Summary of this article
Rhiannon Wood turned travel content into income through group tours and brand collaborations.
She earns up to $3,000, or around Rs 2.88 lakh, per trip.
Wood saves tour commissions, uses sponsorship income, and plans her travel agency.
Travelling is no longer just a way to spend money on holidays for some social media creators. Group tours, brand collaborations and travel content have become ways to earn while moving between destinations.
A 26-year-old travel creator from the United Kingdom, Rhiannon Wood, took a similar route after graduating from the University of Birmingham in 2022. She worked in minimum wage jobs during her travels before turning her Instagram account into a source of income.
How She Started Making Money From Travel
Wood started posting her travels more on Instagram in late 2024. She took social media strategy webinars and hired an Instagram coach to understand how to grow and monetise her account. She got her first brand deal within four months. The deal involved hosting a group trip to Switzerland, for which she earned £330 (around Rs 42,000).
“I didn't have direct experience leading tours before I landed my Mapo Tapo deal,” Wood told Business Insider. Her experience with hiking, mountaineering and rock climbing helped her plan the trips. She later worked with brands including Skyscanner, Siroko and Roamless.
How Much She Earns From Group Trips
Group tours are now a major source of her income. What she earns depends on the size of the trip and the commission arrangement with the agency. “I've earned up to $3,000 in commission per trip,” Wood said. She has earned up to $3,000 in commission per trip, which is around Rs 2.88 lakh.
The actual commission varies depending on the size of the tour and the arrangement with the agency. Her trips usually last at least a week. Instagram collaborations provide another source of income. She charged a few hundred dollars when she started and now charges more than $1,000 for some collaborations.
According to Business Insider, Wood currently earns in the low five figures. Her audience has grown to around 60,000 Instagram followers.
How She Manages Her Travel Income
Wood saves the money she earns from group trips and uses income from Instagram Reels sponsorships for spending. She negotiates her commission to make sure she earns enough from each trip to support her lifestyle.
Her expenses remain relatively low. She uses budget accommodation, rarely buys new things and has spent much of the past year living out of a backpack. Running the business still takes up most of her time. She works on emails, brand negotiations, social media posts and trip planning, including while she is travelling. Wood is now working towards launching her own travel agency. She wants to continue organising trips while building another source of income.
