We can help you find the best deals and even make dinner reservations for you. Call us to find out more.”

This could be a series of posts or a weekly feature. In the case of Travel with the Magic it’s not just a series of posts, but their entire blog. Their specialty is clearly on Disney vacations. That’s no small niche! But Travel with the Magic offers everything from itinerary planning to dinner reservations and even discount monitoring. Anyone who has thought about a Disney vacation knows how overwhelming it can get. This is exactly why people are willing to pay someone knowledgeable to handle the details for them. If your travel agency blog hones in on one specialty, you’ll be seen as the expert they need!

10. Write about yourself

Title:  Life as a Travel Agent  can be Funny Sometimes

Call to Action : “Life as a travel agent never fails to be interesting. But what I’m most interested in is helping you plan your next vacation. You deserve it.”

I know this may sound like bragging, but you are an expert, remember? Don’t think you’re an expert? Fine, just fake it  until you make it.

The Travel Lady’s Blog  is a great example of letting your personality shine through. The blend of travel agency blog and personal blog is a voice of, well, I don’t know if it’s reason or just calling out the obvious, but I love her quirky humor. While this might be a risque approach for most travel agencies, adding some personality is not such a bad idea. In fact, smaller travel agencies that might not be able to compete with advertising dollars can compete with a sense of humor.

Are you still at a loss for travel blog ideas? Get in touch . We have lots of ideas, and we know how to use them to help you make money.

Do you run a travel agency blog? What kind of stories do you write? Let us know in the comments. 

This post was originally published in 2015 and has been updated.

Related Posts

Why Every Startup Should Have a Blog

Tiny Blogging Experts: Why Wasps Would Make Great Bloggers

Has Your Well of Business Blog Ideas Dried Up?

Content Recycling 101: How to Bring the SEO Swagger Back Into Old Articles

© 2024 • Lantern SEM, a QuarterFive Media Company

Call Us (413) 345-2696

Love is all you need! ❤️

• Travel Agents
• Inbound Tour Operators
• Outbound Tour Operators
• Airline Vacation Companies
• Success Stories

The 10 Best Blogs For Travel Agents and Tour Operators in 2023

You know your travel niche well. Really well. 

You can rattle off all the 2023 Caribbean cruises that still have places available. Or organize the perfect honeymoon in any one of 50 European cities. Or list all the airlines that fly from New York to San Francisco – in your sleep. 

But no matter your professional skill, there will often be an item of breaking news in your niche that you just haven’t heard about yet. And sometimes there will be developments in another travel niche that could critically affect your own.

How do you stay on top of what you need to know as a successful travel agent or tour operator?

Travel Blogs vs. Travel Industry Blogs  

Travel bloggers and their travel blogs fill cyberspace with detailed accounts of where they went and what they saw, heard, tasted, smelled and touched when they were there. Travel blogs can be a fun read for an armchair traveler or critical information for someone planning a trip to that locale. 

As a travel agent, travel blogs may on occasion provide some value or entertainment, but they’re not a professional go-to. 

Blogs about the travel and tourism industries , on the other hand, make it their business to provide up-to-date news, research and insights. These are the blogs to be on top of if you are a travel agent or tourism professional.

We’ve brought you our picks for the 10 best blogs for travel agents and tour operators. Check them out! 

Travel Daily News

Travel Daily News is a news portal for the international travel market. Their homepage is exceptionally full, with many different sections; news updates, columns, features, research and more. The best way to get the most out of Travel Daily News is to use the dropdown menus to quickly reach your specific topic of interest, such as “Sea Travel,” “Sustainable Tourism,” “Technology,” or “Interviews” with major players in the travel industry.

You can also use the “New Articles” button on the top left of the homepage to see a dropdown of articles published today.

Skift provides information and intelligence for travel and tourism professionals on many different levels: news articles, live conferences, research, and sector-focused newsletters. Their industry scope is very comprehensive, including coverage of consumer trends, transit developments, and national and international policies that affect travel and tourism. As might be expected from a higher-end publication, most of Skift’s primary news content is located behind a paywall. You can get a few articles for free each month, but you will then be required to pay to access more. It’s certainly worth frequenting the news page to skim the headlines, however. And you can also check out the Skift blog for shorter, free content.

Tourism Review

Tourism Review provides detailed coverage of events and trends that are directly relevant to the tourism industry. Their homepage is a little busy (although not as busy as some), so for news updates, it is best to visit their news page . Tourism Review also has a “Top 10s in the Travel Industry” page , with posts that feature top destinations, attractions, or trends in specific niches.

Tourism Tribe

Tourism Tribe breaks with most of the news-focused sites and zeroes in on the business of running a tourism business. Their travel agent blog is refreshingly practical , focusing on the tools and strategies you can use to successfully market your travel agency or tourism organization.

Travel Weekly

Travel Weekly is another news and updates site for the industry, covering hotels, cruises, transportation and destinations, plus special topics in travel like race and diversity. The homepage offers a lot of options, so we recommend making your first stop the News & Featured Destinations dropdown menu.

There you’ll get a very clear idea and a one-click path to the specific topic you’re interested in. Travel Weekly is also valuable for the opinion columns written by their editors and specialists.

Travel Pulse

Travel Pulse is a travel industry updates site with articles covering many aspects of travel and the tourism industry. We recommend starting with their news page , which is clearly divided into categories such as destinations, hotels, airlines and factors that impact travel. Travel Pulse also houses individual contributor blogs , usually focused on destinations, like the Saudia Arabia blog, or the New Orleans blog.

PhocusWire phocuses… er, that is, focuses on the technology that powers the travel and tourism industries. They cover travel technology developments, tools, startups and research. PhocusWire also has a section reporting financial earnings of significant travel and tourism-related companies. If you use technology for your bookings, planning, management, payments – and today, what travel business doesn’t? – PhocusWire is worth following. 

Travel Agent Central

Travel Agent Central offers articles with important industry information regarding hotels, cruises, transportation, destinations and other areas of insight. The homepage is well organized and designed, making it a positive, pleasant experience to browse through.

Travel Market Report

Travel Market Report covers travel industry news in different categories, like tours, cruises, hotels and destinations. The top articles in each category are featured on the homepage. Travel Market Report also offers tourism industry strategy and thought pieces , which differentiates them from other travel news sites.

Travel & Leisure  

Travel & Leisure lies somewhere between a travel blog and a travel agency blog. But their posts on trip ideas are so insightful and well put-together that even travel professionals can gain from them, so we felt it merited inclusion. Additionally, Travel & Leisure stands out for its yearly “World’s Best” awards. These extensive rankings of top hotels, cruises and destinations help you keep your finger on the pulse of what your client base is likely to appreciate in travel experiences.

Ready, Set… Go!

The best travel agents and tour operators never stop learning. We consider it a good daily practice to skim the headlines on at least one travel agent news site, and then spend a little more time diving deeper into the articles or categories that are relevant to your particular industry niche.

Make 2023 a year to learn from the best travel agent blogs and develop yourself even more as a travel professional! 

Subscribe to our newsletter

Let's go for a journey

Schedule a meeting

More Resources

10 best accounting software for travel agencies, why choose saas travel erp software, 10 best crm tools for travel agencies in 2024.

• BLOGGERS DATABASE
• SUBMIT YOUR BLOG

News Reader

Brand Monitoring

Blogger Outreach or Influencer Marketing

Combined Newsletters

Embeddable RSS Widgets

RSS Combiner beta

Select Page

• Get 250k Bloggers, Podcasters and Media outlets with email contacts. Export Full Database
• Request Bloggers Contacts
• Export Contact List

20 Best Travel Agent Blogs For Tour Operators and Travel Agencies

Travel agent blogs.

Here are 20 Best Travel Agent Blogs you should follow in 2024

2. KHM Travel Group Blog

3. Viator Travel Agents Blog

4. Travel Planners International

5. Travel Agent Central

6. Travel Market Report

7. CCRA Blog

8. Vincent Vacations Blog

9. Travel Agent Finder Blog

10. US InteleTravel Blog

11. Travel Carma Blog

12. Travel Agency Tribes

13. Travel Pulse

14. TravelAge West

15. Travel Weekly

16. Sky Bird Travel Blog

17. Marketing For Travel Agents Blog

18. Travel Quest Network Blog

19. Seashore Delight Blog

• Travel Agent Bloggers
• KHM Travel Group Blog
• Viator Travel Agents Blog
• Travel Planners International
• Travel Agent Central
• Travel Market Report
• Vincent Vacations Blog
• Travel Agent Finder Blog
• US InteleTravel Blog
• Travel Carma Blog
• Travel Agency Tribes
• Travel Pulse
• TravelAge West
• Travel Weekly
• Sky Bird Travel Blog
• Marketing For Travel Agents Blog
• Travel Quest Network Blog
• Seashore Delight Blog

Media Contact Database

Why list and promote your blog on feedspot.

Home Blog Digital Marketing 12 game-changing tactics to boost travel agency marketing

12 game-changing tactics to boost travel agency marketing

13 min read Last Updated Nov 30, 2023

The travel industry has undergone remarkable transformation  over the past few years. While online bookings are still popular, curated travel experiences are also gaining traction. 

Travelers are increasingly seeking off-beat destinations with guided tours. They prefer a relaxed travel experience, focusing more on enjoyment rather than planning. Therefore, the role of travel agencies has become more critical than ever as they craft these personalized and hassle-free travel experiences for their customers. 

With the right travel agency marketing strategy, travel agents and businesses can attract the ideal client to their business and grow rapidly.

This blog post is the complete guide for travel agencies to unlock opportunities, grow their business, and use the best marketing strategies to reach their clients. 

Table of contents

How do you develop the best marketing strategy for travel agencies.

• How do you market your travel agency? 12 strategies and ideas to launch today 
• FAQs on travel agency marketing 
• Birdeye – the top-rated customer experience platform to grow your travel agency business 

Travel agencies can follow a simple process to identify the right digital marketing strategy for their business. For best results, they require an intimate understanding of their market, audience, business USP, competitors, and the marketing channels they can explore. 

Let’s dive in for more details: 

1. Know your market 

Getting the lay of the land will let you know how to compete in the market. Start by understanding who the leading players are (even if they are not direct competitors). Analyze the average travel budget and how much clients are willing to spend annually on travel businesses. 

You must also gauge the potential risk factors, especially when entering a new market. 

2. Understand your audience 

Within the overall market, travel agencies must clearly define their target audience. Use identifiers such as age, gender, family size, earning potential, location, etc. You can also create elaborate buyer personas to guide your digital marketing efforts. 

3. Define your USP

The travel agency business is highly competitive, making it difficult for smaller businesses to survive without a niche or differentiating characteristics. Identify what sets your business apart from others and further develop this USP (unique selling proposition). 

Your business USP must be the focal point for digital marketing messages, branding development, and advertising efforts. 

4. Understand your competitors 

Now that you know your audience and USP, look for competitors providing services similar to your target audience. Understand what makes them work and what issues customers have with them, analyze their reviews and ratings, and monitor their marketing campaigns on social media. 

A complete understanding of competitors will help you outshine them easily. 

5. Identify potential marketing channels 

The last and most crucial step is to choose the marketing channels you can explore to grow your travel agency business. This would depend on your marketing budget, competitor analysis, resource availability, and target audience. 

Choose five to six marketing channels, analyze the results, and tweak your marketing campaigns accordingly. 

How do you market your travel agency? 12 strategies and ideas to launch today 

Travel agencies can market their business via popular channels like social media, email marketing, SMS marketing, paid ad marketing, travel listing websites, and influencer marketing. 

Some of the top travel agency marketing strategies to follow are: 

• Build a solid social media presence 
• Optimize for organic search
• Level up your website 
• Leverage review marketing with Birdeye Reviews
• Build a referral network
• Run specialized discount campaigns 
• Invest in video marketing 
• Experiment with influencer marketing 
• Connect with customers via SMS 
• Run paid campaigns
• Build partnerships with hotels and destinations 
• Use a travel agency promotion software 

Let us explore these marketing ideas for travel agencies in detail. 

1. Build a solid social media presence

Travel agencies must note that their potential clients actively seek travel inspiration recommendations for destinations and agencies on social media. A recent survey shows that 87% of millennials use Facebook for travel booking inspirations, while 50% use Pinterest and Twitter to inspire them. 

This makes it critical for travel agencies to build a strong presence on social media and influence potential clients to choose them. 

Some tips for travel agencies to accelerate the impact of their social media presence are:

• Post niche-specific content regularly with photos, videos, and customer experiences. 
• Use a social media scheduling tool like Birdeye Social to post often without having to log in every day. 
• Share customer reviews and testimonials to boost social proof.
• Use trending hashtags content formats, and follow viral trends to gain momentum and acquire followers. 

2. Optimize for organic search

According to Google , they saw an all-time high search volume for “fun activities” in 2021 across the U.S. Google has introduced attractions, ticket booking, blogs and links to experiences, and Google flights to help customers find easy ways to travel. 

Showing up for these search queries is very important for the growth of your travel agency business. And, you can make it happen  by investing in organic content marketing. 

• Travel agencies must create blogs, guides, and exclusive experience curations to rank higher in organic search results. 
• Target high-profile travel destinations, popular tourist attractions, and offbeat experiences that people seek when they look for fun experiences. Create authoritative, helpful, and unique content to guide clients to your travel agency. 
• Create, update, and monitor your Google Business Profile so local customers can easily find you. Requesting customers to leave reviews, responding to reviews, and regularly posting updates are a few things that can help you feature in the top search results. 

3. Level up your website 

Most of your advertising campaigns, including Google Business Profile and sponsored ads, focus on driving traffic to your website. So, it becomes critical that your business website lives up to its promise and delivers an exceptional experience to the customer. 

Simply having a basic website with just the packages or travel information is no longer sufficient. Your website needs to offer more to engage and attract potential customers.  

Level up your travel website by:

• Featuring Google reviews with a widget to showcase positive reviews and overall ratings.
• Showcasing video testimonials by customers.
• Sharing informational content on trip planning, budgeting, and popular destinations. 
• Creating individual pages for each location you serve. 
• Creating dedicated landing pages for popular travel destinations and flights. 
• Implementing a conversational AI chatbot like Birdeye Webchat to interact with visitors, collect information, and turn visitors into leads. Conversational AI chatbots can mimic human interaction and convince customers to engage with your business. 

4. Leverage review marketing with Birdeye Reviews

Review marketing means leveraging the power of reviews across your marketing campaigns to boost social proof, build trust, and improve the conversion rate of your business. 

Research shows that 83% of travelers read reviews before finalizing a booking. Online reviews play an essential role in the reputation of a business and are a significant factor in a client’s travel decision, too. 

Social proof elements like reviews, testimonials, and user-generated content on social media can help you gain the trust of potential clients. But securing client reviews isn’t enough; you must actively promote them. 

Some easy ways to leverage reviews for a travel agency are:

• Using the Google Seller Ratings program and including your Google Reviews star rating in your Google Ads. 
• Sharing recent reviews on social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Instagram Stories, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter). 
• Running contests and giveaways to motivate clients to share their travel experiences on social media. 
• Including reviews in your email marketing newsletters. 
• Monitoring popular travel review sites to find and share positive reviews across platforms. 

5. Build a referral network 

Word-of-mouth recommendations from family and friends go a long way in convincing potential clients to choose your travel business. You can actively grow your business by investing in a referral program. 

Don’t put the onus on clients to bring you leads via referrals. Instead, take proactive steps to build a referral network for your business with Birdeye Referrals . 

Travel businesses can:

• Build a customer-centric environment that elevates customer experience , improves customer satisfaction, and boosts loyalty. 
• Send automated referral emails to clients who leave positive feedback via surveys and reviews. 
• Share custom referral codes with clients to encourage them to recommend your business. 

Recommended read: 11 steps to craft a referral program  

Grow your travel business and outshine competitors

Want to see the impact of Birdeye on your business? Watch the Free Demo Now.

6. Run specialized discount campaigns 

Most travel businesses are seasonal and face trouble attracting clients in the off-season. That is the ideal time to deploy specialized discount campaigns to attract potential clients looking to travel. 

You can promote off-beat destinations, offer discount codes for peak-season travel with a pre-booking facility, and reward clients with special promotions. 

These campaigns are only effective when you know your target audience well and have an established online reputation. That way, clients can trust you and book your packages even if the travel dates are far off. 

Recommend read: Online reputation management guide  

7. Invest in video marketing 

Videos dominate all major marketing channels, from Google search results to social media. Marketers have also found that you can increase the open rate of an email just by including the word video in the subject line.

These facts show us that intense, engaging, and informational videos are significant assets to travel businesses, especially when people choose destinations based on how “photo-worthy” they are. 

Investing in video production, creation, and publishing can be expensive, but you can leverage many tools such as Canva, Adobe Suite, or Vimeo. 

Some video marketing ideas that travel businesses can leverage are:

• Video itinerary of popular tour packages. 
• How-to videos on packing, flight arrangements, visa application, etc. 
• Travel tips from previous clients. 
• Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts for launching new discounts or tour packages. 

8. Experiment with influencer marketing

Instagram and Facebook are influential solid channels in the travel industry. In fact, 84% of social media users said that they rely on travel influencers for recommendations. They trust their opinions and make purchase decisions accordingly. 

Investing in influencer marketing can be one of the most profitable decisions for your travel business. Millennials and Gen Z follow at least one travel influencer, and millions of accounts post about travel across channels. 

Find the right influencer for your travel business by evaluating their target audience, engagement rates, travel niche, and budgets. 

Choose the right person and engage them with free trips, exclusive discount codes for their audience, sponsored posts, and more. 

9. Connect with customers via SMS

Social media channels are great for engagement but have a significant drawback – they own the customer data. One day of downtime, and you can lose millions in engagement. Businesses should build a lead database with paid campaigns and lead magnets like exclusive offers. 

Once you have that information, you can directly engage your potential clients with SMS marketing. 

SMS has one of the highest open and response rates across channels. Clients prefer getting discount deals, important alerts, and engaging messages from businesses they like. SMS offers convenience to clients and allows them to talk to your business when they are on the go. 

You can leverage this channel to send flash discounts, engage customers once they visit your website, stay connected with the client, and improve your conversion rate. 

10. Run paid campaigns 

In highly competitive industries like travel, organic marketing alone is not enough to stand out. To build brand awareness and ensure that every potential customer knows your brand, travel businesses must invest in paid campaigns. 

Some famous advertising channels for travel businesses include Google, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and online travel agents (OTA) such as Expedia. 

Choose an advertising channel that allows you to start with a smaller budget but reaches your target audience for the best results. Run a survey to see what sites your audience uses the most and plan accordingly. 

Most travel businesses see good results in advertising on Google, Facebook/Instagram, and OTA sites. 

11. Build partnerships with hotels and destinations

Networks and partnerships can come in handy when you are a growing business with a small footprint in the market. You can benefit from the hotel and destination’s popularity and secure clients from their referrals. 

Clients often trust the recommendations from their hotels and are more likely to work with you coming from a trusted source. 

To build partnerships with famous hotels and destinations, travel agencies can: 

• Appoint an exclusive liaison for their clients and provide exceptional customer experience.
• Provide services at an affordable price to improve the likelihood of securing the client. 
• Offer exclusive tour packages and improve customer delight. 

Your online presence will also benefit from these partnerships as you can host the logos of prominent players on your website, social media, and other marketing channels. 

12. Use a travel agency promotion software 

Running a travel business is challenging. It demands your full attention  and resources for client satisfaction. Fortunately, a variety of  travel agent marketing tools are available to help you achieve that.  

Specifically, travel agency promotion software can help enhance customer experience, boost online reputation, and effectively promote your travel agency. 

Birdeye is the top-rated customer experience platform that offers review management, listing management, referrals, surveys, social media management, payments, and so much more to businesses. 

With Birdeye, you can take control of your business’s online presence on Google, social media, and many other platforms. 

Check out the tool’s pricing today for more details!

FAQs on travel agency marketing 

The key to growing your travel business is to invest in online marketing strategies across Google, listing websites, business website promotion, and building partnerships with hotels, influencers, and premium destinations. 

You can advertise your travel agency on Google, Facebook, Instagram, travel websites, and other free advertising sites like Foursquare. 

Travel agencies can promote customer trust and loyalty by actively managing customer reviews, taking steps to boost online reputation, requesting customers for feedback, and running a loyalty program for repeat customers. 

You can market your travel agency business online with Google Business Profile, Google Ads, social media marketing, listing on online travel agent websites, influencer marketing, and promoting customer reviews online. 

Birdeye – the top-rated customer experience platform to grow your travel agency business 

In the highly competitive  travel industry, travel agencies must consistently put effort  to survive and thrive. It’s crucial for travel businesses to  invest in extensive online marketing strategies, networking, and partnerships to gain a competitive edge in the market. 

Additionally, travel businesses must ensure they provide the best customer experience, build a solid online reputation, and take proactive steps to act on customer feedback. To do this effectively, they need an automation tool that can take over and help them focus more on operations and individual clients. 

Birdeye provides comprehensive tools that aid your travel business’s processes, from lead generation to customer satisfaction. It is a must-have in your arsenal. 

