Do you have wanderlust flowing in you, more like your blood? Do you want to get paid to travel the world? Then it’s something you need to satisfy, or else you could die of boredom. (Yes, it’s like denying an extrovert the chance to go out to meet people). Ideally, you should be traveling to exotic destinations with your backpack and laptop or tablet, experiencing new things daily and meeting dynamic people from all over the world.
But tourism has now become much more expensive than before, with increasing airfare and hotel rooms now going for exorbitant prices. To travel, even on a budget, you need a good amount of money for transportation, insurance, lodging, food, fun, and other great experiences that might pop up during your stay, such as trade fairs, music shows, sporting events, and so on.
So, the present day economic situation is really working against many people’s wishes to satisfying their insatiable wanderlust. But what if you had the opportunity to experience new cultures, traverse through beautiful landscapes, and meet new people without spending a dime? What if you could even get paid for doing what you love? You would jump at the opportunity, right?
Here, we have compiled five ways you can spend days, weeks, or even months in exotic lands, while earning some cash:
5 Awesome Career/Job or Business Ideas for Travel Lovers
1. Teach English in a foreign country
One of the easiest and most lucrative ways to get into foreign lands is to take up a job teaching English. The demand for English teachers is particularly high in Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, and most of them don’t even require that you are a native speaker of the language yourself.
And if you are a native English speaker, you have a bigger advantage. Schools in non-English speaking countries are hiring English speakers who can teach the “direct method” by which students learn through concepts, gestures and body language, and the target language exclusively.
Although not all schools make it a requirement, a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certification can improve your chances and make you a more desirable candidate. In countries such as Japan and United Arab Emirates, English language teachers earn up to $40,000 a year.
2. Become a tour guide
Leading tours through some of the most iconic and historic places in the world could really be a dream come true for you, as it can afford you a variety of opportunities.
Imagine yourself becoming a tour guide in a dream place—like Paris—and leading hordes of American tourists through The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and the Bastille. Similarly, you can lead them on longer trips that go through a series of destinations. Either option can fetch you a decent income whilst availing you the opportunity to see new cultures.
Working as a tour guide has its own cons, though. If you are staying in one location, chances are that you will be working freelance, which may mean uneven paydays and a lack of job security. While some freelance tour guides charge tourists upfront for their services, others give free tours and try to use their personalities to get tips from generous tourists.
On the other hand, however, you may be lucky enough to get a contract or a full-time gig from a touring company. This adds stability, but you will be dealing with all the logistics, planning, and headaches that come with trying to manage a group of tourists for weeks at a time.
It goes without saying that working as a tour guide requires you to be extroverted and friendly at all times, even on days when you wake up on the wrong side of the bed.
3. Start an import-export business
This actually requires some capital to start with. Consider getting in the import-export trade and head out to exotic countries to find products that will appeal to travel-hungry consumers back home.
Local, specialty, and handmade goods usually sell very well. But you need to select goods that certain areas are known for (such as Italian leather, Turkish ceramics, Arab clothing, Mexican hammocks, etc) as well as one-of-a-kind products that can’t be purchased in large quantities.
Once you are back at home, you can sell the products to stores, collectors, or other individuals for a handsome profit. You can even sell online through stores like EBay. Note however, that you will have to figure out how to navigate customs regulations that apply in your country. You don’t want to get apprehended for what you are not doing.
4. Become a flight attendant
If spending some hours of your day in the skies means no problem or worries to you, then becoming a flight attendant is a great option that combines good pay with the opportunity to travel to different parts of the world. On the average, flight attendants make $35,000 a year, and they get free travel benefits for themselves and their families. While the pay might seem low to you, you should consider that the average flight attendant works for just 20 hours a week.
5. Work for a cruise line
By working on a cruise ship, you get the opportunity to visit exotic locales. Sadly, the job usually comes with long hours of relatively low pay. But the bright side is that you enjoy free travel with all expenses paid. And crew members have their own dining halls, Internet cafes, gyms, party areas, shops, and even organized activities, which creates a fun culture.
There are numerous job positions on a ship, from washing dishes to chaperoning passengers on exotic excursions. While there is an expected difference in paycheck, other benefits are usually distributed equally and evenly.