14 Magazines That Pay for Travel Writing

Fly Geyser, Nevada, USA

Updated 9/10/23

If you like to travel, you are in luck, because lots of magazines want to hear about your trips. And, as a bonus, they are perfectly willing to pay to get your insights, print your photos, share your adventures.

In addition to these magazines, many newspapers include travel sections. Check your local paper to see if the editors are interested in travel articles. Many are happy to accept features, especially those about your locale.

For additional magazines that pay (some quite handsomely) see: Paying Markets

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Go World Travel Magazine covers world travel in more than 90 countries. "We’re looking for honest, down-to-earth descriptive writing. We’re not interested in a laundry list of things you saw and did; rather, we look for vivid descriptions, lively anecdotes and straightforward language that shows a sense of curiosity and interest in the destination. Go World Travel is written from an international perspective. Our readers are travel lovers from North America, Australia, New Zealand, the UK and around the globe." Length: Up to 1,600 words. Payment: $30 to $40 per story/photo essay upon publication.

International Living publishes articles on living abroad."What are the most important things you can tell someone about your life in another country, or a place that you have traveled to? What do you wish you had known before you went there? These are the first person, boots-on-the ground accounts we want to share with our readers." Payment: $100 for 1,000 words, $150 for 1,500 etc. Also pays for videos.

101 Holidays is a UK-based publication that covers world-wide travel. Themes include Honeymoon destinations, singles destinations (by month), family holidays, where's hot, and where to take a short break. Payment: £50 - £100 per article.

Adventure Motorcycle (ADVMoto) is a bi-monthly magazine "showcasing courageous people on inspiring rides around the world, both on road and off. Feature articles and Ride Reports tell the personal stories of riders overcoming challenges and adversity on their rides. Every issue also includes rider, reader and industry profiles, news and reviews, bike reviews, event reports and book/DVD reviews." Photos required. Payment: $150 and up.

Rider Magazine is written for the most mature, affluent and discerning readers in motorcycling. They are mostly experienced motorcycle enthusiasts. Photos required. They buy everything from full-length features to short posts. Payment: $100 - $200.

International Living’s Daily Postcards. "If you’re an expat living overseas, we want to hear from you. Imagine you’re talking to your friends back home. What do you want to tell them about your experience overseas? What are the most important things you can tell someone about your life in another country." Payment: $75.

Verge Magazine. "Verge is the magazine for people who travel with purpose. It explores ways to get out and see the world by volunteering, working and studying overseas. Our readers are typically young (17-40 years), or young at heart, active, independent travellers who want to do something different and make a difference doing it. Some are seasoned travellers who have seen a good part of the world. Many are contemplating overseas travel for the first time and want to do it in a meaningful way." Payment: Not specified.

Transitions Abroad publishes "inspirational yet practical planning guides for cultural immersion travel, work, study, living, and volunteering abroad." They are looking for first-hand experience geared to readers who travel to immerse themselves abroad while respecting the culture and land of the people whose countries are being visited (while preferably spending money that benefits local economies directly). Payment: 7 cents/word. (Site currently being updated)

Alaska Magazine depicts and celebrates life in Alaska through high-quality stories and images of its people, places, events, wildlife, and more. "We publish 10 issues per year, with Dec/Jan and July/Aug combined. Color photographs from professional freelance photographers are used extensively and selected according to their creative and technical merits. Articles and essays must conform to the topic and word count agreed upon between contributor and editor(s). We welcome a variety of writing styles, and quality is expected. We consider submissions of articles with or without photos. Pitch us a targeted idea, or send a completed piece. We are not able to reply to every inquiry, but if we’re interested or have questions, we will contact you." Payment: "We pay upon publication of the print issue in which the work appears."

National Geographic Traveler has the largest digital reach of any media brand in consumer travel. "Through visually driven storytelling across platforms, we offer practical tools, advice, and inspiration for planning trips to iconic places and the great outdoors. We focus on sustainable travel, national parks and wild places, UNESCO World Heritage sites, family travel, and stories that reveal the authentic qualities, histories, and cultures of places." Payment: Who Pays Writers reports payment of $.50/word.

Wanderlust Magazine is a British travel magazine. "We are particularly interested in local culture and try to provide more of an insight than travel articles in other publications – hence, we prefer pieces to be written by someone with an in-depth knowledge of a topic or destination." Payment: £220 per 1,000 published words. Unless otherwise agreed, the fee is based on printed, not submitted, words. Fact pages are paid at £90 per page (approx 750 words) pro-rated.

Almost Fearless is an adventure and travel magazine for parents. Travel content is aimed at experienced travelers, who have read it all and want something new. For their adventure side they're looking at US and Canada destinations and ways to make your favorite sport accessible. Payment: $1/word for print and between $50-$250 flat for the web. See submission periods.

Hidden Compass is an online, quarterly travel magazine that encourages the deep exploration of a destination through powerful storytelling. "We believe that some of the most fascinating stories are the ones that bridge the gap between travel and other disciplines (e.g., science, history, and art)." Payment: Photo features: $800. Stories and photo essays in other departments: $500, artwork: $400 and $75 per photo.

Off Assignment is a literary magazine with a penchant for journeys and a fascination with strangers. We're looking for writers who travel, poets who wander, essayists with a sense of place, reporters with swollen notebooks, and gourmands with street cart taste. We’re not here to guide vacations. We don’t cover spas or centennials. We want the writer on the page—sweating, tripping, and telling a tale. We care about voice and story. We have a taste for offbeat places. We crave, as journalist Ryszard Kapuscinski put it, "the atmosphere of the street, the feeling of the people, the gossip of the town, the smell; the thousand, thousand elements of reality." Payment: $100 - $300.