About the Author

Sunitha raghunathan.

Content Marketing Writer

Originally published Nov 30, 2023

Related Articles

Power up your digital marketing: The game-changing guide

17 digital marketing tools you need for your business 

12 Marketing strategy examples, plus tips

Get more Google Reviews today

• Advertising / Media / Agency
• Agriculture, Fishing & Forestry
• Arts & Entertainment
• Business Services
• Community & Social Services
• Construction
• Consumer Goods
• Consumer Services
• Contractors
• Home Services
• Hospitality
• Manufacturing
• Real Estate
• Restaurants
• Transportation Services
• 2-9 locations
• 10-24 locations
• 25-99 locations
• 100+ locations

By continuing, you’re agreeing to Birdeye terms and conditions .

5 Travel Blogs for Travel Agents to Follow

For the general population, traveling is a method of escape from the current reality in which we live. For others, traveling is a means of getting to and from. Either way, travelers will need experts in travel destinations to get to and from.

As a travel professional, you know the ins and outs of all travel. Maybe some destinations more than others. For the destinations you don’t know and maybe some of the destinations you do know—consider following travel bloggers that are experts in niche travel. Below are some of the best travel blogs to give your clients top-notch consulting.

1.  Bald Hiker

Gain an understanding of the world’s well-assorted animals, food, and nature. These astonishing discoveries were found by traveling and exploring the world. Paul Steele founded Bald Hiker in 2010 as a personal blog then transformed it into a place where his friends contribute with their knowledge. Through his amazing experiences, his stories have reached fame. Steele dives into how he and his partner travelers gained more perspective on the world during their travels. He writes about the idyllic beaches, phenomenal food, some of the best hiking spots! Follow Bald Hiker to see the best of nature the world has to offer.

2.  Global Grasshopper

Aside from providing an amazingly aesthetic website, the main contributor, Becky Moore does a great job supplying awesome blogs about travel tips and inspiration. They focus on supplying support to independent travelers through logging their experiences while being in some of the most beautiful places this planet has to offer. They specialize in niche travel experiences, like   “The Coolest Hipster Meccas to Visit in Eastern Europe”  or   “10 of The Most Amazing Restaurants in Copenhagen for Travel Snobs” . If you share their passion for traveling and unique ways to see the world, you can subscribe to email updates on new content and destinations. This subscription will plug you with guides, ideas, photographs, tips, and inspiration about travel.

3.  Mr. & Mrs. Smith–WordSmith

This blog is specifically tailored toward the more luxurious, romantic trips that your clients may be looking to go on. They are very passionate about offering their readers the best locations to visit for a romantic getaway. Aside from that, they also give tips and tricks about traveling the world, as well as writing about some of the beautiful places they’ve been able to visit. Their clever play on words posts will keep you reading and dreaming for yourself, and maybe a little for your clients. Surprisingly enough, they also touch on some wild hunting expeditions to spice things up a little.

4.  A Lady in London

London was definitely calling this ex-pat Californian travel consultant. Lady in London has now traveled to about one hundred countries; that number is still going up. She has some amazingly captivating pictures showing the beautiful places she’s been to. She writes giving tips and tricks to traveling to some of her highly recommended spots Lady in London specializes in travel destinations obviously to England and Europe.

5.  Inside the Travel Lab

Her name is Abi, an ex-doctor who has changed her career to, “finding interesting stories across the world”. Abi shares her stories for luxurious travelers. All her blogs touch on some unusual journeys that she has experienced. These are travels told by someone who has an interesting perspective toward the world. Having traveled the world, she has seen some unbelievably crazy things. She does well at describing her journey and leaving the reader inspired afterward.

Travel Bloggers appear to be the experts in travel, especially to your clients! For most travel bloggers, blogging is their full-time job. They live to travel. Many of them are on Instagram and social media expressing their knowledge. Your clients might even already be following them. Are you current with the travel trends? Do you know what blogs your customers are following? Following blogs will also aid your knowledge of other travel spots you might not have otherwise known about—or enhance in the ones you already do!

This might also compel you to change your style of marketing for your travel agency. Do you already travel consistently? Are you a good writer? Maybe blogging might be a helpful tool to establish your knowledge amongst aspiring travelers.

Comment below with your favorite travel bloggers!

Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

When is the low season to travel to Asia?

I was planing my next family vacation and you article is very helpful. Thank you.

Great. I will follow them ?

It is very interesting to read about travel agents. Thank you for sharing this post.

How to Choose the Perfect Travel Niche

Be an expert in your travel niche Many travel agents believe they should keep their range of services broad, appealing to a variety of clients. In the world of travel, it’s actually best to keep it narrow! Focusing on a...

Packing Essentials for Rainy Season Travel

Packing Essentials for Rainy Season Travel Are you traveling during monsoon season in India? Is the forecast for Costa Rica rainy all week? Packing for rainy season can be a little tricky. You will need extra clothes...

4 Reasons for Travel Advisors to Use Centrav

4 Reasons to Use Centrav Sometimes succeeding as a travel agent can seem rather daunting. How can you find your clients the best airfare without spending endless hours searching? The answer is simple: Centrav. With our...

Sell Air The Easy Way!

SIGN UP FOR FREE and start using the best website in airline consolidation!

SIGN UP HERE!

• ABOUT CENTRAV
• FAQ’S

• Air Travel 117
• Destinations 78
• Resources 142
• Running Your Business 102

Centrav.com gives travel agents access to millions of discounted airfares with a simple point-and-click method of booking. Centrav has served the travel agent community since 1988, and today our industry-leading technology provides great airfares to destinations all over the world. You can book your client's domestic air travel as well! With access to hundreds of airlines you can always find the air schedule your client needs at Centrav.com.

• TRIP BUILDER
• MY BOOKINGS
• KNOWLEDGE BASE

• GROUP REQUEST
• GROUP AIRFARE

Hey there, future Rockstar! Give us a call now to get started: 1-800-730-6392

• Compare Host Travel Agencies
• Luxury Host Travel Agency
• Success Stories

7 Ways Travel Agents Can Gain New Leads

Because you’re up against modern-day online booking websites, as an independent travel agent , it’s critical to attract new clients by showcasing the value of the services you offer. You provide so much more to clients than any website can, you just have to put some effort into showing them how.

Here are 7 surefire ways to attract potential clients and grow your number of travel agent leads and increase your customer base:

1. Position Yourself as a Specialist Travel Agent

If you do a quick online search for travel agents, you’ll undoubtedly get bombarded with hundreds of names and websites, so you must position yourself as offering a distinct service, so you stand out among the masses. Determine a niche market to focus on and market yourself as a specialist in that area. That way, potential clients will seek you out, rather than the other way around.

2. Seek Out and Reward Referrals

A tried and true method of generating travel agent leads is through word of mouth referrals. People often trust what a friend or family member has to say about a business or service, so rewarding these referrals is an excellent way to drum up new travel agent leads.

A 2019 study by business consulting organization SCORE showed that verbal referrals have the highest lead-to-sale conversion rate.

Offer existing clients a discount or free gift when they make a referral that generates a vacation booking. Extend this offer to clients who leave a glowing review for you online as well. Even if people don’t personally know online reviewers, they often trust reviews left about a product or service experience.

When you reward referrals, you’ll gain travel agent leads, make your existing clients happy, and your travel agency business will continue to grow.

3. Don’t Be Afraid of Complicated Trips

If a trip is simple, then that’s one more reason a potential client could just book it themselves! Don’t shy away from curating fantastically-elaborate vacations for clients because this will surely showcase how valuable your travel agent knowledge and expertise is.

Some independent travel agents are scared off by complicated trips when they should be utilizing the opportunity to increase travel agent leads. Other excellent complex booking opportunities to always say yes to include:

• International Business Travel
• Around-the-World Trips for Retirees
• Vacation Packages for Large Groups

4. Get Active on Social Media

Social media is an invaluable tool you can use to gain more travel agent leads. What makes it so wonderful is the fact that it is FREE and used by millions every single day! The trick to truly utilizing social media to its full potential is to stay active. If you don’t post for a while or interact with users’ comments or questions, you’ll drop off their social media radar, and any previous efforts of yours to woo them to your business will be in vain.

You don’t have to designate hours a day to keep your social media presence alive, just a few minutes a day will suffice! So get active and stay active to see the greatest social media results possible.

There are several companies that provide free digital marketing elements for travel agents that can save time on your social media production and maximize your travel agency marketing efforts.

5,000+ Rockstars Have Partnered With Us

Determine which path is right for you

5. Maintain Consistency Across All Platforms

You don’t want to come across as a flighty inexperienced travel agent, even if you are newer to the game. Carefully think about how you want to define your brand image and keep that message clear across all platforms, including:

• Social Media
• Handing Out Business Cards
• Advertising

If you have a niche market you consistently focus on, keep your focus there to attract clients interested in that market. It’s also imperative that you remain professional across all platforms and keep the pictures and posts you share in good taste.

6. Continue Your Travel Education and Highlight Your Credentials

Set yourself apart by highlighting your travel agency experience and your ongoing education. Potential clients will put more trust in your travel agent skills if they see your commitment level, so don’t be afraid to show it off.

Even if you don’t have a ton of experience in the field, that doesn’t mean you can’t get new travel agent leads. Invest in your business by attending a travel conference and then promote it. Or, you could even go on an interesting trip and post tips and tricks for potential clients to use.

7. Enlist Help in Lead Generation

It’s possible to perfect your sales pitch and do everything you can to showcase your value and still come up short in obtaining travel agent leads. Don’t take it personally; you can only do so much as an independent travel agent.

An incredible way to generate more travel agent leads is to connect with a host travel agency like Travel Planners International . When you are a part of a host agency, you gain access to an extensive number of benefits to help you turn viable leads into returning customers.

Whether you are learning how to become a travel agent or are already an experienced agent, host agencies like TPI have connections with preferred suppliers and offer direction and support that you can’t get on your own. There’s no shame in asking for help to score more travel agent leads — thousands of agents around the world partner with host agencies to increase their business. In addition, you will gain access to innovative travel agency software  (including robust  travel agency back office software technology ).

Getting more clients for your travel agency business isn’t an exact science, but implementing these 7 tips is a great start and will put you on the right track to travel agent success. For more inspiration on how to rock your travel agency business, read some of our Rockstar Success Stories .

You work hard. You deserve more travel agent leads, more commission, more support, and more connections.

Contact us today to find out how taking advantage of our host travel agency can benefit your business.

Share content, related posts.

Have you been asking yourself, “will my business survive this pandemic?" It’s no surprise that…

How do you get yourself noticed?  Can you create graphics?  What should you say or…

Orlando Web Design and Digital Marketing by ROAR! Internet Marketing

• Skip to main content
• Skip to after header navigation
• Skip to site footer

Hop into my suitcase

Get weekly travel tips for hawaii, the caribbean + more

Hawaii Travel Agency + Travel Blog

Honeymoon and vacation specialist for Hawaii, Mexico, Caribbean, Theme Parks & Beyond

How to start a Travel Blog as a Travel Agent

There is a good chance that this post contains affiliate links. If you click on any of these links, I might earn a small commission at no extra cost to you (which I really appreciate, thank you!) The full disclosure policy can be found here.

I know that there are a lot of “how to start a travel blog” tutorials out there. However, I noticed that there’s virtually nothing about how to start a travel blog as a Travel Agent.

I see Travel Agents complaining, regularly, that any perks of being in travel are now given to bloggers instead of Travel Agents. It’s kind of funny to me because these Travel Agents would rather complain than simply adapt. You can be a Travel Blogger and a Travel Agent. I’m proof of that!

If you’re NOT a Travel Agent and came over from my making money from home post, that’s okay! This post will help anyone start a travel blog or any kind of blog. 

Before you listen to my advice, let me tell you a little bit about myself. My name is Amy. I’m a Travel Agent who primarily books Hawaii honeymoons and vacations. I’m also a Travel Blogger.

Travel Blogging allows me to reach far more people than I could ever reach as “just” a Travel Agent. My background is in Photography and Pinterest Consulting, both of which have provided a lot of valuable knowledge toward Travel Blogging.

So, how to start a Travel Blog as a Travel Agent

First, if you’re with a host agency and they offer a “website,” run away. These websites tend to be extremely limited. Sure, you’ll have a website, but you likely won’t be able to customize it much.

Worse, you likely won’t be able to optimize it for search. This may not always be the case, but I’ve seen a lot of really terrible Travel Agent websites, so just be mindful of that.

Being a Travel Blogger and being a Travel Agent with a blog are two different things. If you are mindlessly blogging with no idea about SEO or driving clients to your site, you’re wasting your time.

How to choose a domain name

When trying to figure out how to choose a domain name, simple is better. Avoid hyphens, numbers, and too many words. What is your specialty? You also want to make sure you aren’t using any names that aren’t allowed, such as Disney.

Yes, some blogs and Travel Agents due to use “Disney” in their name, but you aren’t supposed to. It’s better to be safe than sorry, in my opinion.

If you aren’t sure what to use, can’t find anything unique, or just don’t know what else to do, you can use your name. This is what I decided to do. 🙂  You could also do something like amyfillingertravel or amyfillingertravelagent if it isn’t too long.

Where to purchase a domain name

I recommend purchasing your domain name through the same company that you are buying hosting, solely for the ease of keeping track. I use Siteground and recommend it. You’ll see a lot of Travel Bloggers recommending BlueHost.

I’ll tell you a secret. BlueHost pays higher commissions, and that is why people recommend it. I have personally used it and did not have a positive experience. Personally, I do not recommend BlueHost and think it’s a shame that others do just to make money.

I use Siteground and have for years, which is why I recommend it. I’ve never had a single issue, and any questions have been answered very quickly.

How to create your new website

I recommend that you create your website through WordPress. You’ll make want to make sure to use WordPress.com and not WordPress.org. You’re also going to need hosting, which I recommend earlier, through Siteground . It’s very affordable to get started, and they have excellent customer service if you need any help.

Installing WordPress

I created a video that will walk you through the exact steps of installing WordPress with Siteground .

Creating Content

What is your specialty? What do you want to share? Maybe you’ll share some of your own travel experience and travel tips. You might also share ideas for locations you specialize in. It’s your blog, so the sky is the limit. 

Installing Ads

When you start a brand new blog, your first option for ads is Google Adsense. Although you likely won’t make much, it will get your audience used to seeing ads and help you get an idea of how ads work.

Once you hit 10,000 page views per month, you’ll want to apply to Monumetric . I was with Monumetric for a few months, and they are much better than Google Adsense . Once you’ve reached 25,000 sessions per month, you’ll want to move on to my current ad company, Mediavine . 

Mediavine is fantastic, and I’ll never use another ad company again! If you’re not over 25,000 sessions per month yet, Google Adsense and especially Monumetric are great at networks to use on the way there.

Affiliate Marketing

If you have no idea what affiliate marketing is, that’s okay. Affiliate marketing is recommending a product or service and then making a small commission off of that product or service. Travel is an excellent industry for affiliate marketing.

The most important thing is to always be genuine in your affiliate marketing. I recommend taking the Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course to learn more. I took this course, and it was a game-changer for my blog!

How to start a travel blog

Of course, this is only the basics of how to start a travel blog. I hope it helps you start your blogging journey. If you started a blog, let me know about it in the comments! If you’re new here, make sure to check out some of my most popular blog posts:

• 10 things you NEED to know before going to Hawaii!
• 20 things to know before going to Universal Studios
• The 7 Best Things to do on the Big Island
• First Timer’s Guide to Hawaii
• 7 things to buy BEFORE going to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
• Disney Secrets that may surprise you

Thanks for stopping by! If you enjoyed this post, please share it on your favorite social platform or pin it on Pinterest. 

Pin it for later:

Sharing is caring!

Are you ready to book your honeymoon or vacation?

About amyfillinger

I am a honeymoon travel agent and destination wedding specialist for Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Mexico. I work with busy professionals who just don’t have time to do all of the research needed to pull off the perfect honeymoon or destination wedding.

Reader Interactions

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• 1.888.611.1220
• Get Started!
• Agent Logins

9 Effective Ways to Market Your Travel Agency

Written by: KHM Staff on December 14, 2017

Marketing your business to your clients is an important part of being a travel agent. Managing your social media accounts, website, CRM, blogs, and emails, plus staying on top of new travel deals and booking your clients–there’s always so much to do!

Are your efforts bringing in the business that you hoped for? When looking at your marketing plan for the year, consider adding one or more of these ideas into the mix.

Practice your 30-second commercial.

Often called an “elevator speech,” this is your opportunity to explain your business in a succinct message. Whether you’re walking into the grocery store or attending your child’s school function, you’re bound to bump into someone you know. Having your 30-second commercial  prepared is essential to marketing your travel agency stumbling over the words to explain it each time. Attending Boot Camp at our corporate office will help you perfect your pitch.

Create a monthly email newsletter.

Developing a short email sent from myTravelCRM or Mailchimp is an easy, efficient way to keep in contact with your clients. Your newsletter content should focus on the current travel season. Whether it’s engagement season, summer break, or time to deck the halls, email your clients on a consistent basis to give them travel ideas and tips for all occasions! KHM Travel Agents can utilize email templates in myTravelCRM for more content ideas.

Add variety to your social media posts.

Inspire your followers with content based on new travel deals, industry news, packing tips, destination highlights, and holiday posts! Add life to your with these suggestions:

• Consider setting up a theme for each day to help with consistency.  For example, Travel Tip Tuesday. 
• Share eye-catching photos from your own travel or from supplier websites and include short, attention-grabbing captions .
• Subscribe to emails from travel publications like Travel + Leisure and Travel Weekly to share their news articles to your pages.
• Subscribe to travel agent supplier Facebook pages for shareable contact posted regularly.  
• Look on Pinterest for packing must-haves to share on your pages!
• Search suppliers’ YouTube channels and share interesting, informational videos to your page. Be sure you are using supplier content and not the content of other travel agents. 
• KHM Travel Group Agents can read  Agent Access Weekly emails to learn about the newest travel deals. Post about the latest sales by pairing your content with appropriate graphics or supplier resources !

Scheduling posts is a great way to make sure you are consistent. 

Set up a booth at a local trade show or fair.

Find the perfect trade show by checking your local chamber of commerce, event center schedule, fairgrounds, or even call your nearest mall to set up a table or booth during a specific time. Broadcasting your business to potential clientele is the best way to amp up your leads list. KHM Travel Group has tips to prepare our agents to work a tradeshow .

Start a referral program.

Marketing by word of mouth requires minimum effort and is low-cost! Boost your sales by asking your clients to refer a friend to your travel business or to simply keep you in mind when someone mentions travel. Add an extra incentive with a referral program. Gift cards are a great way to reward clients for referrals.

Do a giveaway.

Giving out items with your travel agency’s information creates wide, visual exposure for your business. Think of low-cost giveaways that your clientele would enjoy and possibly use while traveling. We suggest visiting 4imprint to brainstorm ideas.

Advertise locally.

From bulletin ads to newspapers to pizza boxes, there are advertising opportunities everywhere. Putting your business name, logo, and contact information out publicly lets others know that your services are available and can boost your public relations image . Since some ideas will be more of an investment than others. Start small by putting an ad in the local school directory or your church bulletin and see if the response meets your expectations. 

Send direct mail to your clients.

Every day your clients come home to a mailbox full of bills, newspapers, and the occasional note from grandma. Add a little variety and a personal touch to your client communications by sending them something from their favorite travel agent! For special occasions like birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, or congratulations for a life event, consider hand-writing a card or letter.

Don’t forget to put a “travel” spin on your message.  For example, in an anniversary card add, “During these special times, couples often plan an anniversary trip, renewal of their vows, or just a romantic getaway as a celebration of their love. [YourAgencyName] will plan the perfect time for you and your spouse, so you can focus on each other. If I can be of any assistance to you, please contact me.”

The Engagement program through Travel Leaders Network is another great resource for low cost, professional looking, direct mail marketing.   

Plan a travel night.

By hosting a travel night, clients can learn more about a specific destination, tour or cruise. If you choose, you can even offer an exclusive booking incentive. Host this night in your home, event space, or restaurant depending on the number of attendees. Supplier BDMs are great resources to tap into when planning a travel night.

Keeping in contact with your clients is crucial to developing your business. When developing your marketing plan, keep an eye out for creative ideas that will attract your target audience. Be consistent with your timing, your message, and use the tools available to you through your host agency.   

Are you looking to be a successful travel agent ? KHM Travel Group’s travel agents have access to support for their independent business. Download our free guide by completing the form to the right or by calling 1-888-611-1220.

• Did you find this information helpful?
• yes (134) no (10)

Related posts:

• 7 Ways to Make 2017 Your Travel Agency’s Best Year Yet Become A Travel Agent
• 31 Reasons to Be Thankful For Travel Agents Become A Travel Agent
• Why Use Instagram as a Travel Agent? Become A Travel Agent
• Reflections on My First Year as a Travel Agent Become A Travel Agent

Stay Informed! Get travel news delivered to your inbox

Get our free guide, we'll send it right away.

Receive the valuable information you need to get started in your exciting new career as a KHM Travel Agent.

