If you love travel, you've googled "how to make money from travel." The results are usually the same: start a blog, become an influencer, sell stock photos. Those can work, but they're slow, and most people underestimate how slow.
One option we're obviously not neutral about — Roavi is built around it — is hosting travelers as a Local Friend. So rather than rank it #1 and ask you to trust us, here's an honest side-by-side. Judge for yourself.
The Comparison
| Side Hustle | Realistic Hourly Value | Startup Cost | Time to First $ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travel Blogging | $2–8/hr in year one | $200+ | 6–12 months |
| Affiliate Marketing | $5–15/hr | $100+ | 3–6 months |
| Teaching English Online | $12–22/hr | $0–50 | 1–2 weeks |
| Freelance Travel Writing | $15–40/hr | $0 | 2–4 weeks |
| Travel Photography (stock) | $10–45/hr, mostly passive later | $1,000+ | 1–3 months |
| House/Pet Sitting | Value in saved accommodation, not cash | $80–130/yr | 1–2 months |
| Airbnb Arbitrage | Can be high, but it's a real business | $3,000–8,000+ | 1–3 months |
| Hosting travelers as a Local Friend | You set the rate; depends on your city's tourist traffic | $0 | Depends on demand |
Travel Blogging ($2–8/hr in year one)
Hundreds of millions of blogs exist, and travel is one of the most saturated niches. Getting to meaningful traffic typically takes one to three years. Most travel bloggers earn very little in year one relative to hours invested.
Affiliate Marketing ($5–15/hr)
Travel credit card and gear affiliates can pay well per conversion, but getting the traffic that converts takes six-plus months of SEO work for most people, and income is inconsistent even after that.
Teaching English Online ($12–22/hr)
Consistent, real income, but often with timezone pain — most students are in Asia, which can mean early-morning sessions from the Americas. Good for people already living in-region.
Freelance Travel Writing ($15–40/hr, all-in)
Pay-per-word rates look decent until you count the unpaid pitching — many rejections for every accepted piece. Realistic once you factor in that time.
Travel Photography ($10–45/hr, eventually)
Stock photo income becomes largely passive after a strong portfolio exists, but building 1,000+ quality images and the gear to shoot them takes real time and money up front.
House/Pet Sitting
Not cash income — it's saved accommodation cost. Genuinely useful for long-term travelers and digital nomads, less relevant if you need actual dollars.
Airbnb Arbitrage
Can be lucrative, but it's a real small business: thousands in startup capital, property management, guest issues, and increasing short-term-rental restrictions in many cities.
Hosting Travelers as a Local Friend
Startup cost: $0. Create a profile, add photos, set your own rate.
Commission: 0%. Roavi doesn't take a cut of what you agree with a traveler.
Schedule: entirely yours. You choose your availability.
What it depends on: how many tourists visit your city, how good your profile is, and how many travelers reach out. This is the honest tradeoff versus the options above — no license or portfolio required, but also no guaranteed number of clients. For the real math on how this plays out, see what Local Friends actually earn.
Two Honest Caveats
1. It mostly works in cities that see real tourism. A city with millions of annual visitors gives you far more chances than a small town with minimal tourism.
2. You have to actually enjoy it. If spending time with a stranger who's visiting sounds exhausting rather than fun, this isn't for you. The people who stick with it genuinely like meeting travelers.
The Bottom Line
Most travel-money advice takes months or years before it pays anything. Hosting travelers is one of the few options with no startup cost and a fast path to your first message — but "fast" and "guaranteed" aren't the same thing, and we'd rather you go in with realistic expectations than a headline number.
Curious what it looks like in your city? Become a Local Friend on Roavi.