40 publications paying for travel writing

A collection of 40 online and/or print publications that pay freelance writers for travel content.

Hello!

Today, I’m sharing an updated list of 40 publications looking for freelancers to write about travel, with loads more publications and their pay rates.

If you do have any insight into specific pay rates, or you have been paid/offered something different to what I have shared here, please let me know via email (thefreelancewritingnetwork@gmail.com) or by messaging me on Substack.

---

40 Publications Paying for Travel Writing

• AFAR is a print and digital publication focused on experiential travel. Their rates start at $1 per word for the magazine, though the website pays slightly less than this at $0.50 per word. Pitch guide here.

• Outside publishes stories about adventure sports, gear, travel, fitness, health, culture, and the environment. They’re always on the lookout for reporting, essays, service pieces, and media reviews focused on the outdoor world. Rates typically start at $0.50 per word for online stories and go up from there, depending on the complexity of the reporting and your experience as a writer. Pitch guidelines can be found here.

• 101 Holidays is the UK’s leading travel inspiration site, with more than 4 million people having used the platform to research their holidays. Writers can submit travel articles to the team of editors. They pay between £50 and £100 per article published, depending on its length and complexity.

• Ori is: ‘A travel magazine aiming to flip the script on the traditional travel space, prioritizing local contributors and creatives to tell our global stories. Where we have built magazines on the “36 Hours In” model, our mission at Ori is to go deeper and tell the stories that educate and inspire. Think more cultural exchange and less cultural extraction.’ Features pay $0.50 a word and up. Details here.

• Thrillist is a digital media publication at the intersection of travel, experience, and local culture. They are always looking for pitches from writers, photographers, videographers, and contributors of all backgrounds, and especially those whose voices have historically been under-represented in travel journalism. Thrillist publish travel guides, maps, and itineraries for destinations near and far as well as reports and features on people, places, and phenomena that allow us to explore and better understand the world around us. They have paid as much as $800 in the past. To find out more, check out their pitch guidelines.

• Business Insider welcome pitches linked to travel year round. Their best advice for deciding what to pitch: Read the site. Get a feel for the types of stories we run. Don't pitch stories we've already written. Be creative, and use a Business Insider-style headline in the subject line of your email. Business Insider generally pay in the $200-$300 range for this kind of work. Guidelines here.