Your information is secure and never shared or sold to third parties. Note: Only U.S. citizens living in the U.S. are eligible to be KHM Travel Agents. Text Message Terms and Conditions

• About KHM Travel Group
• Become A Travel Agent
• Crystal Conference
• Destinations
• Just For Fun
• KHM Travel Group Events
• KHM Travel Group News
• Land Travel
• River Cruising
• Sponsored Post
• Travel Agent Education
• Travel Agent Marketing
• Travel Agent Resources
• Travel Agent Spotlights
• Travel Industry News
• Travel Tips
• Uncategorized
• Working from Home

Recent Posts

• 6 Rules for Successful Travel Agency Branding
• What Are KHM Travel Group’s Core Values?
• What to Do When You’re Ghosted by a Client
• KHM Travel Group Hosts Largest Boot Camp Event to Date
• An Audio Vacation: Top Travel Podcasts 

The Best SEO Tips Right in Your Inbox - Subscribe Now!

Social media marketing for travel agents (+20 examples & tips).

• The 5 best social media marketing networks for travel agents.
• How to implement social media marketing strategies for your agency.

Social Media Marketing for Travel Agents – The 5 Best Social Networks

• How many social media networks do you have the time and money to run?
• Where is your audience and which social media networks should you choose?
• How often can you schedule posts and do you need tools to help you?
• How will you integrate all of your social media channels and your website?
• How do you want to tackle a social media marketing advertising strategy?
• How important is social media management and which tools do you want to use for it?

Which Social Media Platforms are the Best for Your Travel Agency?

Facebook social media marketing for travel agents, instagram and pinterest social media marketing for travel agents, twitter social media marketing for travel agents, linkedin social media marketing for travel agents, other social media marketing options for travel agents, how to use social media to market travel as an agency.

• Stay on top of hot trends and vacation spots.
• Hold sweepstakes and run contests on social.
• Crowdsource images and promote user-generated content.
• Push your blog content, add reviews, and curate great travel content.
• Articles on Hot Spot Locations
• Travel Tips and Warnings
• Packing Tips and Local Fashion
• Travel Guides and Must See Lists
• Unique Hotels and Accommodation
• Bucket Lists and Dream Vacations
• Use Periscope or Facebook Live to live stream content.
• Cruise Ship Tour
• Hotel Review
• Food Experience
• Museum Tour
• Street Performance
• Local Event or Festival

• Host Agencies
• Accelerator Course
• Travel Jobs
• Travel Agent Chatter
• Etiquette & Rules
• Privacy Policy

Travel Agent Booking Basics

Okay, so you've signed up with a host , franchise or you have your own accreditation number . Better yet? You have your first few clients. But now what?!

Here are our top 7 site resources for planning and booking a trip for your clients.

Every so often, I get questions coming in about how to book travel. To lay down the framework for travel agent booking basics, the HAR crew created this handy resource that will walk you from the beginning (qualifying your client) to the very end (following up with your clients) of the booking process.

Here are our top 7 site resources for planning and booking a trip for your clients. The steps cover every nook and any cranny of a travel agent's sales cycle. Each step links to an in-depth article, which takes a deep dive into the topic's particulars.

Here's a step-by-step list of travel agent booking basics (with a shortcut to the topic)

Step 1. Qualify Your Clients: Are you and your client a match made in heaven or a disaster waiting to happen? Go here to find out how to qualify your client.

Step 2. Talk About Budget: While budget can be a big part of qualifying clients, talking about money is a touchy subject. Here, travel agents weigh in on how they broach the subject with their clients.

Step 3. Qualify Travel Suppliers: Once you get the right client and the right price point, it's time to put them on the right trip. How do you know which suppliers will offer the best value for your client's budget? This resource shows you how.

Step 4. Create an Itinerary (Use HAR's Free Travel Itinerary Template): Ready to put together a few trips? You can start with HAR's free travel itinerary template. Need something more robust? Check out our next step!

Step 5. Find the Best Itinerary Builders for Travel Agents: If a DIY itinerary template isn't quite up to snuff, check out these itinerary builders designed specifically for travel agents.

Step 6. Plan & Pitch Your Itineraries to Your Client: Once you know what suppliers you're working with and what itinerary builder (or template) you want to use, it's time to put together and pitch your itinerary. Here's how to do just that.

Step 7. Book the Trip (Like a Travel Agent): Booking travel as a travel agent is not the same as booking like a consumer. This resource includes info on how booking is different for advisors (with video tutorials of travel advisors walking through how to book trips on several supplier platforms).

1. Qualifying Clients

Your client is coming to you because they have brain fatigue from falling into the black hole of Google clickbait trying to plan their trip. You want to qualify thoroughly so you spend less time second-guessing yourself during the research process and more time putting together options for your clients.

So how do you go about getting a grasp on what your client is looking for and making sure you're a good fit? Go to our article on qualifying clients and you'll soon have Jedi-level client qualifying mastery. It covers booking basics such as:

• Determining if the client is a good fit for you (and vice versa)
• Getting a pulse on what info you need to get from your client
• Technologies and automations to help you qualify clients
• Tips on how to qualify clients
• What to do if you charge fees

Here's a bonus: It includes a recording of a fearless travel agent who volunteered to let us eavesdrop on his qualifying conversation with a client!

2 Should Travel Agents Use the B-Word?

This is step "1.5" since you'd typically talk about budget when you're qualifying a client. This is a fun article that profiles agents on how they approach their clients in talking about a budget. The travel agent approaches run the gamut from direct to delicate. For this phase of booking basics HAR addresses:

• Three different travel agent personality types of addressing budget
• Top things to consider when talking about a budget with your client

Unsure of how to approach this touchy subject with your clients? Read this and you'll get some great information (and a good laugh).

3. Researching & Qualifying Suppliers

You have your client, and now you're ready to woo them with thoughtful itineraries that show you're an amazing listener and have the ability to materialize their vacation fantasies into a reality. But first things first, you have to research suppliers.

This article will walk you through it, step by step. What are some of these steps and topics? Here's a peek:

• Why a niche helps you qualify suppliers
• The 4 goals of qualifying suppliers
• 8 qualities to look for in a supplier
• Tips on building long-term relationships with suppliers

4. HAR's Free Travel Itinerary Template

Ooh, fun! Another bonus! You have your fabulous ideas, and now you need to get them down on paper so you can wow your client.

We have just the thing for you: HAR's Free Travel Itinerary Template . Here you can copy and save the template to your own Google drive, brand it to your agency, fill in the fabulous details of your trip, and ship it off to your client. Here are the deets:

• What are the differences between an itinerary template and an itinerary builder?
• Will a template work for you? (Pros and cons)
• A free Travel Itinerary Template Download (pssst! You can also customize this and share it with your clients to fill out themselves if it's not a service you offer)
• Tips on customizing HAR's template

The article will walk you through the steps, and you'll have an itinerary in no time!

5. Best Itinerary Builders for Travel Advisors [+Comparison Chart]

If you've done your due diligence, and you realized that a travel itinerary template is not a big enough tool for the volume of trip itineraries you're planning, then this resource is for you: a travel agent itinerary builder comparison chart.

The article provides:

• A rundown of differences between an itinerary template and an itinerary builder program
• What to consider when choosing an itinerary builder
• A nifty itinerary builder comparison chart that shows all your options, side by side to help you pick the best program for YOU.

6. Planning & Pitching Itineraries

You know that the itineraries you've planned are amazing, but how do you make sure your clients feel as strongly about it as you do? The next step in booking a trip is presenting your itinerary (or itineraries) to your client. This article offers tips on how to create a fantastic itinerary, and how to effectively present the trip to your clients.

Here's what's covered:

• Tips on creating memorable travel itineraries
• Examples of itinerary-building tools
• How to pitch your itinerary in a way that makes your client want to go right home and pack their bags!
• What details to confirm after a client picks their itinerary

Once you read this article, you'll be planning and pitching itineraries that make your clients want to go right home and pack their bags!

7. How to Book a Trip (Like a Travel Agent)

Have you ever wondered what it's like to book like a travel agent? How it's different from booking on Expedia? How do you add fees to your booking? What supplier portals look like on the back end? Well, this article answers one big industry question: What do travel agents do?

We cover a ton of ground in this article, including:

• What travel agents do (and how it's different from a consumer booking)
• Info a travel agent needs to book a trip
• A sneak peek at booking portals
• Tips and tricks for booking like a travel agent pro
• Post-booking steps a travel agent needs to complete

Turns out they do a lot! You really don't want to miss out on this article's sneak peek into booking like a travel agent, with 4 video tutorials from expert travel agents that reveal insider tips and tricks while booking with a consolidator (CenTrav), a land tour (VAX), a cruise (Cruising Power), and an all-inclusive (Vacation Express). If there was an Oscar category for best travel agent booking tutorial series, we'd definitely be in the running.

So whether you're a seasoned pro who's looking for some insider tips or a newbie who wants to take a look at the action behind-the-scenes, this one is for you.

You're Ready to Book!

Phew! That was a ton of info. If you read all the articles linked in here, *high five!* You can sleep easy knowing you did your due diligence to book the perfect trip for your client!

Have thoughts, comments, funny stories about your pet bunny rabbits? Comment below! We'd love to hear from you!

About the Author

Mary Stein has been working as a writer and editor for Host Agency Reviews since 2016. She loves supporting travel advisors on their entrepreneurial journey and is inspired by their passion, tenacity, and creativity. Mary is also a mom, dog lover, fiction writer, hiker, and a Great British Bake Off superfan.

• Agent Tools
• Travel Agent Basics
• Travel Industry Basics

53 Best Travel Blogs and Bloggers To Follow (in 2024)

Written by Ankit Singla

3K Followers

Last Updated on:

by Ankit Singla

If you’re searching for the best travel blogs today, look no further.

As always, I created this list to help aspiring travel bloggers learn a thing or two from these established sites.

However, people who are only looking for travel ideas and tips will also enjoy this post.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at the top travel blogs to follow in 2024.

Best Travel Blogs

• Nomadic Matt
• Backpacking Matt
• Adventurous Kate
• The Blonde Abroad
• California Through My Lens
• Dan Flying Solo
• Travel With Lakshmi
• Fluent in 3 Months
• Cheapest Destinations Blog
• Alex in Wanderland
• I Am Aileen
• Wandering Earl
• Be My Travel Muse
• Followtheboat
• Matthew Woodward
• The Opposite Travellers
• We Seek Travel
• Bucket List Journey
• Migrationology
• The Cranky Flier
• Never Ending Footsteps
• A Dangerous Business
• Against The Compass
• Everything Everywhere
• The Longest Way Home
• Global Grasshopper
• Girl Gone Travel
• Oneika The Traveller
• The Adventurists
• Time Travel Turtle
• Hand Luggage Only
• Travel4Wildlife
• The Insatiable Traveler
• View From The Wing
• Uncornered Market
• Jessie On a Journey
• Legal Nomads
• TravelFreak
• The Everywhereist
• Keep Calm and Travel
• Practical Wanderlust
• Expert Vagabond
• The Voyageur
• Amateur Traveler
• Girl Eat World
• The Adventure Junkies
• A Broken Backpack
• The World Travel Guy
• Life Part 2

1. Nomadic Matt

By:  Matthew Kepnes

I have to be honest with you — I love everything about  Nomadic Matt .  

Everything from his website’s design to his personal writing voice makes for an engaging reading experience. Not to mention that the name “Nomadic Matt” really sticks with me. 

Matthew Kepnes, AKA Nomadic Matt, was once a cubicle worker who admittedly wasn’t always a big traveler. On his first trip back in 2004, he went to Costa Rica where his perspective in life transformed forever. 

A single trip — that’s how easy it is to fall in love with travel. 

Today, Matthew continues living the life he was born for. He primarily blogs about travel tips, encompassing topics like how to save for a trip and things to do in Singapore. 

Blog Topics 

• Travel Insurance
• Travel planning
• Saving money on travel
• Travel gear
• Destinations

Monetization Strategies

• Display advertisements
• Superstar Blogging online course
• Affiliate marketing ( Check: Best Travel Affiliate Programs )

2. Backpacking Matt

By:  Matt Kyhnn

I think there’s something about the name “Matt” that raises a person’s affinity for traveling. 

Backpacking Matt , owned and run by Matt Kyhnn, is a travel blog that has similar vibes with Nomadic Matt. It has a simplistic design, a memorable content tone, and striking travel photos that bring the blog’s stories to life. 

Matt Kyhnn also leverages videos — providing his audience a more immersive way to enjoy his content. 

Fresh out of college, Matt simply decided that he won’t settle for a 9-5 job. Instead, he spent months working and traveling across Ireland, Scotland, and other regions in mainland Europe. 

He then booked a one-way ticket to New Zealand where he now resides. In addition to his blog, Matt also runs his own travel planning and booking website — Planit NZ. 

Blog Topics

• Affiliate marketing
• Planit NZ travel planning and booking services
• Brand collaborations

3. Adventurous Kate

By:  Kate McCulley

Kate McCulley, AKA  Adventurous Kate , is a travel blogger with lots of adventures to tell.

She’s been to 83 countries, seven continents, and plenty of experiences to help women appreciate the traveling life. 

Kate’s blog was built during her time in Southeast Asia along with her freelance portfolio, which helped fund her travels. Her target audience is women who want to travel, but required guidance on how to do it safely and easily. 

The “Solo Female Travel” category on her blog consists of posts about travel safety, travel planning, destination guides, and more. She also compiled a list of travel resources that help turn her audience’s travel ideas into action plans. 

• Travel safety for women
• Sponsored posts

4. The Blonde Abroad

By:  Kiersten “Kiki” Rich

I covered Kiersten “Kiki” Rich of  The Blonde Abroad   in my list of the top lifestyle bloggers to follow in 2024. 

As her blog’s name suggests, she’s mainly a travel blogger who also discusses two other lifestyle-related topics — blogging and photography. 

Kiersten spent three, eye-opening months in multiple countries to re-envision the idea of “ success .” She succeeded in her goal and is now one of the most accomplished travel bloggers on the web. 

The Blonde Abroad covers a range of topics from travel photography to foreign cuisine. All of which draws wisdom from Kiersten’s personal travel experiences.

• Photography
• Travel destinations
• The Travel Shop
• Social media and influencer marketing consulting

5. California Through My Lens

By:  Josh McNair

Josh McNair, owner of  California Through My Lens , has a distinct writing style that vividly describes details of travel destinations. 

Unlike bloggers who discovered the love for travel in their adulthood, Josh has always been a passionate traveler at heart. He created California Through My Lens to document his adventures with the online audience. 

California Through My Lens is run by both Josh and his wife, Amy. The pair also has an active YouTube channel called Through My Lens where they share their experiences in video form. 

As you may have guessed, Josh’s content focuses on the beaches, caves, hiking trails, waterfalls, and various landmarks in California. Intricate details of each location, from hike distances to specific travel tips, are often included in his posts. 

• National parks in California
• Driving around California
• California destinations
• Selling eBooks
• Advertisements through YouTube 

6. Dan Flying Solo

By:  Daniel “Dan” Clarke

Dan Flying Solo   is by Daniel Clarke — a travel blogger, photographer, and creative director at his own Portugal-based media company. 

Dan’s blogging life was ignited by his passion for photography. He was originally a frustrated restaurant manager who wanted more out of life.

Like me, Dan is a self-taught blogger. He worked day in and day out by doing free online courses, YouTube tutorials, and heaps of informative guides. 

What makes Dan Flying Solo an extra noteworthy blog is its library of video content. Daniel also makes it clear that the site has no particular theme — not unlike everything else in life.  

“ There’s not one particular theme to this blog because I don’t think that’s how life really is. We change and what we enjoy changes.”

7. Travel with Lakshmi

By:  Lakshmi Sharath

Lakshmi Sharath worked on a desk job for multiple media organizations for 15 years. She then started her personal travel blog in 2005 — traveling to over 25 countries and across every corner of India. 

Travel with Lakshmi has only grown steadily ever since. It won multiple awards, including “India’s best travel blog of the year” award from Indiebloggie.  

As an Indian herself, Lakshmi made sure to highlight the country’s top travel destinations on the blog. She also documented her travels to foreign countries — from Abu Dhabi to the United Kingdom. 

As a way to support aspiring travelers around the world, Lakshmi also covers important tips on starting a travel blog. This includes essential tips on photography, travel planning, and travel writing.

• Social media marketing campaigns
• Content marketing and writing services
• Digital media consulting services

8. foXnoMad

By:  Anil Polat

foXnoMad   is a unique travel blog run by digital nomad Anil Polat.

Anil was exposed to travel at a young age because his parents were journalists. Other than routine trips between Turkey and the United States, they also visited multiple destinations around the world. 

Even in his professional life as a computer security consultant, travel was a big part of Anil’s life. He eventually decided to quit his job and fixate on one goal: to visit every country in the world.

What makes foXnoMad unique is that Anil utilizes his knowledge in tech to provide insightful tips on traveling smartly. He also develops apps that can help travelers in situations like determining water drinkability and calculating tips.

You can check out his podcast where he talks about current events, new product tech releases, and all things travel-related. 

Blog Topics                                           

• foXnoMad Shop
• Paid mobile apps

9. Fluent in 3 Months

By:  Brendan “Benny” Lewis

Fluent in 3 Months   by Brendan Lewis is created for travelers with a purpose. 

Apart from regular posts about travel planning and destinations, Brendan also writes a lot of guides on foreign languages. 

Remember, language is a crucial part of every culture. Brendan makes sure you learn dozens of useful words and phrases that will enrich your visit to any country. 

Some of the most prominent content formats in his blog are “ways to say” posts and phrase listicles. There are also fun, bite-sized stories like “How I Learned French on the Toilet in 6 Months.”

For more serious language learners, Fluent in 3 Months offers “The Challenge.” It’s a full-fledged online course that will enable you to hold a 15-minute conversation in a new language.

• How to speak foreign languages
• Language hacking 
• Traveling jobs
• The Challenge online course
• Speaking engagements

10. Cheapest Destinations Blog

By:  Tim Leffel

Cheapest Destinations Blog   is one of the oldest travel blogs on this list. 

It is created and run by Tim Leffel — an award-winning travel writer and author.  

Tim has made it his life’s goal to help people make the most out of travel while spending less. His blog contains posts that teach how to spend your travel money wisely and how to make every cent count. 

Other than Cheapest Destinations Blog, Tim also runs a handful of other blogs on different, travel-related topics. This includes Perceptive Travel, Travel Writing 2.0 Blog, and Cheap Living Abroad.  

• Travel budgeting
• Influencer marketing through 360 Degree Travel Network

11. Alex in Wanderland 

By:  Alexandra Baackes

Alexandra Baackes created  Alex in Wanderland   for two reasons. 

First, she’s been dealing with a case of wanderlust all her life. And second, she’s a fan of a beloved, fictional character — Alice in Wonderland. 

Alexandra is originally from Brooklyn, New York where she purchased her one-way ticket into the traveling life. She now blogs about the best travel destinations, outdoor activities, and her personal, travel-related gear.

One of the things I like about Alex in Wanderland is the presentation and categorization of content. 

On the “Categories” page, Alex makes sure articles are well-organized based on topics like travel inspiration, activities, and planning. This makes it easy for her audience to find the information they need at any given time. 

• Outdoor activities

12. Hey Nadine

By:  Nadine Sykora

Nadine Sykora of  Hey Nadine   is a popular travel blogger, YouTuber, and social media influencer.

Over the past 10 years, she has traveled across 55 countries, spoken on expert panels, and became a keynote speaker. 

Nadine’s goal is simple: share her travel experiences with the world and help others do the same. 

Hey Nadine contains a host of content on travel advice, hacks, destinations, and inspiration. As a seasoned YouTuber, you can expect her blog content to contain a lot of embedded videos from her channel. 

• Video production
• Advertisements through YouTube
• Sponsored content

13. I Am Aileen

Just like Kiersten Rich, Aileen Adalid is another travel blogger whom I also featured in my top lifestyle blogs listicle.

Aileen runs  I Am Aileen   — an award-winning blog that discusses just about everything there is to discuss in travel. She writes about destinations, the best travel activities, foreign cuisine, and more. 

What interested me the most about Aileen is her blogging background. At age 21, she quit her corporate job, which only paid $300 a month, to become a professional traveler. 

Since then, she’s been on a streak of smashing goals and breaking barriers. Thanks to her commitment to quality content, she’s recognized as one of the top bloggers in Asia. 

• Online shop

14. Wandering Earl

By:  Derek Earl Baron

Here’s a fun trivia about  Wandering Earl . 

Unlike most bloggers who use their first names, the “Earl” in “Wandering Earl” is actually a middle name. Blog owner Derek Earl Baron only thought that “Wandering Derek” didn’t sound as catchy.

Derek is a one-of-a-kind, adventurous soul who discovered his purpose as a modern nomad relatively early into adulthood. After graduating in 1999, he planned a three-month vacation across Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. 

That three-month vacation continues to this very day. 

And that’s how Wandering Earl was created — documenting Derek’s adventures in over 100 countries. He also shares valuable pieces of wisdom on travel planning, food, budgeting, gear, and so on. 

