For each blog below, we give statistics, traffic sources, content ideas, monetization strategies, and key takeaways.
1. The Tokyo Chapter
The Tokyo Chapter is run by Jo, an Australian mom who’s been living in Japan for over 13 years. On her blog, she shares smart, family-focused travel tips for people visiting Tokyo and beyond.
What makes her blog stand out is how practical and personal it is – Jo writes from real-life experience, especially in her posts about traveling with young kids. With everything from hidden playgrounds to advice on international schools, her blog is a go-to for families looking for a smooth and stress-free trip to Japan.
Monetization strategy
Jo earns between four and five figures a month through affiliate marketing, with Booking.com as her best-performing program. She uses the Travelpayouts hotel widget to recommend accommodations that appeal to her audience of mainly families.
Her strategy focuses on timing and placement: affiliate links appear right where readers go to find answers, such as after a detailed hotel review or a guide to kid-friendly neighborhoods.
What makes Jo’s approach effective is the level of detail she provides. Posts are packed with firsthand insights, which build trust and make it easier for readers to click “book.”
Traffic and promotion
Most of Tokyo Chapter’s traffic comes from organic search – something Jo worked hard to build during the pandemic. Instead of chasing keywords, she focused on writing genuinely useful and regularly updated content. That shift paid off: her posts now rank well because they’re helpful, consistent, and written in a natural, relatable tone. The rest of her traffic finds the blog through social media or comes back directly.
For Jo, it’s not about gaming the system – it’s about showing up consistently, writing like a real person, and making sure every post delivers value. That’s what promotes long-term traffic and trust.
[Read our article about The Tokyo Chapter]
2. Wander Somewhere
Wander Somewhere started with detailed Scotland itineraries and quickly became a go-to platform for stylish, practical travel planning. The blog, created by Lesley, an Edinburgh-based travel writer, now gets around 130,000 page views per month. While she still specializes in Scotland, Wander Somewhere has expanded to include curated guides to destinations across Europe, including France, Spain, and Denmark.
The blog stands out for its focus on boutique stays, local experiences, and step-by-step planning advice. Lesley’s approach is rooted in real-world travel: she helps readers put together well-organized and easy-to-enjoy trips without being overwhelming or generic.
Monetization strategy
Around 75% of Lesley’s monthly income now comes from Wander Somewhere. Ads account for the largest share (45%), followed by affiliate marketing (30%) and her downloadable Scotland guide and travel planning service (25%).
She began using Travelpayouts in 2023 after discovering it through another creator and quickly integrated affiliate tools like Booking.com, DiscoverCars, Viator, and Tripadvisor into her workflow. Programs like DiscoverCars perform especially well, as road trips and car rentals naturally fit into her itinerary-focused content.
Traffic and promotion
Wander Somewhere’s traffic comes mainly from Google, with Pinterest and Instagram close behind. Lesley says she no longer worries about algorithm updates, noting that constantly checking analytics was affecting her mental health. Instead, she focuses on what she can control: publishing helpful content regularly and reviewing performance once a month.
Pinterest accounts for about 25% of her traffic and is a growing priority. While Instagram drives less traffic, she sees it as a valuable space for connecting with brands and building a community of users and fellow bloggers who follow her work.
[Read our article about Wander Somewhere]
3. Adventures by Lana
Adventures by Lana is run by an engineer from Florida who travels the world while working full-time. Lana’s blog is built around a practical idea: you don’t need to quit your job to explore. From national parks to international trips, she shares how to make the most of limited time off, with itineraries and tips for squeezing the most out of every trip. It’s a mix of weekend getaways and longer PTO-friendly adventures, with plenty of diving.
Monetization strategy
Lana credits her income growth to understanding buyer intent: not just adding affiliate links, but placing them where readers are ready to act. Posts like her Key West sunset cruise guide or “where to stay” articles consistently perform well because their links come at just the right time.
She now makes sure every link fits naturally into the content, using even mega-brands like GetYourGuide and Booking.com only when they match the topic and help readers make a decision. Some of the top brands she works with include Viator, Tripadvisor, and GetYourGuide.
