Research Without Copying Others

In this episode of The Creator Passport Podcast, we’re kicking off episode 101 with a deep dive into Travel Content Creation 101, the biggest lessons we’ve learned from working with 50+ tourism boards, hotels, and cruise lines around the world so you can skip the chaos, the panic attacks, and the costly mistakes. If you’ve ever dreamed of getting paid to travel but felt overwhelmed by logistics, deliverables, and expectations, this episode is your behind-the-scenes playbook.

You’ll walk away knowing how to plan smarter, shoot more intentionally, and protect both your time and your income on every single travel campaign, whether you’re just landing your first hotel collab or scaling to bigger tourism boards and cruises.

We’re covering:

• Why showing up without a shot list is one of the fastest ways to miss key deliverables (and how to build a “must-have vs. nice-to-have” shot list that still leaves room for creativity)

• How to research a property or destination without copying every other creator’s content

• The importance of having a clear vision and hook before you travel so you’re not shooting everything, burning out, and dreading the edit

• How we decide which trips get YouTube vlogs, Instagram deliverables, or both, and how to realistically gauge how much you can shoot in 3–5 days

• Our honest take on ideal trip lengths (why we almost never recommend one-night shoots and when longer stays start to become a time suck)

• How to think about travel days, jet lag, and time zones so you’re not landing at 4pm and somehow expected to deliver a sunset shoot

• The logistics checklist we wish we had on day one: itineraries, activity pacing, golden hour vs. dinner reservations, on-the-ground contacts, and more

• What to know about passports, frequent flyer numbers, and using travel agents while still maximizing your own points and airline preferences

• The unsexy but essential topic of drone permits, insurance, and permissions, plus our backup plan when we can’t fly the drone

• Why you should never assume flights, meals, or incidentals are covered, and the contract language you need to clarify so you’re not losing money on a “dream trip”

We’re also chatting about our 12 Days of Reelsmas challenge, why short, focused challenges helped us grow by over 100,000 followers in a month, and announcing the winner of our latest podcast giveaway.

If getting paid to travel is on your vision board for next year, this episode will help you think like a pro, from your very first negotiation to the moment you hand off final deliverables.

LINKS & RESOURCES Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecreatorpassport Join the TCP Waitlist: https://theloverspassport.myflodesk.com/r0le4nksrr Join the 12 Days of Reelsmas Challenge: https://theloverspassport.myflodesk.com/sn3jeawuxp