Wandering Earl has that “old-school” look and feel to it. On the plus side, the site’s design only highlights 

• Working while traveling
• Selling “eGuides”

15. Be My Travel Muse

By:  Kristin Addis

Be My Travel Muse  is a solo female travel blog created by Kristin Addis. 

She studied in Taiwan and kept an investment banking job for four years. The only problem was, her daily routine rendered her creative, dreamer side claustrophobic. 

Her first step was a one-way ticket to Bangkok — envisioning a life of writing and travel. That’s exactly what she accomplished with her blog, which now caters to millions of readers all over the world. 

Kristin believes that solo traveling is the best way for women to feel empowered and more confident. She prioritizes solo female travel tips on her blog, including guides on safety, packing, and maintaining relationships. 

Be My Travel Muse also has heaps of content on popular travel destinations and self-care for women. 

• Self-help for women
• Relationships
• The Photo Muse Masterclass online course

16. Followtheboat

By:  Liz Cleere and Jamie Furlong

Followtheboat   is a unique travel blog that focuses on a specific mode of transport: sailing. 

It is created with love by a travel writer Liz Cleere and photographer Jamie Furlong. There’s also Millie the rescue cat, which functions as a source of inspiration and encouragement for the blog’s human founders. 

Despite the focus on sailboats, Followtheboat’s content isn’t just made for sailors. The posts are tailor-made for travelers who also happen to be interested in the art and joys of sailing. 

Don’t be surprised at the humor and dynamic range of topics on the blog. You’ll find posts like “tools you need on a sailboat” and “is this the weirdest loo in the world?”

Followtheboat also has a library of podcasts, which record Liz and Jamie’s experiences on their travels. 

• Boat maintenance
• Patreon donations

17. Matthew Woodward

By:  Matthew Woodward

If Followtheboat is about boats, you can probably guess what  Matthew Woodward   is a blog about trains. 

Not to be mistaken for  Matthew Woodward  the internet marketer, Matthew Woodward the rail adventurer loved trains as a child. He owned model railway sets, traveled alone by train, and watched shows about trains on TV. 

In his time as a geography student, he explored Europe with his trusty Interrail pass. He set his passion aside to focus on his career, which he eventually gave up to become a travel writer. 

Today, he blogs about railway systems over different continents. He’s also an accomplished author of three books: “The Railway to Heaven,” “A Bridge Even Further,” and “Trans-Siberian Adventures.”

• Railway systems
• Traveling by train
• Selling books

18. The Opposite Travellers

By:  Ryan and Rachel Riel

The Opposite Travellers   were created by married couple Ryan and Rachel Riel. 

While both loved to travel, Ryan and Rachel had contrasting preferences when it comes to traveling. 

Rachel prefers to travel in style and luxury — through the accommodations and services offered by establishments and travel agencies. Ryan, on the other hand, leans toward daring adventures like biking and trekking — on $5 per night accommodations. 

The couple, however, utilized their differences as a selling point in The Opposite Travellers. 

As such, the website’s “Travel” section has two main categories: “Luxury Travel” and “Adventure Travel.” In other words, the blog has a diverse content library for travelers of all tastes and budgets.

The Opposite Travellers also boasts high-quality visuals taken and produced by Ryan Riel. All of the site’s videos are published on Ryan Riel Media — Ryan’s official YouTube channel.  

• Content production
• Social media marketing 
• Influencer marketing

19. We Seek Travel 

By:  Olly Gaspar

We Seek Travel is an adventure travel blog by traveler and adventure photographer Olly Gaspar.

Olly has been living out of his bags full-time since 2018, turning his passion for global adventure into a treasure trove of useful travel guides accompanied by his inspiring photography.

His travel blog serves as a window to extraordinary experiences around the world– from backpacking in India to climbing Himalayan peaks, crossing deserts on camelback, cycling over the Arctic Circle, hiking with gorillas in Uganda, and even fighting Muay Thai in Thailand.

But We Seek Travel is more than just a diary of adventures. It’s a resource-rich hub where Olly shares his firsthand experiences to help modern explorers discover unique outdoor adventures, off-beat hiking trails, travel photography gear, and helpful accommodation and digital nomad resources.

• Travel Planning & Accommodation
• Outdoor Adventure
• Hiking & Trekking
• Travel photography
• Travel Gear
• Photography licensing
• Adventure Photography shoots
• Tourism development

20. Bucket List Journey

By:  Annette White

Travel is all about adventures, and so is life. 

That’s the essence of the  Bucket List Journey   by Annette White. 

The blog’s tagline is “tools and inspiration to live your list.” It refers to a person’s “bucket list,” which is basically a list of goals and experiences they want in life. 

Annette didn’t always have such a positive outlook in life. She used to be diagnosed with anxiety, which caused her to miss out on life-enriching experiences and opportunities. 

Eventually, she decided that she’ll no longer become a prisoner of fear and uncertainty. She had courage and took charge of her life’s direction — something every aspiring blogger needs to do at one point. 

Bucket List Journey talks about bucket list-worthy destinations, motivation, money, and travel tips. Annette also imparts knowledge on people who also struggle with facing fear and making braver life decisions. 

• Overcoming fear and anxiety

21. Migrationology

By:  Mark Wiens

When I first visited  Migrationology , I wasn’t sure whether to classify it as a food or travel blog. 

Then I checked out Mark Wiens’s “About” page. There, I learned that he viewed food as a way to connect with people in various cultures. 

And to be exposed to these cultures, Mark dedicates his time, money, and efforts to travel. 

Mark makes sure the blog only focuses on content based on his personal travels. It’s made for people who want to experience the flavors of the world — in person or through Mark’s posts. 

Apart from general food travel blog posts and city guides, Migrationology also offers readers a “Food Tour” service. It is the result of a year of research done by Mark himself — in partnership with  Bangkok Vanguards . 

• Bangkok Food Tour

22. The Cranky Flier

By:  Brett Snyder

We already mentioned a blog about boats and another about trains. It’s time to talk about a blog on airplanes and air travel.

Cranky Flier   is a unique blog created by Brett Snyder — President and “Chief Airline Dork” of Cranky Flier LLC. 

Brett has been fascinated with airlines all his life. When he was young, he collected airline timetables and even spent a birthday with his grandmother watching planes land. 

As an adult, he spent several years in the airline industry fulfilling multiple roles. He became a sales intern at USAir, senior analyst at America West, marketing planning product at United, and so on.

Today, Brett publishes his opinions about the airline industry on Cranky Flier. He also updates several series, like “Worst Airline Ever,” “Airlines We Lost,” and “Across the Aisle Interviews.” 

I’ll let you determine what these series are all about based on what they’re called. 

• Airline industry
• Cranky Concierge service

23. Never Ending Footsteps

By:  Lauren Juliff

Lauren Juliff is one of those bloggers who already knew what they wanted to be from an early age. 

She dreamt of traveling to new places, meeting new people, and exploring new cultures.  Never Ending Footsteps   is proof that she accomplished all three. 

The blog consists of posts about Lauren’s fulfilling travels to different countries. But unlike a lot of famous travel bloggers, she also talks about the downsides of being a digital nomad.

Never Ending Footsteps has a “The Incidents” blog section where Lauren discusses the not-so-sexy aspects of traveling. She has been scammed, attacked by monkeys, locked out of her room, lost her passport, and more. 

Despite these incidents, Lauren’s love for travel only grew. Such experiences increased her wisdom and travel acumen — resulting in some of the most insightful travel articles ever published.

Lauren also helps her audience get into the world of travel blogging. Check out “How to Start a Travel Blog” for information on web hosting, working with WordPress, and so on.

• Travel safety

24. A Dangerous Business Travel Blog

By:  Amanda Williams

A Dangerous Business Travel Blog   is a straightforward blog made to help people travel. 

It is created by Amanda Williams, who is a former journalist with degrees in journalism, hospitality, and tourism management.

Amanda first got into journalism by editing obituaries — eventually becoming a copy and layout editor at a newspaper company. She started A Dangerous Business Travel Blog in 2010 out of boredom and her need for a creative outlet. 

Fast forward to 2024, the blog now averages over 340,000 page views per month. Amanda also maintains a strong social media presence with thousands of followers across networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

A Dangerous Business Travel Blog contains posts about travel planning, packing, destinations, and inspiration. Everything is sprinkled with high-quality photos to keep readers engaged and enthused.  

The centerpiece of A Dangerous Business Travel Blog is “The 10-Day Adventure Project.” Put simply, it’s a collection of ready-to-use, self-guided itineraries that will shave hours off your travel planning process.

• Packing 
• DangerousBiz online course
• Freelance writing

25. Against the Compass

By:  Joan Torres

How do you make a travel blog stand out?

Joan Torres has a surefire answer: covering the most unusual and “off the beaten track” destinations.

Against The Compass   is a unique blog that talks about the travel routes and destinations you probably haven’t heard of. It covers destinations that people don’t normally include in their bucket list, like Pakistan, Tunisia, Syria, and other high-risk countries. 

Of course, Joan makes sure to highlight the importance of safety when traveling in relatively low-popularity destinations. He has comprehensive guides for solo female travel, travel insurance, and general travel safety.

• Travel insurance

26. Everything Everywhere 

By:  Gary Arndt

In travel blogging, a picture is undeniably worth a thousand words. There’s simply no excuse for any travel blogger to forego the inclusion of visual content in their posts.

Gary Arndt’s absolutely nailed it with his photography work for  Everything Everywhere .

Gary actually won multiple, major travel photography awards — more than any travel photographer. His photography is so good that I suggest you check the “Travel Photos” page on Everything Everywhere.

Go ahead, take a break and thank me later. 

Other than taking breathtaking photos, Gary also publishes detailed blog posts about the places he’s been. He’s been on the go for roughly 9 years non-stop, which means readers will never run out of material.

27. The Longest Way Home

By:  David Ways

The Longest Way Home   started as the personal travel journal of David Ways — a solo traveler in search of home. 

The blog originally started as David’s private, digital diary. As he journeyed across Europe and gained experience, it turned into a full-on blog with travel guides to specific locations. 

David finally found home in Nepal before traveling to other parts of Southeast Asia. 

He’s not the most nitpicky blogger in terms of grammar and spelling, but he’s definitely a brilliant storyteller. He’s also skilled in capturing and immortalizing moments into photos, which you can view on his blog’s gallery. 

The Longest Way Home has a library of content about various destinations, trekking, and travel planning. It also features in-depth travel guides to Nepal, Thailand, and overland travel — plus a mini-guide to Portugal.  

• Travel planning 
• Overland travel

28. Global Grasshopper

By:  Becky Moore

Global Grasshopper   is a travel blog run by Becky Moore and her team of professional travel photographers and writers. 

Becky’s first adventure was a six-month voyage in Southeast Asia. She considers herself a “semi-nomad,” traveling from country to country while nestling in Ireland, Australia, or parts of Southeast Asia. 

Global Grasshopper contains posts about popular travel destinations, hotels, and other places that deserve more attention. Readers will also enjoy the blog’s posts about dog-friendly travel — covering topics like dog booster seats and pet-friendly hotels. 

Since the blog is run by a team of experts, expect the content quality to be top-notch across the board. The team also organizes boutique tours, which readers can participate in for a memorable travel experience. 

• Traveling with a pet
• Boutique tours bookings

29. Girl Gone Travel

By:  Carol Cain

Carol Cain is an accomplished professional in the field of communications. She is a social media marketing expert, public speaker, branding agency owner, and award-winning travel blogger.

Girl Gone Travel   is the result of Carol’s innate passion for travel and knack for digital marketing. It is a well-designed, engaging, and filled with quality content that shines with Carol’s personality. 

Other than her travel-related posts, Girl Gone Travel also publishes a lot of posts about blogging and online branding. This makes it an excellent place to start for hopeful travelers who plan to have their own blog one day. 

• Destinations 
• Online branding
• Brave World Media company

30. HoneyTrek

By:  Mike and Anne Howard

Believe it or not,  HoneyTrek   is a travel blog about a honeymoon.

Yes — it’s probably the longest honeymoon ever.

Founders Mike and Anne Howard are a power couple with skills that can make any blog great. Anne is a former magazine editor whereas Mike’s a veteran digital media strategist and photographer. 

Together, they’ve honeymooned to over seven continents and 60 countries while creating the most romantic travel blog in the process. 

HoneyTrek contains a collection of posts about their travel destinations, experiences, and travel tips for all budgets. They also wrote two successful books: “Comfortably Wild” and “Ultimate Journeys for Two.” 

• Travel budgeting 
• Travel skills

31. Oneika The Traveller

By:  Oneika Raymond

Oneika The Traveller   is an award-winning travel blog by journalist, keynote speaker, and media personality Oneika Raymond. 

For those who don’t know Oneika, she’s the on-air travel and lifestyle correspondent for CTV Canada and NBC New York. Even more impressively, her blog won her a gold medal in the 2018 SATW Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism competition.

Oneika talks about travel destinations and her go-to tips for life on the road. With her experience in the field of journalism, she’s definitely one of the most engaging storytellers on this list.

• Fashion and style while traveling
• Traveling as a minority
• Personal opinions
• Social media marketing

32. The Adventurists

By:  Tom Morgan

The Adventurists   is hands down one of the most well-designed travel blogs in this post. 

The blog proves that integrating tons of video content into one page doesn’t have to affect its loading speed. In fact, the site loads surprisingly fast despite having several video panels on the homepage.

I’m not going to delve too deeply into this technical feat. What I’m going to focus on, however, is the brilliant team behind The Adventurists. 

The site is founded by “Chief Idiot” — Tom Morgan. Apparently, most of the crazy ideas featured on the blog were his. 

Every page on the site reflects Morgan and his team’s wackiness and passion for great adventures. They do, host, and document daring outdoor activities on air, land, and sea — plus, a whole lot of charity.

Their audience can also participate in these activities, which can be held in various parts of the globe. The “Monkey Run,” for example, is an event where participants race through dirt trails on tiny bikes.

The bottom line is, it’s hard to come up with unique ideas that set you apart in the blogging landscape. The Adventurists, on the other hand, managed to do so multiple times. 

• “The Adventures” events
• The “Shop of Stuff”

33. Time Travel Turtle

By:  Michael Turtle

Time Travel Turtle   is created by Australian Journalist Michael Turtle. 

Michael was born to be a storyteller and he knew it from an early age. 

In school, he ran the student newsletter and contributed a weekly column. He also filled the role of deputy editor of a university newspaper. 

Time Travel Turtle’s contains mainly posts on the locations that Michael has visited over the years. 

Like most renowned travel bloggers, Michael captures amazing photos that travel enthusiasts can fall in love with. He puts some of these photos up for sale to companies who’d like to feature those locations or properties. 

Michael continues to explore the world as a digital nomad. He also shares practical travel tips so readers can experience these adventures themselves. 

• Selling photography

34. Hand Luggage Only

By:  Yaya and Lloyd

Hand Luggage Only   is a hugely successful travel blog by couple Yaya and Lloyd. 

The site doles out travel advice, inspiration, photography tips, food reviews, and posts about must-see destinations. It also has a library of high-quality videos where Yaya and Lloyd describe their experiences in detail.  

Yaya and Lloyd started the blog in 2014 with a plan to share their travel stories with the world. Within a few hours, they published their first posts using photos they already took and edited. 

The moral of the story is, consider starting a blog if you already have a library of unused travel photos. 

35. Travel4Wildlife

By:  Christina Garcia and Hal Brindley 

It should only take anyone a second to figure out what  Travel4Wildlife   is all about. 

The blog is created by couple Christina Garcia and Hal Brindley out of their passion for wildlife. 

Hal is an experienced wildlife photographer for organizations like the Nature Conservancy Magazine, SEE Turtles, and RARE Conservation. Christina, on the other hand, is an experienced zoologist who worked on studies on wolves, cheetahs, and leopards. 

Travel4Wildlife’s goal is to increase awareness and increase the appreciation for wildlife. More importantly, it was Christina and Hal’s life goal to promote wildlife conservation through responsible tourism. 

Behind the scenes, the couple teams up to create compelling articles that focus on wildlife in specific destinations. The blog covers a range of species on different continents — from owls in South Africa to polar bears in Canada. 

• Wildlife tour reviews
• Responsible travel

36. The Insatiable Traveler

By:  Susan Portnoy

Susan Portnoy, also called  The Insatiable Traveler   on her blog, is a seasoned travel writer and photographer. 

Susan’s last full-time job was VP of corporate communications at Condé Nast. When that door closed, she took on a freelancing career as she learned the art of photography. 

Fast forward a few years, and she has enough accolades to make photography degree holders envious. 

Her photographic works were featured by organizations like National Geographic and companies like Bing. She also won awards like the SATW Lowell Thomas Award and the 2018 Gold in the Muster Photo Competition. 

The main focal points of The Insatiable Traveler include destinations, cruises, photography, and travel gear. Susan also covers the safaris in various regions, like Tanzania, Namibia, and Kenya. 

37. View from the Wing

By:  Gary Leff 

Just like Brett Snyder, Gary Leff of  View From The Wing   is an expert in all things air travel. 

Gary was named one of the “World’s Top Travel Experts” by Condé Nast Traveler since 2010. He also co-founded InsideFlyer.com — a community made by and for frequent flyers.

View From The Wing is a goldmine of timeless tips on airline miles, credit cards, hotels, and business travel. No matter your sub-niche in travel, I recommend checking it out for ways to maximize your frequent flyer miles. 

Gary also publishes posts called “Trip Reports” about establishments, food, and various attractions. 

• Hotel reviews
• Credit cards

38. Uncornered Market

By:  Daniel Noll and Audrey Scott

Dan Noll and Audrey Scott are a pair of adventurers, storytellers, and tourism advisors who advocate for responsible traveling. 

They created  Uncornered Market   — a responsible tourism blog — after leaving their secure and stable lifestyle in Prague. Prior to that, they lived in San Francisco and took a leap of faith for the sake of avoiding regrets.  

It’s clear that both Dan and Audrey believed that fulfillment can’t be found within the confines of your comfort zone. They explored, made connections, and shared their experiences through their travel blog. 

Some of the topics you’ll find in Uncornered Market are about destinations, sustainable tourism, food, and trekking. Dan and Audrey also write about personal growth and experiential travel. 

Uncornered Market is also a tourism development and marketing consultancy company. They help travel companies, destinations, and tourism organizations build their brands and deliver their message to a wider audience. 

• Responsible tourism
• Tourism development and marketing consultancy services

39. Jessie on a Journey

By:  Jessica “Jessie” Festa

Like plenty of bloggers, Jessica Festa needed a taste of life before discovering her true calling. 

In her youth, Jessie traveled to mostly cruises in the Caribbean and road trips in North America. She also experienced being a sightseeing guide in New York. 

Jessie on a Journey   is the result of her pursuing her dreams of getting paid to do something she loves. She now blogs about being a solo female traveler, blogging it, and profiting off of it. 

I’m sure a lot of big-name bloggers are all too familiar with how Jessie made the blogging vision a reality.

For a long time, she felt that the workaday lifestyle isn’t for her. It made her feel like she’s living everyone else’s life — not the kind of life she wanted to keep. 

Despite the disapproval of loved ones, Jessie decided to quit her secure job in favor of being a travel blogger. 

She was just as unprepared as most people before starting their own blog. The key difference is, she went out there and took her first step. 

• Travel blog consulting
• Tour company consulting

40. Legal Nomads

By:  Jodi Ettenberg

Back when Jodi Ettenberg was in law school, she never would’ve guessed she’d run a successful travel and food business. 

That happens to a lot of people, especially those who never thought of giving priority to their passions. 

It’s just a hunch, but I think the name  Legal Nomads   had something to do with Jodi’s background in law. 

Legal Nomads highlights destinations and local cultures just as insightfully as other travel blogs. What makes it different is that Jodi focuses on local cuisines to experience and tell the stories of each destination. 

A huge part of Jodi’s blog is about wellness and gluten-free eating. She then utilized her knowledge and experience to create detailed restaurant cards, which travelers can use when visiting certain countries. 

• Gluten-free restaurant cards
• The Legal Nomads Shop

41. Indiana Jo

By:  Jo Fitzsimons

Like Jodi Ettenberg, Jo Fitzsimons also used to practice law before becoming a successful travel and lifestyle writer. 

Indiana Jo   started way back in 2010 where Jo can comfortably type away her thoughts and musings. Fed up with her full-time job, she went out to see the world as a digital nomad.

It wasn’t always smooth sailing for Indiana Jo, however. According to her, she thought about quitting the blog several times before finally realizing that it’s a lifetime thing. 

Jo writes about her travel experiences, destinations, wine, and food. She also shares travel planning tips along with a long list of content about topics that personally interest her. 

• Travel health and safety

42. TravelFreak

By:  Jeremy Scott Foster

TravelFreak   is the brainchild of Jeremy Scott Foster who left America in the middle of a recession and to Australia. 

For a while, he racked up some savings as a traveling bartender. It took some time before he finally made the switch to be a digital nomad and online entrepreneur. 

Jeremy created the blog to help people create opportunities to achieve the fulfilling life they deserve. 

He writes about travel advice, destinations, gear, and ways to get your finances in order as you travel. This includes guides on how to land and keep a job abroad along with resources on reliable booking websites. 

