Three ideas from TBEX 2026 worth trying on your travel site

In June, Travelpayouts partnerships managers Eugenia and Alexandra, together with brand lead Liza, headed to Richmond for TBEX North America 2026.

They spoke on stage, met travel creators, and discussed how to build loyal audiences, earn from strong content, and rely less on search traffic.

Instead of a standard conference recap, here are three ideas you can apply to your own project.

Email can become more than a supporting channel

Email was one of the biggest themes at this year’s conference. Travel creator Valerie Stimac Bailey shared how she uses it to build trust, stay connected with readers, and generate income.

Her main takeaway was simple: your email list belongs to you. It is not controlled by Google updates, social algorithms, or falling reach. But collecting email addresses is only the beginning.

What to do

Start with a welcome sequence of five to ten evergreen emails. Use it to introduce yourself, share useful content, and gradually build trust.

Then focus on consistency. Valerie recommends emailing your full list at least once a week and sending more specific content to relevant audience segments.

For example, send a general weekly newsletter to everyone, but share an Iceland itinerary only with readers interested in that destination. Sending every niche topic to the whole list can lower open and click rates because not everyone is planning the same trip.

You do not need to write every email from scratch. Reuse high-performing emails, refresh seasonal content, adapt existing articles, and mix travel advice with personal stories or business updates.

Remember that email feels like one-to-one communication, even when thousands of people receive it.

A smaller, more specific article can earn more

We did not arrive at TBEX empty-handed. Eugenia came with insights from an analysis of more than 5,000 travel blogs and shared what the strongest earners had in common. One of the biggest findings was that traffic does not always determine revenue.

Among Travelpayouts partners earning more than $500 per month, 92% have fewer than 50,000 monthly visitors. Some of the most successful sites do not attract the biggest audiences. They attract readers with a clearer reason to book.

Take two real articles about Paris. A broad three-day Paris itinerary attracted 22,000 visitors and generated $846. A more specific Paris hen party guide drew 12,600 visitors but generated $1,629.

Here is why: someone searching for “things to do in Paris” may still be collecting ideas. Someone looking for a Paris hen party guide is planning a real group trip and is much closer to booking accommodation, activities, and transport.

The same logic can apply to almost any niche:

• Paris for dog owners instead of a general Paris guide 
• Hokkaido winter road trips instead of Japan travel tips 
• London with teenagers instead of things to do in London 

Going narrower does not mean writing for fewer people just for the sake of it. It means answering a more specific question for readers who are more likely to act on your advice.

Great creators do not always feel comfortable selling

This came up repeatedly in conversations at our booth. 

We often see creators with excellent guides, deep expertise, and readers who are actively planning a trip. But when it is time to recommend a hotel, tour, or travel service, selling can feel uncomfortable or simply unfamiliar.

Some creators do not know where to place the link. Others worry that a recommendation will feel too promotional. Some simply do not want to turn a useful article into a wall of ads and booking widgets. The result is familiar: the article helps the reader make a decision, but the creator earns nothing when the reader leaves to book.

That is exactly why we are so glad we built Travelpayouts Drive.

Drive looks at the content already on your site and helps readers take the next step. If you mention a hotel, tour, or travel service without linking to it, Drive adds a booking link. If someone is comparing options, it shows prices, dates, and other details directly on the page.

Your writing stays the same. Drive simply makes it easier for readers to book what you are already recommending.

Imagine someone reading your guide to Japan. You explain how to travel between Tokyo and Kyoto, which neighborhoods to stay in, and which tours are worth booking. Drive adds relevant booking options to those exact parts of the article, without asking you to write a sales pitch.

Drive also works alongside your current monetization setup. You do not need to remove other tools or scripts. It can run together with platforms such as Mediavine, Ezoic, and Stay22.

More insights are on the way

TBEX reinforced one thing: a sustainable travel project is not built on traffic alone.

Email helps you build a direct relationship with readers. More focused content attracts readers with stronger booking intent. And tools like Drive make those recommendations easier to book.

The insights from more than 5,000 travel blogs were too valuable to leave in Richmond. Eugenia will bring them to TBEX Asia, where we’ll share more findings, numbers, and examples of what helps travel content earn in 2026.

Until then, join Travelpayouts for practical insights, useful tools, and real creator stories that can help your travel content earn more.