Traffic and promotion
About 85% of Lana’s traffic comes from Google, which remains her primary focus. Instagram and Pinterest make up the rest. She launched her Instagram before the blog and now uses it to connect with other travelers and repurpose blog content in a more personal format.
Pinterest is something she’s actively working on. She creates and schedules a month’s worth of pins at a time using the built-in scheduler, which keeps things consistent without needing daily attention. While she doesn’t use affiliate links on Pinterest yet, it’s on her radar for future growth.
[Read our article about Adventures by Lana]
4. Passport and Stamps
Passport and Stamps is run by Toti and Alessia, an Italian couple now based in the UK. What started as a way to document their travels has become a blog reaching over 1.5 million readers per year. It’s also been named one of the Top 25 UK Travel Blogs. Toti and Alessia specialize in practical travel guides for backpackers, digital nomads, and travelers who prize flexibility.
Alongside their main site, they run two niche blogs: Curious Little Trips, focused on sustainable and slow travel, and Italian Trip Abroad, covering travel in Italy. Together, their sites are solid examples of affiliate websitesbuilt on real experience and useful, well-organized content.
Monetization strategy
Toti and Alessia switched to Travelpayouts after struggling to manage multiple affiliate programs across different platforms. What made the difference was having everything in one place, with reliable support and a dashboard that helps track performance by project, date, device, and country. They use this data to fine-tune content based on what’s converting. One strong example is their guide to the Bangkok–Chiang Mai sleeper train, which continues to generate steady commission income through the 12Go partner program.
[Read our article about Passport and Stamps]
5. Bucketlist Bri
Bucketlist Bri is run by a U.S.-born digital nomad who started blogging in 2015 while living in Kathmandu. What began as Bits of Bri has since grown into a full-time blog focused on slow, intentional travel and remote work.
Bri’s content blends destination guides with practical tips for long-term travelers, covering everything from moving abroad to ethical tourism and cultural immersion. Her background in global studies and communication shows through in her writing style – thoughtful, organized, and rooted in personal experience.
Monetization strategy
Most months, Bri earns five figures through her blog, with income spread across ads (35%), affiliate advertising (30%), course sales and coaching (25%), and paid partnerships (10%). She first started experimenting with affiliate marketing in 2015, with Booking.com – still one of her top performers.
Today, she uses Travelpayouts to manage her programs more efficiently. Instead of applying to individual partners, she can easily link to brands she already uses, like Klook, Airalo, and Discover Cars. (And with Travelpayouts’ LinkSwitcher and API for generating links, that’s become easier than ever.) Having everything in one place helps her stay organized and spot opportunities to optimize older posts. The result? Steady, sustainable income growth.
Traffic and promotion
Most of Bri’s traffic comes from Google, with Pinterest as her second biggest channel. Since her blog is already well established, she focuses less on brand awareness and more on nurturing her existing audience. That includes linking blog posts in Instagram Stories, turning content into Reels, and sending occasional email marketing newsletters. She’s stepped back from platforms like TikTok and YouTube, keeping only what supports her current strategy.
[Read our article about Bucketlist Bri]
6. Jou Jou Travels
Jou Jou Travels is run by Jackie, a solo traveler from the U.S. now living in London. She started the blog during the pandemic as a creative outlet, and it quickly grew into a go-to resource for travelers looking for colorful, lesser-known places to visit, especially around Europe.
Jackie focuses on detailed guides, often spotlighting destinations that fly under the radar. With a background in digital analytics, she takes a thoughtful, data-informed approach to blogging. The result is a mix of personal stories and practical tips that resonate with readers looking for something a little different.
Monetization strategy
Jackie earns through a mix of affiliate marketing, ads, sponsorships, and digital products. She also partners with tourism boards, runs paid Instagram campaigns, and sells e-books and social media templates on her site. She also runs group trips to Bali.