I personally like the way Jeremy designed TravelFreak to provide the best possible user experience. Unlike a traditional layout, the site features a search bar so readers can jump right into the content they need.

TravelFreak has been featured in Forbes, National Geographic, The New York Times, and a few other big-name publications.   

43. The Everywhereist

By:  Geraldine DeRuiter

Before anything else, yes — that’s Rand Fishkin in the photo above. 

And yes, the next travel blogger on this list is Rand’s longtime sweetheart and wife. 

Geraldine DeRuiter was a former copywriter and went with Rand in his travels, which are often business-related. She then turned to the habit of documenting their travel experiences, which she described as “love letters” to her husband. 

Today, Geraldine works full-time on  The Everywhereist   — named by Time magazine as one of the best blogs in 2011. 

The Everywhereist contains posts about food and Geraldine’s travel experiences along with a comprehensive Philadelphia travel guide. The guide contains information on where to go, eat, shop, and stay. 

Geraldine also wrote a book called “All Over The Place.” It chronicles how she embraced her love for blogging after being laid off, which aspiring bloggers can draw inspiration from. 

• All Over The Place book sales

44. Keep Calm and Travel

By:  Clelia Mattana

Keep Calm and Travel   is a travel blog created by serial traveler Clelia Mattana. 

Ever since she was 19, Clelia is a certified sea lover and globetrotter. But like many travel bloggers, she was given a choice between a secure job and the traveling lifestyle. 

Clelia’s finalized her choice when she bought a one-way ticket to Asia. She then created Keep Calm and Travel to send a simple message:

“No matter what your age is, or your budget, or status, you can travel and live your life on your own terms.”

The blog’s topics include destinations across continents, photography, and travel gear. She also has a dedicated page for Sardinia, which is one of her absolute favorite travel destinations.

45. Practical Wanderlust

By:  Lia and Jeremy Garcia

Lia and Jeremy Garcia, who aptly labeled themselves a “travel couple” on Instagram, are the minds behind  Practical Wanderlust .  

Jeremy is a film degree holder whose passions include writing and directing. He also became a high school teacher who taught filmmaking and digital media art.

Lia, on the other hand, has a fashion design and apparel merchandising degree. She took on roles in corporate merchandising before becoming a business systems analyst. 

Why did I tell you all this? Simple: I want you to know what the pair had to give up pursuing their dreams of traveling. 

Practical Wanderlust’s goal is to help other people enjoy travel in the most realistic and sensible approach possible. The blog is filled with detailed content on planning memorable trips on a budget, where to go, and staying safe.   

Lia and Jeremy also host their own podcast, which is available on Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. 

• Coaching and mentoring services
• Sponsored podcast episodes

46. Expert Vagabond

By:  Matthew “Matt” Karsten

Matthew Karsten, AKA the  Expert Vagabond , has been a travel blogger, photographer, and digital nomad for nine years.

He talks about budget travel tips, destinations, travel photography, and strategies to make the digital nomadic life work. 

Matt is a business degree holder who spent time freelancing as a nightlife and event photographer. While he admits it was fun, he knew that he wants and deserves something more. 

After a year of downsizing his life, eating homemade food, selling eBooks, and saving every penny, he was ready. He set out to obtain a different kind of wealth — that which is made with adventures and experiences.

• Nomadic living

47. The Voyageur

By:  Pauline Chardin

Pauline Chardin is a France-based fashion designer, photographer, and art director. 

She always had a soft spot for travel — driven by her appreciation for picturesque architecture, landscapes, and good food. She started  The Voyageur   to help people view the world through her voice and eyes. 

The Voyageur is a simple, yet aesthetic website achieved through Pauline’s incredible photography skills. Apart from itineraries and posts about hotels, food, art, and architecture, the site also has a sizeable photo gallery.

Images are accompanied by a brief article that describes the destination’s history and Pauline’s thoughts and emotions during her visit. I’m not sure what it is, but there’s something about this content format that’s truly engaging and relaxing. 

• Art and architecture

48. Amateur Traveler

By:  Chris Christensen

Don’t be fooled by the name —  Amateur Traveler   is by no means run by an amateur.

Chris Christensen is a skilled photographer, travel writer, and podcast host. The site also utilizes a long list of monetization strategies that I believe every blogger should learn. 

True, he wasn’t the most experienced traveler when he started the blog. Before he created Amateur Traveler, he was a full-time EVP of engineering and operations for a company based in Silicon Valley. 

In his defense, he grew up in a family that traveled a lot to national parks in a trailer. He also learned a lot of foreign languages, which he believes is a window into understanding and embracing different cultures. 

Amateur Traveler discusses destinations, travel budgeting, planning, gear, and booking. The site also features a weekly podcast on the top destinations around the world. 

• Amateur Traveler Shop powered by Etsy
• Podcast advertisements
• Social media and content marketing consulting services
• Content writing services
• Paid guest posts

49. Girl Eat World

By:  Melissa Hie

Melissa Hie is the “Girl” in  Girl Eat World  — a name that encapsulates what the whole blog is all about. 

You see, Melissa’s three passions are food, travel, and storytelling. She started the blog in 2015 as a digital diary for herself and friends who need travel tips. 

Prior to her blog’s success, she amassed quite a following on Instagram. This springboarded her blogging career, which she put in the back burner after focusing on her full-time career.

Girl Eat World is essentially a compendium of Melissa’s travel stories and travel planning guides. She also has an iconic style of capturing Instagram posts, which must be seen to be appreciated. 

50. The Adventure Junkies

By:  Antonio Cala and Amanda Zeisset

The Adventure Junkies   is definitely not your average travel blog. 

It’s not just about the travel stories of founders Antonio Cala and Amanda Zeisset. Upon visiting the blog for the first time, you’ll realize that it’s all about the community the blog has built. 

New visitors are encouraged to join “ Summit ” — a free community for people who seek adventures through travel and outdoor activities. There, members can connect, plan events, share posts, ask questions, form groups, and discuss anything related to travel. 

The Adventure Junkies also compile guides and resources about outdoor activities like diving, kayaking, mountain biking, and snowboarding. There’s also a section for visitors who’d like to learn about outdoor and underwater photography.

Antonio and Amanda started The Adventure Junkies as a personal blog about their three years of cycling. Over time, their readers began asking questions on how they can plan their own adventures. 

The couple then realized that they need to create something more than a personal blog. As such, they transformed The Adventure Junkies as a one-stop shop for adventurists.  

• The Adventure Junkies Store
• Paid digital guides

51. A Broken Backpack Travel Blog

By:  Melissa Giroux

Melissa Giroux used to be a social worker who only traveled once a year. 

Melissa created  A Broken Backpack   a year after her journey in the Canadian Rockies — hitch-hiking from point A to B. She continued working on her blog as a creative outlet while working on a farm in Australia. 

It didn’t take long before A Broken Backpack’s popularity gained momentum and gave Melissa a new frontier. 

The website contains crucial tips on travel gear, budgeting, destinations, and the life of a digital nomad. Melissa also put together in-depth guides on travel blogging, moving to another country as an expat, and backpacking.

• SEO eBook on Nomad Life 101

52. The World Travel Guy

By : David Leiter

David Leiter is an American travel blogger currently based in Bali, Indonesia, with his wife Intan (who’s a Bali local).

They travel around the world and try to document the most scenic destinations by creating articles, photos, videos, and guides for other travelers.

David runs  The World Travel Guy , an adventure travel blog that he started when he was a solo traveler, but now covers their travels around the globe as a couple.

In total, they’ve visited dozens of countries, while also checking off some bucket list adventures like a Komodo dragon safari in Indonesia, the Mount Everest Base Camp trek in Nepal, and a bunch of world monuments like the Angkor Wat and Taj Mahal.

• Adventure Travel
• Destination Guides
• Budget Tips
• Travel Photography
• Drone Videos
• Affiliate Partnerships
• Display Advertisements
• Sponsored Trips
• YouTube Videos

53. Life Part 2

By:  Jonathan Look Jr. and Sarah Wilson

The last blog on this list that your best life can start at any time you choose. 

Let me tell you the story behind  Life Part 2   and the people behind it.

Jonathan Look Jr. and Sarah Wilson are both happy retirees with a simple mantra: “don’t waste your retirement.”

To them, retirement isn’t about being comfortable and secure. Rather, it’s all about the freedom to listen to your heart and follow where it takes you. 

Jonathan and Sarah met in Chiang Mai, Thailand where they both agreed to see the world as a couple. 

Life Part 2 is a mix of all things travel. At times, there’ll be a post about remote destinations and backpacking, and at other times, the theme is luxury travel. 

You will, however, notice that the content topics on the blog often revolve around retirement, minimalism, and travel. 

Planning to go on your own travel adventures? Perhaps you’re thinking of starting your very own travel blog?

It doesn’t matter if you’ve got a case of wanderlust or the desire to be a travel blogger yourself. 

The list above has some of the best travel blogs ever created. They can provide you with ideas and inspiration for your next trip or first-ever travel blog post. 

If you think I missed a great travel blog that everyone should read, let me know in the comments below. Good luck!

Disclosure: This article includes affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting us.

Ankit Singla

Ankit Singla is a full-time blogger, YouTuber, author, and public speaker. He founded and leads Master Blogging . With over 13 years of blogging expertise, he has assisted numerous aspiring bloggers in achieving their dreams of creating successful blogs.

Popular Posts by Ankit Singla ( see latest )

• 11 Best Blog Topic Research Tools (Free and Paid) + Tutorial
• 7 Best Keyword Research Chrome Extensions for Bloggers
• 9 Best Digital Products to Sell as a Blogger [All Profitable]

Master Blogging, powered by Ankit Singla’s 13 years of blogging expertise, is your reliable resource for building a profitable blogging business. Here, you’ll gain the insights and support to thrive in blogging.

BLOGGING DEALS

© 2013 – 2024 Master Blogging® | Hosted by WPX | Built with Kadence Theme

101 Great Blog Post Ideas for Travel Companies

27 Nov 101 Great Blog Post Ideas for Travel Companies

In this, the digital age, it’s safe to say that blogging is the go-to form of online marketing. It serves a multitude of purposes and can bring in lucrative business if done well. Blogging can create click-throughs from your social media to your website, generating sales, for example. It is popularly used as a tool to build brand image too.

In reality, there is so much content out there that customers are getting more and more savvy about what they read and more importantly, what they share. In order to keep up with your ever-evolving community of customers, you’ve got to keep your blogs fresh, inspiring and share-worthy.

Many people find creating snappy titles the hardest part of blogging. This, along with not knowing what to write about and finding the time to write means that blogging often gets left by the wayside. This is not the way it should be! Blogging is a fun way to express your company’s creativity and personality.

PIN this for later?

The beauty of the travel niche is that there is always something to write about. People want to be invited into our world of wanderlust and to experience travel in a whole new way.

As a team of travel professionals , we know that finding the inspiration to create original content can be hard at times. To help keep those creative juices flowing and those click-throughs rolling in we have created this list of 101 travel blog post ideas for you to browse through.

We’ve divided them into different categories to make life that bit easier and to help you find the perfect title for you.

101 ideas may take a little minute to read through so grab yourself a coffee (we all work best when caffeinated) and a muffin (because muffins are tasty) and delve into what may just be the most inspirational article you’ll read this week!

Let’s take a look;

Inspiration Seekers

There are hundreds of thousands of people out there who spend a great deal of time seeking inspiration for their next trip; big or small. If your travel company specialises in several destinations then creating blogs about each one individually allows readers to create a clear image of each place in their minds and most importantly, get booking!

Destinations

• 25 Things You Have to Visit in Brussels
• Must Visit Restaurants in Paris
• Best Attractions for Families in Bangkok
• Phuket or Bali – Which Do You Prefer?
• The Ultimate Pattaya Guide

Example: https://mylittlenomads.com/bangkok-with-kids  

• 100 Safest Countries in the World
• 25 Unique Things to do in Pattaya
• 50 Best Places to Learn to Surf
• 20 Ideas to Help You Travel Cheap

Example: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/maps-and-graphics/safest-countries-in-the-world/

Photo Diaries

• Around the World in 80 Photos
• Safari Sights Caught on Camera
• 16 Photos You’ll Want to Take in Japan
• The People I Met – A Diary of Selfies with New Travel Friends

Example: https://www.japan-talk.com/jt/new/photography-in-japan

Photo of the Day

• The Epitome of Russia – Photo of the Day

Example: https://www.popphoto.com/photo-of-the-day

Guidance for Gallivanting

If your inspirational posts are effective then the next step is to guide your readers through the trip. Step-by-step guides are very popular and are a great way to demonstrate your company’s expertise. Itinerary suggestions are a sure fire way to induce wanderlust and cultural insights are useful preparation tools.

Whether you offer products for specific destinations or cover more generalised areas like over-landing or travel insurance, blogs are a great opportunity to demonstrate that you’re the leaders in your field. Securing your company as the first port of call for your readers is very important indeed.

Step-By-Step

• 6 Steps to Booking Your Mediterranean Cruise
• Step By Step Guide to Solo Travel in India
• Interrailing Europe – A Step By Step Guide to Planning

Example: https://theleap.co.uk/5-step-guide-prepare-interrailing-summer/

Ultimate Guide

• The Ultimate Guide to Backpacking South America
• The Ultimate Guide to Traveling Oz on a Budget
• Hitchhiking – The Complete Guide

Example: https://backpackbeliefs.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-travelling-on-a-budget/

• How to Travel by Train in India
• How to Make the Most of Your Time in Europe
• How to Be a Good Hostel Roommate
• How to Experience London for Free…nearly!

Example: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/17/travel/how-to-see-india-by-train.html

• 10 Things All First Time Travellers Forget
• 5 Things to Look For in a Quality Travel Insurance Policy
• The Ultimate Packing Checklist
• 3 Things to Tick Off Before You Fly

Example: http://olamondo.com/10-things-that-you-are-likely-to-forget-if-you-are-a-first-time-traveler/

Itinerary Options

• 24-Hours in Madrid – The Best Itinerary
• A Long Weekend in Rome – How to Maximise Your Time Away
• Two Weeks in France – The Perfect Family Getaway

Example: http://www.rtwgirl.com/24-hours-madrid/

Pros and Cons

• The Pros and Cons of Cruises
• The Pros and Cons of Traveling with Young Kids

Example: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/judith-newton/pros-and-cons-of-travel-cruises_b_10171096.html

• 6 Secrets for Getting Cheap Flights
• Kolkata’s Hidden Gems – What the Guidebooks Won’t Tell You
• Off the Beaten Track in Nepal – Go Wild
• Chiang Mai – The Local’s Hangouts

Example: https://www.skyscanner.net/news/7-secrets-finding-best-low-cost-flights

Info, Info and More Info

Travellers, tourists and explorers all like to know what they’re getting themselves into. Although you can never truly get a feel for a place until you visit, blogs are a great way to introduce your audience to the intricacies of a culture in order to best prepare for their visit.

These kinds of articles are a great way to capture a new audience through search engine optimisation which in turn puts your brand in the limelight for a wider range of readers.

Cultural Tips

• 17 Things You Need to Know Before Visiting Italy
• 7 Things We Bet You Didn’t Know About Brazil
• Why Holi Festival is the Highlight of the Hindu Calendar

Example: https://www.imaginetravel.com/imagine-latin-america/holiday-destination/brazil/our-brazil/fourteen-fascinating-facts-you-didnt-know-about-brazil

Recipes and Delicacies

• How to Make the Best Pad Thai
• Why New Zealand Ice Cream Is the Best
• A Guide to Making Nepali Dal Bhat at Home

Example: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2013/may/30/how-to-make-perfect-pad-thai

• 10 Facts You Didn’t Know About Paris
• 15 Interesting Things You’ll Learn in Indonesia
• 6 Unbelievable Facts About the Amazon Rainforest

Example: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/france/paris/articles/paris-amazing-facts-things-you-did-not-know/

Learn the Lingo

• 7 Phrases To Help You Make Friends in Fiji
• How To Teach Yourself German At Home

Example: https://www.fluentu.com/blog/german/how-to-learn-german-by-yourself/

• 10 Top Questions Everyone Asks Before Visiting Zambia
• 7 Questions We All Need Answered Before We Visit China
• Customer Questions: What Did You Want to Know This June?

Example: https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2015-12-29/the-25-most-frequently-asked-travel-questionsanswered

Entertain While You Inspire

With so much content popping up on our newsfeeds throughout the day it’s safe to say that we’re all seeking a giggle or something light-hearted to distract us from the day-to-day routine.

These kinds of posts are a great way to encourage readers to share posts which in turn drives more traffic towards your social media platforms and websites.

Real Stories  

• Today’s Tale – How Missing Your Train is the Biggest Adventure of All
• Hitchhiking Horror Stories – How Not to Hitchhike!
• The Time I Walked to the End of the Rainbow

Example: https://hostelgeeks.com/short-travel-stories/

• 10 Quotes to Ignite Your Wanderlust – Posting this with an eye-catching infographic is a must!

Series of Stories

A Journey Through Nepal:

• Part 1 – Kathmandu and the Rolling Valley
• Part 2 – Perfect Pokhara
• Part 3 – Jungle Fever
• Part 4 – Hiking the Himalayas

Up To The Minute

What makes the travel niche so exciting to write about is that there is always something new to discuss. The tourism industry is ever evolving and everyone is working hard to up their game.

With that in mind, by following trends you can create blogs that are not only about trending topics but demonstrate your up to the minute expertise too. By jumping on the bandwagon you can create positive associations with your brand and the latest trends.

News and Events

• Brexit – Why You Shouldn’t Let Political Change Taint Your Vacation
• Four Years On – How Has Typhoon Haiyan Impacted Travel in the Philippines
• 6 Weeks of Summer – 6 Unmissable European Music Festivals
• How to Celebrate Songkran in Thailand

Example: http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-tips/brexit-summer-tourism-london-britain

Open Letters and Opinions

• An Open Letter to United Airlines
• An Open Letter to Thailand – Improve Welfare for Elephants in Tourism

Example: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/an-open-letter-to-united-airlines-employees-or-ten_us_58ed3d44e4b0145a227cb930

Tug At the Heartstrings

Tugging at the heartstrings of readers is a sure fire way to get your article shared. It’s not only the emotional posts that get the most click-throughs but also the funny posts too. Writing emotive pieces can be a great way to increase shares and encourage your audience to participate in the discussion you start. It goes without saying that the more relatable the blog is the more successful it will be.

Inspirational Articles

• How This Guy Went From Waiter to Digital Nomad In 6 Months
• 25 Reasons Why Travelling is Good for the Soul
• How to Change the World While You Travel

Example: http://www.10best.com/interests/travel-tips/10-ways-to-save-the-world-while-traveling/

• India – The 10 Things I Hate About You
• Why Do Millennials Only Travel to ‘Instagrammable’ Destinations?
• Budget Airlines – Never, Ever, Again
• 16 Things You’ll Only Get If You’ve Been to Cambodia
• 7 Signs You’re A True Backpacker
• Best Travel Memes of 2017
• Funny Google Translate Fails

Example: https://www.hostelbookers.com/blog/travel/21-signs-you-are-a-real-backpacker

Play the Devil’s Advocate

• Why Travelling Solo as A Woman is the Worst Thing You Can Do
• Japan’s Dolphin Hunt is Good for the Oceans
• 9 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Go To China. Period.

Example: http://science.time.com/2010/08/23/oceans-defending-dolphin-killing/

Encourage Input

Getting your readers to engage with your blogs is really important. Not only does it help to build a community around your brand but also offers you the chance to gain insight into what your audience wants to read about. There are countless ways to encourage reader input, particularly through the use of social media.

Guest Writers

• Ask clients to write about their travel experience with your brand
• Ask other travel companies to write about how your brand complements theirs
• Host a travel blogger’s post on your company’s blog

Example: https://www.kollectingkoordinates.com/25-unique-things-to-do-in-indonesia/

• Interview a Client
• Interview Industry Specialists; including your staff
• Interview a group of travel bloggers and make a listicle blog with their opinions and insights: We Spoke to 12 Expats to Find Out What They Love About Life in Costa Rica

Example: https://www.spendlifetraveling.com/ask-an-expat-living-in-costa-rica/

• How Much Do You Know About Guatemala?
• Are You Ready To Take a Gap Year?
• What Kind of Holiday Suits You Best?

Example: https://www.buzzfeed.com/michelleno/can-you-spend-a-weekend-in-switzerland-with-a-1000-budget?origin=filqui&utm_term=.xvevk7BQz#.se1p1YkO6

Group Posts

• 6 Travel Experts Explain Why Bali is Best this Summer
• 10 Travel Bloggers Tell Us How Travel Changed Their Lives
• The World’s Best National Parks for Wildlife – According to Jungle Guides

Example: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-tips/travel-photography-tips/

Although one of the main aims of blogging is to sell products, being a port of call for useful information for your readers has its benefits. Sharing your company’s knowledge and advice goes a long way in establishing and maintaining your credibility.

