Finding a job that allows you to travel the world is getting increasingly easier as the decades pass. This is especially true right now: if we’ve learned something from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s that we may actually be even more productive if we’re allowed to work remotely. So, many people are wondering: if I can do my job from home, then why can’t I do it from some idyllic beachside town in Costa Rica?!
Truth be told, remote work online is only one of many options available for those looking to travel and work.
Wondering what the best careers are for those who love to travel? Well, from tour guiding, to managing, to teaching in international schools in China, here are the top 5!
Digital Nomad
What happens when you take the career you have now and continue it remotely? You become a digital nomad! One of the best travel careers for those who love to travel in the 21st century, digital nomading takes (almost) any job, adds top-notch internet connection, and rewards you with a steady flow of income and the freedom to do your job anywhere in the world you like.
Remote working suits graphic designers, programmers, tutors, writers, editors, and even yoga instructors, who carry out private lessons via Zoom. Any job you can do remotely from home, you can do from a drop-dead-gorgeous location abroad, provided the Wi-Fi is on point!
Options for freelancers are enormous here, but you need to be flexible and creative to make this option work for you. Some international destinations are trying hard to attract digital nomads, offering special visas that allow you to stay longer than on standard tourist visas. Why the need for this? Because if you are anywhere on a tourist visa, you are technically not allowed to earn money there (yes, even if it’s online and yes, even if the client is in another country), so the legal waters can be murky in this regard. Will anyone find out if you rent a seaside cottage for two months in Indonesia while you complete a freelance online project? Probably not! Should you be posting about your amazing gig living in a super cheap country while earning big bucks all over Twitter? Probably not, either.
Flight Attendant
The original and still one of the best careers for those who love to travel? You bet!
2021 may not be the right year to dab into this very popular travel-oriented career. But hey, all crises must come to an end at some point, right? Flight attendants can enjoy a very sweet gig galivanting about the globe, but don’t let anyone fool you into thinking this is an easy job.
Perennial jet lag and constantly missing out on milestone celebrations back home (like, say, Christmas with the family) are the two most quoted downsides. However, getting to spend long weekends in some of the world’s most exciting and beautiful cities is a huge plus.
Resort/Hotel/Hostel/Campsite Manager
You’ll definitely need top-notch qualifications if you wish to manage a 5-star resort in the Maldives, but to be honest, you can also manage a backpacker’s hostel in Peru, and that can be just as awesome. Most establishments on the lower end of the tourism market just want someone friendly, outgoing, responsible, and trustworthy. Plus, each place runs to its own drum, so you’ll get training on the job.
Speak to experienced digital nomads, and they’ll tell you that being offered a job managing ‘something’ happens very often the more and longer you travel.
Tour Guide/Tourism jobs
The tourism industry offers endless possibilities for those who truly love travel in all its forms. Sure, you will be somewhat restricted in where, what, and how you travel. But when you take on a job as a tour guide, scuba diving, surfing, or skiing instructor, and even working on luxury charter yachts (and 101 other tourism jobs), the rewards can be quite priceless.
You’ll obviously be working in some of the world’s best travel destinations, and you’ll get to have a hell of a lot of fun doing amazing activities and exploring outstanding highlights – all paid for by the company that’s employing you! Is it all a hiking trail blanketed by rose petals then? Not exactly.
Tour guide jobs can be high-stress: you are always on the go and must take very good care of people. This is a job that suits inherent caretakers, first and foremost. The upside is that you can make your work seasonal. You can change destinations every few months if you wish and can plan for rest months, wherever you happen to be. Marvelous. Moreover, travel guiding jobs seem to be underpaid, but in fact, you may end up saving an impressive amount during the work season, given you won’t be spending any of your own money while on tour.
All in all, this is a fabulous career option for those who want to travel and have enough stamina to keep up with the job.
ESL Teacher
Teaching English as a second language (ESL) is perhaps the single most popular career for those who want to travel. Particularly for those who enjoy truly immersive experiences in foreign countries.
As an ESL teacher, you’ll tap into a sublimely balanced world abroad – one that values a foreigner’s input and puts you in contact with the local population. Plus, ESL qualifications are relatively easy and affordable to get and grant you access to coveted, long-term working visas. However, these qualifications will generally only open doors to positions in teaching centers or public schools. Those who truly have a passion for teaching might want to pursue further qualifications, such as a teaching degree, to secure roles in international schools, which offer some of the most professional, highest paying teaching careers out there.
China is among the best destinations for ESL teachers. For example – the standard salary is way above average and the cost of living impressive, so you can teach, live and experience a drastically different country from a truly privileged position.