Affiliate marketing has been part of her strategy from the start, and Travelpayouts helped streamline the process. Instead of juggling separate programs, she now uses the platform to manage key partners like Booking.com and GetYourGuide. Posts like her hotel guides, especially the ones focused on Puglia, perform best because they match what readers are actively searching for. Also, enabling Travelpayouts’ LinkSwitcher tool made it easy to update her old links and boost her conversion without starting from scratch.
Traffic and promotion
Jackie built her blog from scratch (using WordPress with a customized Kadence theme) and learned that trial and error is the best way to optimize. After reworking old posts for SEO nearly four years ago, her traffic multiplied fivefold in just five months. Now she’s gone from 2,000 page views a month to as many as 50,000.
SEO remains Jackie’s top priority, with Google driving 75% of her traffic. Social media is important, too, though; she uses it to spread the word, sharing her articles on Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram, and she keeps her audience engaged through regular email newsletters.
[Read our article about Jou Jou Travels]
7. Somto Seeks
Somto Seeks was created by Somto Ugwueze, a Nigerian-American traveler who launched the blog in 2017 after remembering how to love life in Spain. She started writing to share what she was learning as a first-time solo traveler – and to help other women feel more confident doing the same.
Over time, the blog has grown into a practical resource for destination guides, mindset tips, and planning tools. Somto has a clear focus on encouraging independent travel, especially for women traveling on their own for the first time.
Monetization strategy
Somto’s blog brings in income through three main channels: ads, affiliate marketing, and digital products. She earns ad revenue through Mediavine. Affiliate marketing is another key focus. She promotes tours through GetYourGuide and Viator (both available on the Travelpayouts platform), and integrates them into destination content where readers are already looking for options.
She also runs Grow with Somto, where she teaches other bloggers techniques to increase their revenue. Her courses and workshops focus on turning a blog into a business using the strategies she’s picked up over time.
Traffic and promotion
Somto gets most of her traffic from a mix of organic search and social media, with Pinterest playing a big role. It’s been one of her top sources for over five years and now brings in around 30% of her visitors.
She recommends Pinterest to new bloggers because it’s easier to learn than SEO and delivers consistent, free traffic over time. It’s also a great match for travel affiliate marketing – especially since you can create affiliate pins (pins linked directly to a product or tour you’re promoting). This gives you another way to generate clicks and income outside of your blog.
[Read our article about Somto Seeks]
8. Katie Caf Travel
Katie is a solo traveler from New York who left city life behind to explore the world full time. Since starting her journey, she’s visited over 30 countries and spent extended time living in places like Egypt, Morocco, India, and Mexico. These days, she’s based in Bali when she’s not on the move.
She runs Katie Caf Travel, a blog focused on adventurous, culturally rich destinations, with detailed guides on spots like Indonesia and North Africa. Within a year of launching the blog, Katie turned it into a reliable income stream, becoming one of many successful affiliate marketers who built a business by sharing real, on-the-ground experience.
Monetization strategy
Katie’s main income streams are display ads and affiliate marketing. After reaching 50,000 monthly readers, she joined Mediavine, which gave her blog income a major boost. Depending on the season, her earnings are usually split evenly between ads and affiliates. Bali, one of her main topics, brings in steady traffic but offers fewer affiliate options since many products and services are booked offline. Still, she’s found consistent success with targeted hotel guides and transport posts – topics aligned with how her readers plan and book.
Traffic and promotion
Google has been Katie’s main source of traffic, but like many bloggers, she’s seen the impact of algorithm updates, including a recent drop that cut her search traffic by about half. But she’s committed to sticking with it. She knows there are always highs and lows, whether you’re running a blog or working a 9–5.
She’s also built a strong presence on social media to stay connected with her audience. Katie has over 300k followers on TikTok, 27k on Instagram, and 45k YouTube subscribers, where she shares both shorts and long-form travel content. Pinterest is another part of her strategy, helping keep her blog visible across different channels.