All In One Resources

• The Ultimate List of Resources for Organising your European Adventure
• All the Resources You Need to Plan Your Gap Year

Example: https://expertvagabond.com/travel/

Collections

• Best Travel Blogs from Canada
• Our Favourite Travel Tweets This Month
• Top 5 Digital Nomad Instagram Accounts

Example: https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/canada/articles/canadian-travel-bloggers-you-need-to-follow/

Versatility is Key

Although blogging is traditionally a short-sharp bout of prose scattered with photos, this formula should be played around with to establish what works best for your company. If predictions are correct, video is another way forward in 2018;

• Visit Sri Lanka in 2 Minutes
• Must Do New Zealand – Destination Guide
• Interview one of your company’s specialists about their job, their advice and their opinions of your niche.
• The People We Met on the Train to Hanoi – Live Interviews from the Tracks

Infographics

• Tourist Arrivals to Asia in May
• Favourite Apps Used by Travellers
• Where to Find Wild Tigers

Example: http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/printedition/news/2016-01-22/arrivals-hit-6-year-low-as-quake-agitation-take-toll.html

Don’t Forget Personality

Blogging is a chance to develop your company’s voice, to build a camaraderie with your readers and to bring your brand into their lives. The more personal and relatable your content the easier this will be.

Updates from the Company

• Big News for 2018
• Meet the Team
• What We’ve Learned…

Example: https://globalnews.booking.com/eight-travel-predictions-for-2018-as-revealed-by-bookingcom/?aid=304142&lang=en

Bucket List

• 10 Things to Put On Your Bucket List NOW!
• 6 Things We’ve Taken Off Our Bucket List and Why.

That was a lot of ideas! Did you have to make yourself a second cup of coffee? So there you go, 101 ideas to help you kick start or rekindle your company’s blog. There’s little use in just storing up great ideas though, now is as good of a time as ever to get writing.

Although quality content is key, it takes a snappy title to entice the reader in. Here at the Travel Content Collective, this is what we do best; matching the highest quality content with effective titles and headlines.

If you have great ideas of your own and want help seeing them come to fruition then you’re in the right place. Reach out to us today to see how we can be of assistance to your travel company.

Like this post? Please PIN it!

No Comments

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Content Writing
• Editing & Updating
• AI Text Editing
• WordPress Writing
• MEET THE TEAM

New Immersive Asia Cruise Itineraries

View details »

ALL ADULTS. ALL PARTY. ALL DAY.

Jordan: of vines and spices – savoring the exquisite flavors of jordan, sizzling summer sale, the best beaches to discover in mexico's nayarit, first lego parade at sea, only over-water swing and more on msc world america, explora journeys' new onboard experiences elevate luxury, small-ship lifestyle, this scandinavian capital is paying visitors to travel green, this summer calls for a ‘coolcation’ – check out these chill destinations, israel’s tourism turning point, top 7 things to do at perfect day at cococay, great new rail journeys in new zealand, top travel destinations inspired by the world’s wellness “blue zones”, new sun princess serves up celebrity concepts with its culinary experiences, floating restaurant and food festival make a splash in this caribbean destination, meet starfish lagoon- celebration key’s family-friendly portal., top 5 things to do in bermuda, all about msc world america.

How the Instagram and TikTok generations are bringing travel agents back

O ver the past five years, Natalie Contrera has traveled from her West Philadelphia home to Colombia, Belize, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic twice. She soon hopes to visit Egypt and Lebanon, her family’s homeland.

The 35-year-old’s secret to planning and affording so many excursions since the pandemic?

A travel agent.

“I give her a budget. I give her a couple countries I want to go to,” said Contrera, who owns a branding agency. On each vacation, she and her partner have spent between $1,500 and $3,000 per person.

The travel agent “is organizing an entire trip for us. And if things go wrong — that is also what they are there for,” Contrera said. “Why would I ever plan it myself again?”

With people vacationing more than they did before the pandemic, travel agents are as popular as ever, if not more so . The national trend is mirrored across the Philadelphia region, with several local travel agents saying 2023 was their best year in recent memory.

The continued surge is welcome news to the industry after the pandemic ground business to a halt in 2020 . It also comes as agents have heard warnings for decades that the internet and technology will make them obsolete. Now it looks like the prognosticators were wrong.

“We are extremely busy,” said Pam Draper, owner of Travel with Pam Draper in Washington Township and a 47-year veteran of the industry who remembers the temporary dip in sales that came after the Internet’s rise. “It’s amazing really.”

Gen Z and millennial consumers, who are 43 and younger, are fueling the industry’s growth. Of travelers in these generations, 38% prefer to use a human travel agent over online booking services , according to a December survey of 2,000 U.S. adults conducted by IBS Software. Only 12% of Gen X-ers, who are in their 40s and 50s, and 2% of Baby Boomers, who are 60 and older, reported using traditional agents.

“What I’m finding with the millennial and the Gen Z generations is they’re overwhelmed with the information online. They don’t know what to do with all of it,” said Jennifer Byrne, CEO and luxury vacation specialist at The Tropical Travelers, a Malvern-based agency.

“The honeymooners that I get, they go, ‘I just went crazy online,’” said Paul Ferdinand, president and travel adviser at Philadelphia-based Rainbow Voyages. “The first thing they say is they went online and couldn’t get offline. They just went down the rabbit hole” of vacation research.

Travel agents work on commission from hotels and other vendors, and many charge consumers nothing for their services. Other agents charge fees that range from $150 for an initial conversation (they say they do so in case someone takes their recommendations and books the trip on their own, losing the agent the commission), to $500 or more for planning a destination wedding.

Some consumers say they’re willing to pay a fee if it means saving time.

“I would rather pay someone than me be scouring the internet for hours,” trying to plan a certain trip within a certain budget, said Meghan Mack, a 35-year-old nurse who lives in Northern Liberties. She plans to employ a travel agent for future international trips after using one for a stress-free 30th birthday trip to Greece and Italy in 2019.

While some clients are on strict budgets, local agents said plenty of their younger clients seem willing to spare no expense on their vacations, one of many experiences consumers are prioritizing more since the pandemic . That means higher commissions for agents.

Byrne said she finds herself “wondering if people have more money in their 20s or their 30s than they did previously.” She requires that clients have a minimum budget of $3,000 per person, but many of her clients are spending $15,000 or more.

These trips can include multiple flights, hotels, and unique excursions, and are often inspired by friends or social-media influencers who have posted about similar far-flung adventures on TikTok or Instagram.

Clients are demanding these complex itineraries at the same time that prices are as high as ever, local agents said, with some top hotels in hot destinations having doubled or even tripled their rates since the pandemic.

“The money people are spending to have custom vacations is unbelievable,” Byrne said. “They’re seeing these things on Instagram and TikTok and they want to do these trips.”

‘Not the corner travel agency anymore’

Travel agencies have evolved over time to meet the changing needs of new generations of jet-setters. The businesses that weathered the pandemic were in many ways primed to meet the surging demand that came after the lifting of restrictions and hasn’t let up in the years since.

When Ferdinand, of Rainbow Voyages, started in the travel industry about five decades ago, storefront travel agencies were common in retail corridors and shopping malls. Inside, agents often sat behind desks, ready to sell vacations that were largely preplanned. He recalled working at one of these agencies.

“When I was in the mall, I had 10 brochures in my drawers,” he said. “And when people came in, almost everything people were looking for was in those 10 brochures.”

Today, people want a more personalized vacation, said Ferdinand, who specializes in honeymoons and LGBTQ+ travel.

“Because of Instagram, people want to send pictures to their friends of bizarre places,” he said. “Iceland isn’t good enough. They want to go to the Faroe Islands. … They want their picture taken biting into a fish head on the top of a cliff in the Faroe Islands,” volcanic islands between Iceland and Norway.

For vacations to Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe, his clients now pay $1,200 a night on average, up from about $500 to $600 a night for similar accommodations in 2019.

Rebecca Wzorek, a Newtown Square-based travel specialist at Mad Hatter Adventures Travel Co., said her growing number of millennial and Gen Z clients “are a little bit more outside the box, a little bit more unique” in terms of what they want in a vacation.

“Since the pandemic, we’re seeing people taking the bucket-list vacation,” she added.

In Wzorek’s decadelong career, 2023 was “by far” her busiest year, she said, and 2024 is already on pace to beat it.

@thetropicaltravelers MY Top 3 affordable family all-inclusive resorts. #tiktoktravelagent #thetropicaltravelers #allinclusive #familyvacation #PostitAffirmations @Jennifer - Tropical Travelers ♬ original sound - Jennifer Byrne | Travel Agent

But agents said they know they have to keep adapting.

After being introduced to TikTok by her teenage son during the pandemic, Byrne started posting travel tips and all-inclusive recommendations on the platform. Now, her account, @thetropicaltravelers, has nearly 198,000 followers. The online popularity has allowed her to expand her client base geographically and economically, far beyond the affluent Main Line.

She can see who is watching her videos (a lot of women over 45), and has noticed that many of her viewers want to know how to vacation on a tighter budget. Her most popular video, which has 2.2 million views: “My Top 3 affordable family all-inclusive resorts.”

“It is not the corner travel agency anymore, with the older women sitting there waiting for you to walk in,” Byrne said. “Today it’s, ‘OK I need to understand what you want.’”

As even more Gen Z and millennial consumers use travel agents, and have positive experiences, agents said they hope those clients will recommend travel professionals to friends — and debunk misconceptions about the profession.

In West Philly, Contrera admitted that she had some of these misconceptions before using a travel agent for the first time.

“Travel agents felt very outdated,” she said. “They felt like it was only about an all-inclusive resort after your honeymoon.”

But, she said, she learned that’s not the case anymore.

©2024 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Going into 2021

Customized vacations based on you.

As 2020 finally comes to a close, I think we can all agree that this year encouraged everyone to think outside of the box to find a new normal. You… READ MORE

Happy Clients in Riviera Maya

All the staff at The Travel Agent, Inc. can agree that Mexico stepped up its game to provide a comfortable vacation during this pandemic. Mrs. Sullivan, was happy to share… READ MORE

Back from Virgin Voyages

I spent Thanksgiving at the Beach Club by Virgin Voyages on the island of Bimini in the Bahamas. This private area of the island is just for Virgin Voyage guests…. READ MORE

What does it mean to be a travel advisor?

The Travel Agent, Inc., is a company that relies on preferred vendors to establish relationships to better assist our clients. We are your resource in navigating the overwhelming internet when… READ MORE

Don’t Hold Back

Why should we live life with regrets? If this pandemic has taught us anything, it was a reminder to cherish the ones you love and do what you can when… READ MORE

Not Your Typical Travel Agency

The travel business has been consistently changing since leisure tourism started. The changes come with the culture of the time. Think back to the famous Pan Am era when flyers… READ MORE

National Shop for Travel Day – Notriphobia

Notriphobia, have you ever heard of it? You’ll only find the word in an urban dictionary and used on social media. “No-trip-phobia”, the fear of not having any trips currently… READ MORE

Mandi’s Recent Trip to Cancun

I was fortunate to travel to Cancun Mexico from Nov 29 – Dec 4, 2020. As an experienced traveler, my trip to Cancun Mexico was seamless! My previous knowledge of… READ MORE

Why I Love The Travel Industry

Why I love the travel industry   Hard to believe I have been a travel advisor for 4 decades.  I enjoy my job just as much today as in the… READ MORE

5 ways to boost your travel agency’s sales

No one knows about reinventing yourself like a travel agent. As technology advances and self-booking becomes more popular, the agency market has learned the hard way that the only way to keep a competitive edge is to evolve.

This article is for travel agents who are ready to do just that. We’ll look at important statistics that every agent living in 2024 should know and offer five tips to help you become the best in your niche.

1. Niche down and sell experiences

Today, when almost anybody can book a basic trip, the role of a travel agent is shifting to offering niche expertise to smaller target audiences who want to save time on planning. 

Here are a few ways to choose the best travel niche:

• Focus on a particular destination. Look for cities or regions your audience might be interested in that other travel agencies don’t specialize in. For example, your theme might be islands, trips to your home country, a particular continent, and so on.
• Focus on your target audience. This might mean specializing in budget travel, luxury tourism, trips for senior couples, honeymoon vacations, etc. And for many audiences, the standard flight-and-room package doesn’t do it anymore. For example, one study shows that almost 70% of high-income tourists prefer experiences over hotels.
• Offer custom packages. Personalized experiences mean higher revenue for travel agents and help build loyal audiences. To understand customer wants, ask open-ended questions such as “What is your ideal vacation?” or “What do you remember most about your last trip?” Creativity in crafting unique adventures will mark you as a true pro. 

2. Grow your online presence

You can start by joining relevant groups and communities on Facebook, Quora, Medium, and niche forums. Sharing tips and tricks from your professional experience can help build meaningful conversations and, in the long run, promote your brand.

But socials aren’t enough – it’s even more important to create your own website or blog. This allows you to promote your brand and be there for your customers wherever they need information.

3. Offer new online services on your website 

Opt for new services that won’t require much time or effort to implement. For example, you can launch a custom flight or hotel search so clients can find flights or hotels in your key destinations without having to click away.

This can benefit your business in several ways, by:

• Keeping you relevant in the age of self-booking
• Attracting a new audience across the globe
• Retaining visitors who just want flights, not travel packages
• Generating passive income from affiliate commissions 
• Providing clients with prices lower than those offered by GDSes
• Turning your website into a one-stop travel platform

One of the quickest ways to make this happen is with white label solutions. They don’t require effort or money and operate on the commission model, meaning you earn a percentage on each booking made through your website.

For example, in just 30 minutes, you can set up the low-code solution by Travelpayouts, which equips your website with a custom-branded metasearch function featuring flights and hotels from 250K travel companies worldwide. If you don’t have a website yet, it also allows you to launch a brand-new flight and hotel search site from scratch.

Check out this video overview of metasearch functions you can build with White Label Web.

4. Build a loyal audience

People buy from people. Understanding your audience and establishing yourself as a trustworthy expert can go a long way toward building a loyal following that will refer even more customers in the future. 

• Monitor your agency’s reputation online . If someone starts talking negatively about you, social sentiment tools will inform you, so you can respond quickly and show your credibility.
• Gather as many positive reviews as possible . As only 6% of travelers do not trust testimonials, publishing inspiring customer reviews is crucial. Fortunately, 80% of customers are eager to leave a review if asked to do so. 
• Develop a loyalty program . Think of ways you can reward repeat customers: discounts, exclusive deals, price alerts, etc. 

5. Develop a personal touch

Even as basic travel planning becomes easier and easier, people still prefer travel agencies to ensure security and convenience for more complex or unfamiliar experiences and remote trips. 

Soulless corporations are sooo 2019. Nowadays, people appreciate businesses that don’t feel like chatbots. That’s why it’s important to look for ways to enhance your customer relationships with a human touch. For instance:

• Offer last-minute bookings . If someone decides to take a trip tomorrow, you can swoop in to save them a lot of stress and decision-making.
• React promptly . A fast response to a client request makes a huge impression.
• Pay attention to your writing . Invest in improving your communication skills. The goal is to get things across clearly in a way that makes you sound confident and smart. This will help build a professional image and make customers feel reassured.

Future-proof your travel agency

With growing interest in off-beat and remote travel experiences, this might be a great time to invest in your travel agency. The tips above will help you stay competitive, grow together with the travel market, and secure your target audience. A great way to start is to integrate a White Label on your website and earn affiliate rewards while helping travelers book their trips.

Now we’ll turn things over to you. What are the best ways to grow a travel agency these days? Are you following any of the trends above, or do you have a better solution you want to share? 

or with email

Using a Travel Agency to Go to Mexico City: The Pros & Cons

Travel agents can help to relieve some trip-planning stress—but working with a travel agent isn’t always the best way to travel to Mexico City.

Here, we look closely at the pros and cons of using a travel agency to go to Mexico City, measured by price, experience, personalization, safety, availability, & authenticity.

Pros : Because travel agents are  in the industry , they have connections with hotels, tour groups, and airlines in Mexico City. In theory, this means that they can get you discounted rates on top Mexico City tourist attractions. 

Cons : However, working with a travel agency means two things: they're working on commission, and you may encounter hidden fees (like travel insurance). Plus, their industry connections mean they'll point you in the same direction as everyone else. 

#2: Experience

Pros : Travel agents are experts at trip planning in Mexico City. They'll easily steer you towards CDMX's coolest attractions.

Cons :  Most travel agents rarely travel to Mexico City themselves. And far fewer actually live there.

#3: Personalization

Pros : You'll get  some  degree of personalization when you work with a travel agent in Mexico City. They'll give you a list of options. 

Cons :  However, this list can be limiting, as it's based on your agents' connections. What to do in Mexico City really depends on your travel style—not a list of pre-approved activities. 

Pros :  Travel agents will give you well-researched advice on how to stay safe in Mexico City. 

Cons :  You simply can't beat on-the-ground updates from people who actually live in Mexico City. When you have a local plan your trip, they'll provide you with tons of safety advice, including which neighborhoods to stay in Mexico City, and what Mexico City landmarks might be less safe after dark.

#5: Availability

Pros :  Travel agents will be able to answer all your Mexico City questions as they plan your trip. 

Cons :  Once you're on the ground, it might be harder to get in touch.

#6: Authenticity

Pros:  A Mexico City travel agent is, generally, an expert on traveling to Mexico City. 

Cons:    Nothing can replace local knowledge. If your travel agent doesn't  live  in Mexico City, you'll likely miss out on all the hidden gems and locally beloved spots that make CDMX such a creative, dynamic, and fascinating place. 

Leave a comment:

Select Account Type

Sign-up with

Almost there!

Find booking.

Promotional Title

How should we contact you?

Thank you! We'll get back to you as soon as possible!

Click to register and track your question !

If you would like to follow up with us:

+1 (855) 782-3006

Forgot your password?

Enter your email address below and we'll send you a reset link:

Crowdstrike Outage Update

Affected Airports - City , State Association:

• Boston, MA  (BOS)
• Charlotte, NC  (CLT)
• Chicago O’Hare, IL  (ORD)
• Dallas/Fort Worth, TX  (DFW)
• Los Angeles, CA  (LAX)
• Miami, FL  (MIA)
• New York JFK, NY  (JFK)
• New York LGA, NY  (LGA)
• Philadelphia, PA  (PHL)
• Phoenix, AZ  (PHX)
• Washington Reagan, DC  (DCA)

For complete details View

Update July 19, 2024

Affected cities: DCA, LGA, BOS

American Airlines has implemented a special exception policy to our travel partners that is now available for our mutual customers due to the Crowdstrike Outage. Our Travel Notice exception policies on American are also available when ticketed to/from/through on our Joint Business partners: This applies to both prime and codeshare flights as shown below:

Inventory Requirements

Lowest Inventory, Same Cabin

If original inventory is not available rebook lowest inventory available in the same ticketed cabin. As a reminder, customers that do not hold a Basic Economy fare should never be booked into B inventory.

Basic Economy -

• Must be booked in B inventory only. If B inventory is not available, then an alternate flight must be selected. Advance Purchase and Ticket Change restrictions are waived.

Instant Upsell -

Refer to Travel Notice Policy - Travel Agency Guidelines for rebooking guidelines and Endorsement Box requirement when the customer purchased Instant Upsell (IU) directly with American on aa.com . IU PNRs contain the following SSRs:

• OTHS AGENCY RETAINS CONTROL OF TKT FOR REISSUES
• OTHS INSTANT UPSELL ANCILLARY EMD ISSUED 001xxxxxxxxxx

Refer to Exceptions to Fare Rules .

Note: If customers are unable to rebook or reissue their ticket within the given timeline, they can cancel their reservation and use the value of the ticket toward the purchase of a new ticket; all rules and restrictions apply. Travel must commence no later than one year from the date of original issuance.

Endorsement Box Requirements

• Refer to individual Travel Notice for Event Name
• Ticket Reissue required. This is the only required verbiage and supersedes all other information.

Instant Upsell (IU) tickets must use waiver code: TNADV/IU when rebooking in the Instant Upsell Inventory IU PNRs contain the following SSRs:

Refer to Travel Notice Policy - Travel Agency Guidelines for Endorsement Box requirement when the customer purchased Instant Upsell (IU) directly with American on aa.com .

Changes to Origin/Destination - Not Allowed

• Waive Change Fee
• Ticket reissue for original ticketed fare
• 300 Mile Radius is always allowed, unless otherwise stated in the notice
• Changes to origin/destination are not permitted for the travel notice
• Any changes made to origin/destination all fare rules apply

300-Mile Radius Only - Allowed

• Within same country
• For booking inventory, view Inventory Requirements

Basic Economy Short-haul fares

book in B inventory only.If B inventory is not available, then an alternate flight must be selected.

Changes to Connection City

Changes to Co-Terminal

Changes to Co-terminal and MAC airports on AA Prime and AA*/Codeshare flights are allowed

• Co-terminal & MAC Airports are considered the same routing.  

