Isn’t it about time your passion for travel and your writing skills gave you a reliable source of freelance income? Whether you are an experienced or a new writer, just read each publication’s submission guidelines and their previously published content before crafting your pitch. Once you find the right one for you, tailor your ideas to the publication’s audience and editorial style to improve your chances of acceptance. 

1. Escapism

Escapism is a top travel website and magazine that publishes stories from all over the world. They target people who want to take a break from their day-to-day life and experience something new and unique.

They accept pitches from writers for travel features and guides that are engaging, well-researched, and inspiring readers to explore new destinations and perspectives. Escapism has a sister site, Foodism, which covers food and beverage, and also accepts pitches with a travel angle. Payment for features is $600 for 1,200–1,500 words, while guides pay $0.40 per word, with a word count of around 500 words.

Submission guidelines: https://foodism.ca/write-for-us/

2. Italy Magazine

Italy magazine is an authoritative publication dedicated to all things Italian, such as travel, culture, food, history, and lifestyle. Their mission is to give readers, both locals and international, a better understanding and to stay connected to Italy.

The publication welcomes pitches from writers who have firsthand knowledge of Italy and who are aware of the needs of travelers. Their preferred article length is between 800 and 1400 words, and the payment is between $.15 and $.20 per word.

Submission guidelines: https://www.italymagazine.com/pitch

3. Horizon Guides

Horizon Guides publishes in-depth travel guides and destination resources designed to help travelers plan meaningful experiences. They are in the market for features for “The Journal” section and in-depth travel guides.

The Journal needs stories about people, events, places, and interesting social/political issues. The guides usually focus on a single activity or experience in a given location. Their rates vary depending on the length, but they pay anywhere from £200+ for features and upwards of £400+ for guides.

Submission guidelines: https://horizonguides.com/journalists

4. Afar

Afar is one of the most respected print and digital publications in travel journalism. Afar magazine covers stories of places and the people who live there. The publication is looking for high-quality articles on transformative travel experiences, cultural immersion, sustainability, and global destinations. For magazine stories, the rate starts at $1/word; for website stories, it starts at $0.50/word and goes up to $ 2/word. The word count varies depending on the category.

Submission guidelines: https://www.afar.com/about/pitch-guidelines

5. Going

Going helps travelers find travel opportunities and airfare that are pocket-friendly. They accept pitches from writers on a variety of topics such as travel tips, destination inspiration, and practical travel advice. Their preferred word count varies depending on the category, and the payment starts from $250 per accepted article.

Submission guidelines: https://www.going.com/write-for-us

6. Intrepid Times

Intrepid Times is a publication that focuses on narrative travel writing that gives the reader the essence of place, journey, and experience. The publication values authentic storytelling over typical tourism-focused content.

Intrepid accepts submissions from writers around the world for standard travel stories, travel writing competitions, and special series. However, submissions are exclusive to subscribers of their free travel writing newsletter. Their articles are around 1500-2500 words, and payment is a flat rate of $100 per piece.

Submission guidelines: https://intrepidtimes.com/get-published/

7. France Revisited

France Revisited is an award-winning online travel magazine focused on the culture, food, history, and travel experiences related to France. The magazine is looking for submissions from writers who can provide insightful, well-informed, and engaging stories rather than promotional content. They prefer original work, although some previously published material may be considered in some cases. France Revisited pays €0.04 per word with a maximum of €50 per article.

Submission guidelines: https://francerevisited.com/write-for-us/

8. TravelPulse Canada

TravelPulse Canada is a trade magazine that covers insight, news, and original reporting for Canada’s travel space. They target travel advisors, industry decision-makers, and suppliers. The publication is accepting pitches from experienced freelance writers who can produce original, insightful travel content for a Canadian travel trade audience. The articles should be stories that entertain the readers and provide practical business information. The word count is 800-1000 words, and the payment is $250 CDN.

Submission guidelines: https://www.travelpulse.ca/write-for-us

9. Time Out

Time Out is a leading source for worldwide destinations for travelers. It stands out for its recommendations from experienced locals on food, cities, culture, drinks, amazing places, offbeat activities, and trends in key destinations. They are looking for writers to provide firsthand accounts of what is happening in their city. The stories should be entertaining, informative, and inspire the reader to want to visit the destination.

Time Out’s payment is different for each destination and is negotiated when your pitch is accepted. However, sources indicate a range of $0.15 to $0.26 per word.

Submission guidelines: https://www.timeout.com/travel/how-to-pitch-time-out-travel-stories

10. BBC Travel

BBC Travel is a section of the famous BBC and one of the world’s most prestigious publications. It focuses on culture, history, sustainability, and unique travel experiences that reveal deeper insights into destinations. The publication is looking for features with a strong travel angle that excite, inspire, and entice readers. Payment is $0.50/word according to Who Pays Writers, and the world count is 800 to 2,000 words.

Submission guidelines: https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20160106-bbc-travel-author-brief

11. 101 Holidays

101 Holidays is one of the UK’s leading travel inspiration websites specializing in holiday recommendations, destination advice, and responsible travel content.

The site is accepting pitches from experienced travelers who can provide useful and informative articles for their readers. 101 Holidays pays between £50 and £100 per article, depending on the length and complexity, usually between 800 and 1,500 words

Submission guidelines: https://www.101holidays.co.uk/submissions/

12. Family Traveller

Family Traveller is an online and print magazine that focuses on travel experiences suitable for families. They are accepting pitches from writers for well-researched, inspirational travel articles focusing on family-friendly destinations.

Story length for online articles ranges from 600 to 2,000 words, and payment is $50 per post. Also, the word count for magazine pieces ranges from 50 to 1200 words, and they pay 25 cents per word.

Submission guidelines: https://familytraveller.com/usa/writers-guidelines/

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Karoki Githure is a full-time freelance writer who passionately writes about how to make a killing as a writer. When he is not writing, he is a diehard lover of music, novels, and adventures. Connect with Karoki on Freelance Writing Jobs Worldwide and his personal website.

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