[Read our article about Katie Caf Travel]
9. The World Travel Guy
When David started his blog in 2019, he didn’t expect to turn it into a full-time job. What began as a way to document his travels has since grown into a go-to resource for fellow adventurers. Since hitting the road in 2016, David has visited over 30 countries, sharing off-the-beaten-path destinations, practical travel tips, and captivating photography. His blog offers readers a chance to see the world through his eyes – exploring diverse cultures, landscapes, and experiences that most travelers miss.
Monetization strategy
David makes money from a mix of affiliate marketing and sponsored content. He works with several affiliate programs directly, including Amazon, plus several programs through Travelpayouts like Booking.com, GetYourGuide, and Viator.
His top-earning niches are tours and activities, followed closely by hotel bookings. To promote affiliate links, David uses GetYourGuide’s activity widgets, which display photos and options in an easy-to-scan format. He places them near the start of posts and adds text links as a backup in case the widgets don’t load properly.
Traffic and promotion
David’s main source of traffic is organic search, thanks to SEO-optimized content that connects with his readers. He focuses on writing high-quality posts, using tools like Moz and Semrush to research keywords and stay ahead of trends and building backlinks from reputable sites.
Beyond search traffic, David stays active on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, where he shares travel stories, photos, and videos. This helps him connect with his audience across different platforms, build a loyal following, and expand his reach even further.
[Read our article about The World Travel Guy]
10. Mog and Dog Travels
Sasha and Vincent started Mog and Dog Travels in 2018. Their travels have taken them through Turkey, Zambia, and Malaysia, always with a focus on budget-friendly slow travel. As carry-on-only travelers, they embrace a minimalist approach while occasionally splurging on unique experiences. Their blog is all about providing practical advice for like-minded travelers looking for immersive experiences without hefty price tags.
Monetization strategy
Sasha’s and Vincent’s affiliate marketing breakthrough came when they were accepted into the Booking.com affiliate program through Travelpayouts, after previous rejections on other platforms. Since then, they’ve had some great months – their best brought in nearly €3,000, mainly from Booking.com and GetYourGuide.
What makes them a successful affiliate marketer is their mix of text links, button links, and a “quick booking box” near the top of posts for readers who don’t scroll far down. They always highlight what makes the accommodation or tour special, sharing their own experiences and focusing on what’s unique, like room layout or standout guides. They also add a resources section at the end of posts as one last shot at converting readers.
Traffic and promotion
In late 2022, Sasha and Vincent saw some of their top-earning articles drop in Google rankings. It was a wake-up call, showing them how risky it is to rely too heavily on a few high-performing posts. To diversify, they returned to Pinterest and started pinning more regularly. Their focus now is on building an email list and finding other platforms they enjoy using so they’re not overly dependent on Google traffic.
[Read our article about Mog and Dog Travels]
What you can learn from these sites
- Diversifying income: The best affiliate marketing websites don’t rely on just one income stream. Most combine affiliate income with ads, digital products, or services. That mix keeps income steady, even when traffic shifts.
- Intent matters more than traffic: It’s not about having the biggest audience – it’s about what readers are ready to do. Posts that answer booking-related questions consistently convert better. Programs like Booking.com or GetYourGuide work well when matched with content that helps readers make decisions.
- Helpful content converts: To make money, these bloggers focus on solving specific problems, not just telling stories. The more detailed, practical, and trustworthy the content, the more likely readers are to click and book.
- Links need context: High-performing blogs don’t dump links at the top. They place them where they make sense – inside guides, booking boxes, or personal recommendations, often with a clear call to action.
- Don’t rely on one channel: Most of these creators have experienced firsthand the downsides of depending on Google alone. The strongest performers use a mix of SEO, Pinterest, email, and sometimes TikTok or YouTube.
- Affiliate links need testing: Many bloggers mentioned adjusting link placement, switching tools, or reworking CTAs to improve performance. Trial and error is part of becoming a successful affiliate, whether that means adding booking boxes, updating old posts, or using a new widget format.
How to start your own affiliate marketing website
Luckily, to start your own site, you don’t need years of writing and photography expertise. Passion and readiness to invest your time and grow your skills is good enough to begin your blogging journey. To start learning the skills that every blogger needs to be successful, join Travelpayouts today.
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