Reissue Policy Information

American Airlines will waive change fees and travel agents may rebook and reissue tickets provided the below guidelines are met and applied:

• Ticket issued on the following ticket stock: AA 001, AY 105, BA 125, El053, IB 075, JL 131, QF 081
• Applies to AA*/ one world flights
• Travel has not commenced on the affected flight segment and the ticket has not been reissued by American Airlines
• The first departure flight is more than 2 hours away
• Affected coupons are in OK status
• Travel reissuance only in accordance to dates identified in the applicable Travel Notice Exception Advisory
• More than one change allowed without an additional collection, including penalty or change fee within the Travel Notice dates
• Original issuing agency responsible for ticket reissue
• Ticket Revalidation not permitted
• The return travel must be booked in the original class of service (inventory)
• Refer to Extend Travel Rebooking after the Travel Event
• Basic Economy must be rebooked in the appropriate Basic Economy inventory
• Please ensure the above procedures are accurately followed to prevent debit memo issuance

Rebooking - Exception to Fare Rules

Exception to Fare Rules: All fare rules apply with the exception of the following:

• Advance Purchase requirement waived
• Minimum/Maximum Stay requirement waived
• Change Fee waived
• When changes to the outbound travel occur, the unaffected return date may be changed to protect the original length of the trip. The return travel must be booked in the original class of service (inventory).

SalesLink Request

• Rebook flights in compliance with Travel Notice Exception Policy
• Log-in to SalesLink at www.saleslink.aa.com
• Request Type: select 'Service'
• Input AA PNR
• Waiver Type: select 'Travel Notice'
• Travel Notice: select applicable Travel Notice event name
• Select 'Next' - and complete request
• Verify: SalesLink approval remarks in PNR
• New Ticket Endorsement Box: Enter event name only
• Ticket Reissue required

Endorsement Box requirement: 18JUL24A or the exchange will be subject to a debit memo

Extend Travel Rebooking Guidelines

If customers are unable to rebook within the New Travel Dates, may reschedule their reservation to/from the same city or alternate cities and reissue their ticket with the below guidelines:

• Cancel their itinerary and apply the value of the original ticket towards the purchase of a new ticket for travel commencing within 1 year from the date of original issuance
• Change fee only is waived as long as the original ticket is reissued within ticket validity and the impact dates are in accordance with those identified in the Travel Notice
• Basic Economy fares may only be used towards the purchase of other Basic Economy fares.
• Residual MCO's are not allowed when using the TNADVE waiver code for reissue.
• Extend Travel Rebooking does not apply to tickets in conjunction with Instant Upsell (IU)

Refund Policy Information

When the flight is cancelled or the length of delay is 91+ minutes , travel agents may refund ticket(s) through normal GDS/ARC/BSP processing. Refer to our Schedule Irregularity policy for delays 90 minutes or less.

• Refund To Original Form Of Payment - All penalties/fees waived
• Non-Refundable Fare
• Refundable Fare with cancellation Fee
• Basic Economy Fare
• Bulk/Opaque Fare

Note: If the ticket has been exchanged by American as an INVOL submit the refund request directly with American. Refer to American Airlines Refunds .

When the flight is not cancelled or the length of delay is 90 minutes or less , a refund does not apply:

• If customer elects to cancel their reservation and use the value of the ticket toward the purchase of a new ticket outside the Travel Notice dates; may use Extend Travel Rebooking or may hold ticket for future travel; all rules and restrictions apply.
• Travel must commence no later than one year from the date of original issuance.

En route/Diversion

• Connecting customers' en route to one of the above-listed destinations or whose flights are diverted will have the option to return to their original departure city and rebook travel to alternate future dates.
• Customers should work directly with the airport to obtain a boarding pass for return travel to their original departure city. If the customer wishes to rebook travel to alternate future dates, please contact American Airlines Reservations for assistance. Alternatively, they may receive a refund if re-accommodation options are unacceptable.
• If a ticket has already been reissued by American Airlines or the ticket is partially used, travel agents must submit the refund request online at https://prefunds.aa.com/refunds/

American Airlines will continue to monitor this Travel Notice Exception Advisory and adjust this policy if needed. Changes will be posted on AA.com and www.saleslink.aa.com reference. Please check these sources frequently for the most up to date information.

• www.saleslink.aa.com Reference: Select Travel Notice Policy - Travel Agency Guidelines
• Visit www.saleslink.aa.com and navigate to AA News and Offers to view current travel notices.
• Contact your Sales Support Center 800-621-8489 or American Airlines Reservations 800-433-7300 (U.S. and Canada) or for Reservations outside the U.S. and Canada, please see our Worldwide Reservations Numbers American Airlines encourages all customers to check flight and gate status prior to leaving for the airport. For complete travel information, visit AA.com .
• Group reservations must be changed by AA Group & Meeting Travel
• Information contained on this web site is subject to change at any time without notice. American Airlines shall not be liable for any consequences resulting from your reliance on the information.

Credit cards

• View all credit cards
• Banking guide
• Loans guide
• Insurance guide
• Personal finance
• View all personal finance
• Small business
• Small business guide
• View all taxes

How to Find the Best Travel Insurance

Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners who compensate us when you take certain actions on our website or click to take an action on their website. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Table of Contents

What travel insurance covers

How much does travel insurance cost, types of travel insurance, how to get travel insurance, what to look for in travel insurance, best travel insurance comparison sites, which insurance company is best for travel insurance, when to skip travel insurance, travel insurance, recapped.

Travel insurance can cover medical expenses, emergencies, trip interruptions, baggage, rental cars and more.

Cost is affected by trip length, pre-existing medical conditions, depth of coverage, your age and add-ons.

You can get it through credit cards or third-party companies, & can shop on travel insurance comparison sites.

Before buying, evaluate risks, know existing coverage, obtain quotes online and review policy details warily.

Skip it if you buy flexible airfare and hotels, already have coverage or only book refundable activities.

Booking travel always carries some degree of uncertainty. Travel insurance provides a safety net so you can step out with confidence. You may not need travel insurance for inexpensive trips, but it can provide a sense of security when you prepay for pricey reservations, a big international trip or travel during cold and flu season, which can be unpredictable.

According to insurance comparison site Squaremouth, travelers in 2023 spent an average of $403 for comprehensive coverage, compared to $96 for medical-only policies. Comprehensive plans typically cost between 5% and 10% of the insured trip cost.

Since that price tag is no small amount, it helps to know how to shop smart for travel insurance. Here's how to find the right travel insurance plan for you and your next adventure.

Depending on the type of coverage you’re looking for, the chart below will help you determine what to look for when selecting a policy:

Depending on the policy, travel insurance reimburses you or offers services when something goes awry. There’s even coverage for the worst-case scenario: if you die in an accident while traveling. Accidental death coverage pays your beneficiary a lump sum in that case.

Before you buy, take a little time to get familiar with different types of travel insurance products, how it’s priced, and what it covers and excludes. If you’re traveling during these uncertain times, you’ll want to make sure that the policy you select covers coronavirus-related emergencies. Usually, the more thorough the coverage, the more it will cost.

Travel insurance costs vary depending on:

Length and cost of the trip: The longer and more expensive the trip, the higher the policy cost.

Cost of local health care: High health-care costs in your destination can drive up the price of trip insurance.

Medical conditions you want covered: Conditions you already have will increase the cost of travel insurance coverage.

Amount and breadth of coverage: The more risks a policy covers, the more it will cost.

Your age: Generally the older you are, the higher the price.

Any optional supplement you add to your policy : Cancel For Any Reason , Interrupt For Any Reason and more.

Keep these factors in mind when considering different travel insurance options.

You’ll find a wide selection of travel protection plans when you shop for a policy.

Typically, travel insurance is sold as a package, known as a comprehensive plan, which includes a variety of coverage.

Here are seven of the most common types of travel insurance:

Travel medical insurance

These plans provide health insurance while you’re away from home. Although in some ways these policies work like traditional health plans, generally you cannot use travel health insurance for routine medical events. For example, a routine medical checkup is usually not covered. In addition, these policies often include limitations on coverage and exclusions for pre-existing conditions.

Although most travel insurance plans cover many recreational activities, such as skiing and horseback riding, they often exclude adventure sports, such as skydiving or parasailing, or competition in organized sporting events. You may need to buy a special travel policy designed for adventure or competitive sports.

International travel insurance

Most likely, your U.S.-based medical insurance will not work while you’re traveling internationally, and Medicare does not provide any coverage once you leave the United States outside of a few very specific exemptions. If you plan on traveling abroad, purchasing travel medical insurance could make a lot of sense.

» Learn more: Travel medical insurance: Emergency coverage while you travel internationally

Trip cancellation, interruption and delay

Trip cancellation coverage reimburses you for prepaid, nonrefundable expenses if the tour operator goes out of business or you have to cancel the trip for one of the covered reasons outlined in the policy, such as:

Your own illness.

The illness or death of a family member who’s not traveling with you.

Natural disasters.

Trip interruption insurance covers the nonrefundable cost of the unused portion of the trip if it is interrupted due to a reason outlined in the policy.

Trip delay coverage reimburses you for expenses such as lodging and meals if you’re delayed during a trip (e.g., your flight gets canceled due to weather ).

Many package policies cover all three. These policies are different from the cancellation waivers that cruise lines and tour operators offer, the Insurance Information Institute says. Waivers are cheap, ranging from $40 to $60, and often include restrictions. For example, according to the institute, waivers might not refund your money if you cancel immediately before departure. Waivers are technically not insurance policies.

Some companies offer additional layers of coverage at extra cost. “Cancel For Any Reason” coverage will reimburse a large part of the trip cost, no matter why you back out. And some companies let you pay extra to cover pre-existing conditions if you cancel for medical reasons.

Some insurers and comparison sites let you customize a policy by choosing types of coverage a la carte. For example, TravelInsurance.com is a comparison site that provides quotes from different providers.

Baggage and personal belongings

How does lost luggage insurance work? This coverage reimburses you for baggage and personal belongings that are lost, stolen or damaged during the trip. Some plans also reimburse you for extra expenses if you experience a baggage delay for more than a certain period, such as 12 hours.

Your renters or homeowners insurance may cover personal belongings while you are traveling. It’s best to review your homeowners insurance policy to determine the level of coverage it provides so you do not end up paying for a benefit you already have.

» Learn more: Baggage insurance explained

Emergency medical assistance, evacuation and repatriation

This coverage pays medical expenses if you get sick or injured on a trip . Medical evacuation coverage pays for transporting you to the nearest hospital, and medical repatriation pays for flying you to your home country.

» Learn more: Can I get travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions?

24-hour assistance

This service is included with many package plans. The insurer provides a 24-hour hotline that you can call when you need help, such as booking a flight after a missed connection, finding lost luggage, or locating a doctor or lawyer.

Generally, travel insurance companies do not cover sports or any activity that can be deemed risky. If you’re thinking of incorporating adventurous activities into your vacation, choose a plan that includes adventure sports coverage.

Most travel insurers cover a wide array of services, but the specific options vary. Some plans include concierge services, providing help with restaurant referrals, tee time reservations and more. Many services also offer information before the trip, such as required vaccinations. The only way to know what’s included is to read the policy.

» Learn more: Should you insure your cruise?

Accidental death and dismemberment insurance

This coverage pays a lump sum to your beneficiary, such as a family member, if you die in an accident while on the trip. Accidental death and dismemberment insurance policies also pay a portion of the sum to you if you lose a hand, foot, limb, eyesight, speech or hearing. Some plans apply only to accidental death in a plane.

This coverage may be duplicative if you already have sufficient life insurance, which pays out whether you die in an accident or from an illness. You may also already have accidental death and dismemberment insurance through work, so it's best to check your policies to ensure you’re not overpaying.

» Learn more: NerdWallet's guide to life insurance

Rental car coverage

Rental car insurance pays for repairing your rental car if it’s damaged in a wreck, by vandals or in a natural disaster. The coverage doesn't include liability insurance, which pays for damage to other vehicles or for the medical treatment of others if you cause an accident and are held responsible.

Ask your car insurance company whether your policy will cover you when renting cars on the trip. U.S. car insurance policies generally don’t cover you when driving in other countries, except Canada.

Car insurance requirements are complex because they vary among countries. You can usually purchase liability insurance from the rental car company. Learn about car insurance requirements by searching for auto insurance by country on the U.S. Embassy website .

» Learn more: Best credit cards for rental car coverage

A note about single vs. long-term policies

Single trip insurance plans are a great option for those going on a single trip for a specific length of time (e.g., a two-week vacation) and then returning home. The price of the policy is usually determined by the cost of the trip.

Long-term travel policies cover you for multiple trips, but there are limitations to how long you can be away from home, if you can return home during your travels and how many trips you can take. In addition, trip cancellation and interruption coverage is either not offered or capped at a dollar amount that can be significantly below the total cost of all the trips taken during the covered period.

Long-term travel insurance plans — often called 'multi-trip' or 'annual travel insurance' — are a suitable option for those who travel often and are satisfied with the amount of trip cancellation coverage for all the trips they take over the duration of the policy.

» Learn more: How annual (multi-trip) travel insurance works

Below, we include how to obtain travel insurance, along with the pros and cons of each option.

Some credit cards offer trip cancellation and rental car insurance if you use the card to book the trip or car.

When you book a trip with your credit card, depending on the card you use, you may already receive trip cancellation and interruption coverage.

» Learn more: 10 credit cards that provide travel insurance

Here are a handful of credit cards that offer varying levels of travel insurance coverage for purchases made with the card.

on Chase's website

on American Express' website

• Trip delay: Up to $500 per ticket for delays more than 12 hours.

• Trip cancellation: Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $40,000 per 12-month period.

• Trip interruption: Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $40,000 per 12-month period.

• Baggage delay: Up to $100 per day for five days.

• Lost luggage: Up to $3,000 per passenger.

• Travel accident: Up to $500,000.

• Rental car insurance: Up to $75,000.

• Trip delay: Up to $500 per ticket for delays more than 6 hours.

• Travel accident: Up to $1 million.

• Rental car insurance: Up to the actual cash value of the car.

• Trip delay: Up to $500 per trip for delays more than 6 hours.

• Trip cancellation: Up to $10,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $20,000 per 12-month period.

• Trip interruption: Up to $10,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $20,000 per 12-month period.

Terms apply.

Pros: Coverage is free.

Cons: You can’t customize the insurance to meet your needs. Most credit cards offer secondary car rental insurance, which pays for the costs not covered by your regular car insurance plan.

Travel agents and travel reservation sites

You can buy travel insurance when you book your flight, hotel and car rental.

Pros: Buying is as quick and easy as clicking “yes” when you book reservations. Coverage is inexpensive.

Cons: You can’t customize the coverage.

» Learn more: Airline travel insurance vs. independent travel insurance

Travel insurance comparison sites

You can compare different policies and review quotes at once based on the trip search criteria you’ve input into the search form. Examples include marketplaces like Squaremouth or TravelInsurance.com.

Pros: You can choose a policy that fits your needs and compare policies and pricing in one place.

Cons: Comparing multiple policies takes time.

Travel insurance companies

You can purchase travel insurance directly from an insurance provider.

Pros: You can choose a policy that fits your needs. Many travel insurer websites also offer information to help you understand the coverage.

Cons: You’ll need to go to multiple websites to compare coverage and pricing.

» Learn more: The best travel insurance companies right now

Keep these tips in mind when you’re considering a trip insurance policy.

Evaluate the financial risks you face when traveling. Can you bear those costs yourself, or do you want insurance?

Examine what coverage you already have: Does your credit card offer travel insurance? Do you have renters or homeowners insurance to cover belongings? What is the deductible? Will your health plan cover you in all the locations where you travel?

Get quotes for trip insurance online. Choose a package of the benefits you need and compare prices for similar coverage among carriers.

Narrow your choices and then read the policy fine print to understand what’s covered, what’s excluded and the limits on coverage. You may find that the lowest-priced policy is too restrictive and that paying a little more gets you the coverage you need. Or you might find that the cheapest, most basic policy fits the bill.

If you don’t know which provider to go with, it makes sense to browse a list of plans on a travel insurance comparison site. These online marketplaces will often include plans from the best travel insurance companies along with customer reviews.

Squaremouth

Compare plans from more than 30 providers.

Over 86,000 customer reviews of insurers.

Under its Zero Complaint Guarantee, Squaremouth (a NerdWallet partner) will remove a provider if any customer complaint isn't resolved to its satisfaction.

Has a filter option to see policies that provide COVID-coverage.

TravelInsurance.com

Compare plans from 13 providers.

See good and poor customer ratings and reviews for each insurer when you receive quotes.

“Learning Center” includes travel insurance articles and travel tips, including important how-to information.

Quotes provided from each provider include a link to COVID-19 FAQs, making it easy for customers to review what’s covered or not.

InsureMyTrip

Compare plans from more than two dozen providers.

More than 70,000 customer reviews.

“Anytime Advocates” help customers navigate the claim process and will work on behalf of the customer to help with appealing a denied claim.

Includes a link to plans that offer COVID coverage.

Compare plans from 11 providers.

Search coverage by sporting activity, including ground, air and water sports.

Many types of plans available for students, visiting family members, new immigrants, those seeking COVID quarantine coverage and more.

Compare different insurance plans from 35 providers.

Over 5,600 customer reviews on Trustpilot, with an average 4.9 stars out of five.

Formerly known as AardvarkCompare, AARDY includes a “Travel Insurance 101” learning center to help customers understand various policies and benefits.

Quote search results page includes COVID-coverage highlighted in a different color to make it easier for customers to review related limits.

Whether you’re looking for an international travel insurance plan, emergency medical care, COVID coverage or a policy that includes extreme sports, these providers have you covered.

Our full analysis and more details about each organization can be found here: The Best Travel Insurance Companies Today .

Allianz Global Assistance .

Travel Guard by AIG .

USI Affinity Travel Insurance Services .

Travel Insured International .

World Nomads .

Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection .

Travelex Insurance Services .

Seven Corners .

AXA Assistance USA .

There are a few scenarios when spending extra on travel insurance doesn't really make sense, like:

You booked flexible airline tickets.

Your hotel room has a good cancellation policy.

It's already included in your credit card.

You haven't booked any nonrefundable activities.

» Learn more: When you don't need travel insurance

Yes, especially for nonrefundable trips and travel during the COVID-era. Whether you purchase a comprehensive travel insurance policy or have travel insurance from your credit card, you shouldn't travel without having some sort of travel protection in place to safeguard you and your trip. Travel insurance can protect you in case of an unexpected emergency such as a canceled flight due to weather, a medical event that requires hospitalization, lost luggage and more.

There are many good travel insurance policies out there and a policy that may be great for you may not be good for someone else. Selecting the best plan depends on what coverage you would like and your trip details.

For example, World Nomads offers a comprehensive travel insurance policy that has excellent coverage for adventure sports. Allianz provides coverage for trips of varying lengths of time through its single trip plans and multi-trip plans. Some providers offer add-on options like Cancel For Any Reason travel insurance. If you’re not sure which plan to go with, consider looking at trip insurance comparison sites like Squaremouth or Insuremytrip.

Yes, you can. However, it's better to purchase it sooner rather than later, ideally right after booking your trip because the benefits begin as soon as you purchase a policy.

Let’s say you’re going on a trip in a month and a week before departure, you fall and break your leg. If you’ve purchased a travel insurance policy, you can use your trip cancellation benefits to get your nonrefundable deposit back.

Most comprehensive travel insurance plans offer trip cancellation, trip interruption, emergency medical and dental, medical evacuation, trip delay and lost luggage coverage. Many plans offer COVID coverage, but you’ll always want to check to ensure that the policy you choose provides that benefit if you’re traveling during these times. Some plans may also allow you to add features like Cancel For Any Reason travel insurance.

It depends which credit card you have. Premium travel cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express offer travel insurance benefits if you book a trip using your card or points.

However, the coverage provided by the credit cards is usually lower than if you purchased a standalone policy. Review the travel insurance benefits on your credit card and check that the limits are adequate before foregoing from purchasing a separate plan.

Let’s say you’re going on a trip in a month and a week before departure, you fall and break your leg. If you’ve purchased a travel insurance policy, you can use your

trip cancellation benefits

to get your nonrefundable deposit back.

It depends which credit card you have. Premium travel cards like the

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

The Platinum Card® from American Express

offer travel insurance benefits if you book a trip using your card or points.

Unpredictability is one of the mind-opening joys of travel, but travel insurance should contain no surprises. The time you spend to understand your options will be well worth the peace of mind as you embark on your next adventure.

Whether you’re seeking a single or a long-term policy, each travel insurance option offers different strengths and weaknesses. Choosing the right policy depends on your trip needs, your budget and how important various benefits are to you.

Keep reading

If you want to dig in deeper to world of travel insurance, these resources will point you in the right direction.

What is travel insurance?

How much is travel insurance?

Is travel insurance worth it?

What does travel insurance cover?

Does travel insurance cover COVID?

Insurance Benefit: Trip Delay Insurance

Up to $500 per Covered Trip that is delayed for more than 6 hours; and 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period.

Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply.

Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.

Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

Insurance Benefit: Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance

The maximum benefit amount for Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance is $10,000 per Covered Trip and $20,000 per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period.

Insurance Benefit: Baggage Insurance Plan

Baggage Insurance Plan coverage can be in effect for Covered Persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage during their travel on a Common Carrier Vehicle (e.g., plane, train, ship, or bus) when the Entire Fare for a ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an Eligible Card. Coverage can be provided for up to $2,000 for checked Baggage and up to a combined maximum of $3,000 for checked and carry-on Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier. The coverage is also subject to a $3,000 aggregate limit per Covered Trip. For New York State residents, there is a $2,000 per bag/suitcase limit for each Covered Person with a $10,000 aggregate maximum for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip.

Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Insurance Benefit: Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance

Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply.

Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

1x-10x Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-2x Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases. Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services, and select streaming. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

50,000 Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

• Bratsk Tourism
• Bratsk Itineraries
• Bratsk Hotels

Top Tourist Attractions in Bratsk

• Things To Do In Bratsk

Best Things To Do in Bratsk, Russia

Have you ever visited a new place and felt ‘wow’ about it? For many visitors, it happens at Bratsk.

Bratsk may not be as popular as other cities in Russia, but don’t let that fool you. Bratsk is a smaller but beautiful upcoming tourist destination that is worth a visit. You will be surprised by some of the unique things to do and places you can explore at this hidden destination.

You might wish to revisit it someday again, to take a break and relax at Bratsk.

If you have plans to visit Russia and are not sure if Bratsk should be included in your itinerary, keep reading. In this list, we have put together some of the things to do in Bratsk and around. We have a hunch that if you include this city in your travel plans, you will be thrilled you did so.

Tourist Attractions in Bratsk

Here is the list of things to do in Bratsk and tourist attractions in city.

Bratsk Airport

Address: Bratsk Airport ul. Aeroportovaya, 1 Bratsk, Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, 665700

• Things to do in Chunskiy
• What to do in Bratsk in 1 day
• What to do in Bratsk in 2 days

• Visit Our Blog about Russia to know more about Russian sights, history
• Check out our Russian cities and regions guides
• Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to better understand Russia
• Info about getting Russian visa , the main airports , how to rent an apartment
• Our Expert answers your questions about Russia, some tips about sending flowers

Russian regions

• Altay republic
• Irkutsk oblast
• Kemerovo oblast
• Khakassia republic
• Krasnoyarsk krai
• Novosibirsk oblast
• Omsk oblast
• Tomsk oblast
• Tuva republic
• Map of Russia
• All cities and regions
• Blog about Russia
• News from Russia
• How to get a visa
• Flights to Russia
• Russian hotels
• Renting apartments
• Russian currency
• FIFA World Cup 2018
• Submit an article
• Flowers to Russia
• Ask our Expert

Irkutsk Oblast, Russia

The capital city of Irkutsk oblast: Irkutsk .

Irkutsk Oblast - Overview

Irkutsk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia located in Eastern Siberia, in the south-eastern part of the Siberian Federal District. Irkutsk is the capital city of the region.

The population of Irkutsk Oblast is about 2,357,000 (2022), the area - 774,846 sq. km.

Irkutsk oblast flag

Irkutsk oblast coat of arms.

Irkutsk oblast map, Russia

Irkutsk oblast latest news and posts from our blog:.

19 April, 2023 / Steam Locomotive of the Circum-Baikal Railway .

8 June, 2021 / Irkutsk - the view from above .

4 April, 2019 / Cities of Russia at Night - the Views from Space .

16 November, 2017 / The Lost World of Tofalaria .

22 September, 2016 / The train ride along the shore of Lake Baikal .

More posts..

News, notes and thoughts:

5 October, 2013   / Typical news from Russia. In Irkutsk region, the bear made his way in one of the cottages located near Ust-Ilimsk. By night, the bear climbed onto the veranda through the window and ate the whole pot of borsch while owners were in the banya. Arrived on the scene the police shot into the air and the bear ran into the woods.

Irkutsk Oblast - Economy

Irkutsk Oblast is rich in such natural resources as oil, natural gas, gold, iron, coal. It is an important transport hub of Siberia - the Trans-Siberian Railway and the Baikal-Amur Railway pass through its territory. The main rivers are the Angara, Belaya, Iya, Kitoy, Irkut, Oka, Lena, Kirenga, and Nizhnaya Tunguska.

This region plays a significant role in the Russian industry. In the all-Russian production it makes about 6,5% of power production, 15% of timber export, 6% of coal mining, almost 20% of pulp production, over 10% of carton, about 9% of oil.

The following industries are the most developed: timber and wood-processing, pulp and paper, mining, fuel, non-ferrous metallurgy, power engineering, machine-building, chemical and oil, food and ferrous metallurgy. Hydro-power industry is also well developed (the main dams: Irkutsk Dam, Bratsk Dam, Ust-Ilimsk Dam). Industrial enterprises are mainly located in Irkutsk and several district centers.

The railway is the main means of transport. The main transport line is the Trans-Siberian Railway. The western part of the Baikal-Amur Railway stretches from the town of Taishet to the east through the territory of the region. The total length of railways is about 2,500 km.

There are two airports in the cities of Irkutsk and Bratsk, they are international airports and offer flights to China, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan, South Korea.

Several large navigable rivers flow through the region - the Angara, Lena, Nizhnyaya Tunguska. The largest ports are located on the Lena - Kirensk and Osetrovo. They provide cargo transportation to the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and the northern seaport of Tixi.

Nature of Irkutsk Oblast

Beautiful nature of the Irkutsk region

Author: Kovalev Maksim

River in Irkutsk Oblast

Author: Roman Romanov

Lake in Irkutsk Oblast

Author: V.Chokan

Irkutsk Oblast - Features

Irkutsk Oblast is a large subject of the Russian Federation that is almost equal to the territory of Turkey. It is the largest region of Russia that has no outlet to the sea. From north to south the region stretches for about 1,450 km, from west to east - for 1,318 km.

The distance from Irkutsk to Moscow by rail - 5,192 km, to Vladivostok - 4,106 km. Time difference between Irkutsk and Moscow - 5 hours. The largest cities and towns of Irkutsk Oblast are Irkutsk (617,200), Bratsk (222,500), Angarsk (220,000), Ust-Ilimsk (78,700), Usolie-Sibirskoye (73,800).

The climate in the Irkutsk region is sharply continental, with long cold winters and short hot and dry summers.

Irkutsk Oblast has a rich history: ancient sites, the Russians settling in eastern Siberia, Decembrists, the Soviet construction sites - there are historical monuments in almost every settlement. Over 60 museums are open in the region, they attract historians and tourists from Europe and Asia.

Attractions of Irkutsk Oblast

Baikal , the largest freshwater lake in the world, occupies a special place among the riches of Siberia. This lake is a wonderful natural monument known for its extremely clean, very clear water. Baikal is a unique sea-lake sung in legends and tales of antiquity, one the centers of Asian culture. It is a great place for eco-tourism.

The Circum-Baikal Railway , offering stunning views of the lake and its surroundings, is one of the most visited places of the region. It is an amazing piece of engineering, a historical monument of the 19th century. There are 38 tunnels with total length of 9,063 m, 15 stone galleries, 3 concrete galleries, 248 bridges and viaducts, 172 architectural monuments.

Olkhon , the largest on Lake Baikal, is also popular among tourists. In Buryat folk legends, Olkhon Island is a mysterious place; to this day it is known as the center of shamanism.

Khamar-Daban, Primorsky, North Baikal ridges, Sayan spurs, Olkhinskoye plateau are unique place not only for mountaineering but also for downhill skiing. Tourists are also attracted by mountain skiing in Baikalsk city.

About 60 km from Irkutsk there is an architectural and ethnographical museum “Taltsy”.

Irkutsk oblast of Russia photos

Pictures of irkutsk oblast.

Early autumn in the Irkutsk region

Author: Taranovsky

Sunset in Irkutsk Oblast

Author: Konstantin Vavilov

Church in Irkutsk Oblast

Orthodox church in the Irkutsk region

Author: Gennady Taraskov

• Currently 3.06/5

Rating: 3.1 /5 (170 votes cast)

Sponsored Links:

What we know about CrowdStrike’s update fail that’s causing global outages and travel chaos

A faulty software update issued by security giant CrowdStrike has resulted in a massive overnight outage that’s affected Windows computers around the world , disrupting businesses, airports, train stations, banks, broadcasters and the healthcare sector.

CrowdStrike said the outage was not caused by a cyberattack, but was the result of a “defect” in a software update for its flagship security product, Falcon Sensor. The defect caused any Windows computers that Falcon is installed on to crash without fully loading.

“The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed,” said CrowdStrike in a statement on Friday . Some businesses and organizations are beginning to recover, but many expect the outages to drag on into the weekend or next week given the complexity of the fix. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz told NBC News that it may take “some time for some systems that just automatically won’t recover.” In a later tweet , Kurtz apologized for the disruption.

Here’s everything you need to know about the outages.

What happened?

Late Thursday into Friday, reports began to emerge of IT problems wherein Windows computers were getting stuck with the infamous “blue screen of death” — a bright blue error screen with a message that displays when Windows encounters a critical failure, crashes or cannot load.

The outages were first noticed in Australia early on Friday, and reports quickly came in from the rest of Asia and Europe as the regions began their day, as well as the United States.

Within a short time, CrowdStrike confirmed that a software update for Falcon had malfunctioned and was causing Windows computers that had the software installed to crash. Falcon lets CrowdStrike remotely analyze and check for malicious threats and malware on installed computers.

At around the same time, Microsoft reported a significant outage at one of its most used Azure cloud regions covering much of the central United States. A spokesperson for Microsoft told TechCrunch that its outage was unrelated to CrowdStrike’s incident .

Around Friday noon (Eastern time), Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella posted on X saying the company is aware of the CrowdStrike botched update and is “working closely with CrowdStrike and across the industry to provide customers technical guidance and support to safely bring their systems back online.”

What is CrowdStrike and what does Falcon Sensor do?

CrowdStrike, founded in 2011, has quickly grown into a cybersecurity giant. Today the company provides software and services to 29,000 corporate customers, including around half of Fortune 500 companies, 43 out of 50 U.S. states and eight out of the top 10 tech firms, according to its website .

The company’s cybersecurity software, Falcon, is used by enterprises to manage security on millions of computers around the world. These businesses include large corporations, hospitals, transportation hubs and government departments. Most consumer devices do not run Falcon and are unaffected by this outage.

One of the company’s biggest recent claims to fame was when it caught a group of Russian government hackers breaking into the Democratic National Committee ahead of the 2016 U.S. presidential election. CrowdStrike is also known for using memorable animal-themed names for the hacking groups it tracks based on their nationality, such as: Fancy Bear , believed to be part of Russia’s General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate, or GRU; Cozy Bear , believed to be part of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, or SVR; Gothic Panda , believed to be a Chinese government group; and Charming Kitten , believed to be an Iranian state-backed group. The company even makes action figures to represent these groups, which it sells as swag .

CrowdStrike is so big it’s one of the sponsors of the Mercedes F1 team , and this year even aired a Super Bowl ad — a first for a cybersecurity company. 

Who are the outages affecting?

Practically anyone who during their everyday life interacts with a computer system running software from CrowdStrike is affected, even if the computer isn’t theirs. 

These devices include the cash registers at grocery stores, departure boards at airports and train stations, school computers, your work-issued laptops and desktops, airport check-in systems, airlines’ own ticketing and scheduling platforms, healthcare networks and many more. Because CrowdStrike’s software is so ubiquitous, the outages are causing chaos around the world in a variety of ways. A single affected Windows computer in a fleet of systems could be enough to disrupt the network. 

TechCrunch reporters around the world are seeing and experiencing outages, including at points of travel, doctors’ offices and online. Early on Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration put in effect a ground stop, effectively grounding flights across the United States, citing the disruption. It looks like so far the national Amtrak rail network is functioning as normal. 

What is the U.S. government doing so far?

Given that the problem stems from a company, there isn’t much that the U.S. federal government can do. According to a pool report, President Biden was briefed on the CrowdStrike outage, and “his team is in touch with CrowdStrike and impacted entities.” That’s in large part because the federal government is a customer of CrowdStrike and also affected.

Several federal agencies are affected by the incident, including the Department of Education , and Social Security Administration, which said Friday that it closed its offices as a result of the outage.

The pool report said Biden’s team is “engaged across the interagency to get sector by sector updates throughout the day and is standing by to provide assistance as needed.” 

In a separate tweet, Homeland Security said it was working with its U.S. cybersecurity agency CISA, CrowdStrike and Microsoft — as well as its federal, state, local and critical infrastructure partners — to “fully assess and address system outages.”

There will no doubt be questions for CrowdStrike (and to some extent Microsoft, whose unrelated outage also caused disruption overnight for its customers) from government and congressional investigators. 

For now, the immediate focus will be on the recovery of affected systems.

How do affected customers fix their Windows computers?

The major problem here is that CrowdStrike’s Falcon Sensor software malfunctioned, causing Windows machines to crash, and there’s no easy way to fix that. 

So far, CrowdStrike has issued a patch, and it has also detailed a workaround that could help affected systems function normally until it has a permanent solution. One option is for users to “reboot the [affected computer] to give it an opportunity to download the reverted channel file,” referring to the fixed file.

In a message to users , CrowdStrike detailed a few steps customers can take, one of which requires physical access to an affected system to remove the defective file. CrowdStrike says users should boot the computer into Safe Mode or Windows Recovery Environment, navigate to the CrowdStrike directory, and delete the faulty file “C-00000291*.sys.”

The wider problem with having to fix the file manually could be a major headache for companies and organizations with large numbers of computers, or Windows-powered servers in datacenters or locations that might be in another region, or an entirely different country.

CISA warns that malicious actors are ‘taking advantage’ of the outage

In a statement on Friday, CISA attributed the outages to the faulty CrowdStrike update and that the issue was not due to a cyberattack. CISA said that it was “working closely with CrowdStrike and federal, state, local, tribal and territorial partners, as well as critical infrastructure and international partners to assess impacts and support remediation efforts.”

CISA did note, however, that it has “observed threat actors taking advantage of this incident for phishing and other malicious activity.” The cybersecurity agency did not provide more specifics, but warned organizations to stay vigilant.

Malicious actors can and will exploit confusion and chaos to carry out cyberattacks on their own. Rachel Tobac, a social engineering expert and founder of cybersecurity firm SocialProof Security, said in a series of posts on X to “verify people are who they say they are before taking sensitive actions.”

“Criminals will attempt to use this IT outage to pretend to be IT to you or you to IT to steal access, passwords, codes, etc.,” Tobac said.

What do we know about misinformation so far?

It’s easy to understand why some might have thought that this outage was a cyberattack. Sudden outages, blue screens at airports, office computers filled with error messages, and chaos and confusion. As you might expect, a fair amount of misinformation is already flying around , even as social media sites incorrectly flag trending topics like “cyberattack.”

Remember to check official sources of news and information, and if something seems too good to be true, it might just well be.

TechCrunch will keep this report updated throughout the day.

TechCrunch’s Ram Iyer contributed reporting.

More TechCrunch

Get the industry’s biggest tech news, techcrunch daily news.

Every weekday and Sunday, you can get the best of TechCrunch’s coverage.

Startups Weekly

Startups are the core of TechCrunch, so get our best coverage delivered weekly.

TechCrunch Fintech

The latest Fintech news and analysis, delivered every Tuesday.

TechCrunch Mobility

TechCrunch Mobility is your destination for transportation news and insight.

CRED launches personal finance manager for India’s affluent

CRED, an Indian fintech startup, has rolled out a new feature that will help its customers manage and gain deeper insights into their cash flow, as startup seeks to drive…

A new Chinese video-generating model appears to be censoring politically sensitive topics

A powerful new video-generating AI model became widely available today — but there’s a catch: The model appears to be censoring topics deemed too politically sensitive by the government in…

Star Catcher wants to build a space power grid to supercharge orbital industry

Our growth as a civilization is tightly coupled to our ability to sufficiently generate ever-increasing amounts of electricity. Could the same be true in space?  Star Catcher Industries, a startup…

Mistral’s Large 2 is its answer to Meta and OpenAI’s latest models

For frontier AI models, when it rains, it pours. Mistral released a fresh new flagship model on Wednesday, Large 2, which it claims to be on par with the latest…

Researchers are training home robots in simulations based on iPhone scans

Researchers at MIT CSAIL this week are showcasing a new method for training home robots in simulation.

Apple Maps launches on the web to challenge Google Maps

Apple announced on Wednesday that Apple Maps is now available on the web via a public beta, which means you can now access the service directly from your browser. The…

Alternative app store AltStore PAL adds third-party iOS apps in wake of EU Apple ruling

AltStore, an alternative app store, has launched its first batch of third-party iOS apps in the European Union. The rollout comes a few months after the company launched an updated…

Bing previews its answer to Google’s AI Overviews

Microsoft this afternoon previewed its answer to Google’s AI-powered search experiences: Bing generative search. Available for only a “small percentage” of users at the moment, Bing generative search, underpinned by…

This Week in AI: How Kamala Harris might regulate AI

Hiya, folks, welcome to TechCrunch’s regular AI newsletter. Last Sunday, President Joe Biden announced that he no longer plans to seek reelection, instead offering his “full endorsement” of VP Kamala…

VCs are still pouring billions into generative AI startups

But the fate of many generative AI businesses — even the best-funded ones — looks murky.

Colin Kaepernick lost control of his story. Now he wants to help creators own theirs

Thousands of stories have been written about former NFL quarterback and civil rights activist Colin Kaepernick. If anyone knows a thing or two about losing control of your own narrative,…

CrowdStrike offers a $10 apology gift card to say sorry for outage

Several people who received the CrowdStrike offer found that the gift card didn’t work, while others got an error saying the voucher had been canceled.

TikTok Lite exposes users to harmful content, say Mozilla researchers

TikTok Lite, a low-bandwidth version of the video platform popular across Africa, Asia and Latin America, is exposing users to harmful content because of its lack of safety features compared…

‘Model collapse’: Scientists warn against letting AI eat its own tail

If the models continue eating each other’s data, perhaps without even knowing it, they’ll progressively get weirder and dumber until they collapse.

Astranis is set to build Omega constellation after $200M Series D

Astranis has fully funded its next-generation satellite program, called Omega, after closing its $200 million Series D round, the company said Wednesday.  “This next satellite is really the milestone into…

After AgentGPT’s success, Reworkd pivots to web-scraping AI agents

Reworkd’s founders went viral on GitHub last year with AgentGPT, a free tool to build AI agents that acquired more than 100,000 daily users in a week. This earned them…

Announcing the agenda for the AI Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024

We’re so excited to announce that we’ve added a dedicated AI Stage presented by Google Cloud to TechCrunch Disrupt 2024. It joins Fintech, SaaS and Space as the other industry-focused…

CityRock launches second fund to back founders from diverse backgrounds

The firm has numerous legs to it, ranging from a venture studio to standard funds, where it does everything from co-founding companies to deploying capital.

X launches underwhelming Grok-powered ‘More About This Account’ feature

Since launching xAI last year, Elon Musk has been using X as a sandbox to test some of the Grok model’s AI capabilities. Beyond the basic chatbot, X uses the…

Lakera, which protects enterprises from LLM vulnerabilities, raises $20M

Lakera, a Swiss startup that’s building technology to protect generative AI applications from malicious prompts and other threats, has raised $20 million in a Series A round led by European…

Google Play gets ‘Comics’ feature for manga readers in Japan

Alongside a slew of announcements for Play — such as AI-powered app comparisons and a feature that bundles similar apps — Google has introduced new “Curated Spaces,” hubs dedicated to…

Micropep taps tiny proteins to make pesticides safer

Farmers have got to do something about pests. But nobody really likes the idea of using more chemical pesticides. Thomas Laurent’s company, Micropep, thinks the answer might already be in…

Google adds AI-powered comparisons, collections and more data controls to Play Store

Play Store is getting AI-powered app comparisons, automatically organized categories for similar apps, dedicated hubs for content, data personalization controls, support for playing multiple mobile games on PCs, and more…

Vanta raises $150M Series C, now valued at $2.45B

Vanta, a trust management platform that helps businesses automate much of their security and compliance processes, today announced that it has raised a $150 million Series C funding round led…

Backed by Microsoft, AWS and Meta, the Overture Maps Foundation launches its first open map datasets

The Overture Maps Foundation is today releasing data sets for 2.3B building “footprints” globally, 54M notable places of interest, a visual overlay of “boundaries,” and land and water features such…

Dazz snaps up $50M for AI-based, automated cloud security remediation

The startup is not disclosing its valuation, but sources close to the company say the figure is just under $400 million post-money.

Apple’s App Store hit with antitrust probe in Spain

The outcome of the Spanish authority’s probe could take up to two years to complete, and leave Apple on the hook for fines in the billions.

Proton releases a self-custody bitcoin wallet

Proton’s first cryptocurrency product is a wallet called Proton Wallet that’s designed to make it easier to get started with bitcoin.

Pearl raises $58M to help dentists make better diagnoses using AI 

Dental care is a necessity, yet many patients lack confidence in their dentists’ ability to provide accurate diagnoses and appropriate treatments. Some dentists overtreat patients, leading to unnecessary expenses, while…

Spanish startup Exoticca raises a €60M Series D for its tour packages platform

Exoticca’s platform connects flights, hotels, meals, transfers, transportation and more, plus the local companies at the destinations.