HoneyTrek: A case study in making a full-time living as travel influencers and content creators
Nov 26, 2024
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A couple shares their transformative journey from corporate life to full-time travel, revealing the evolution of their storytelling and influencer brand. They discuss the challenges of authenticity in documenting travel experiences and maintaining relationship integrity. Insights into sustainable tourism highlight the balance between content creation and genuine exploration. Sponsored partnerships are explored, emphasizing authenticity and community ties. Their commitment to learning new skills is underscored as they navigate the intricacies of becoming impactful travel influencers.
The couple transitioned from traditional travel to content creation by learning new skills, reflecting the industry's evolution from photography to video.
They emphasize sustainable travel practices, advocating for ethical experiences that respect local communities and the environment while fostering personal growth.
Deep dives
The Journey of a Lifetime
A couple embarked on a year-long honeymoon in 2012 that turned into over 12 years of full-time travel. Inspired by a fellow traveler who shared his experience of a year-long trip around the world, they sought deeper and more immersive experiences rather than the typical short vacations. This decision led them to shed their former busy lifestyles and embrace a simpler existence, prioritizing travel and new experiences together. Their journey, initially aimed at exploring bucket list destinations, evolved into a quest for personal growth and shared life lessons.
Transitioning to Content Creation
During their travels, they created Honey Trek to document their experiences and keep their skills sharp, which eventually transitioned their journey into content creation. Their blog gained traction, leading to a partnership with National Geographic to write a book about couples’ travel. As content creators, they prefer to be called content creators rather than influencers, focusing on authenticity and storytelling rather than merely showcasing glamorous travel experiences. This shift positioned them as respected voices in the travel genre well before the term 'influencer' became mainstream.
Sustainability in Travel
They emphasize the importance of sustainability and ethical travel practices while sharing their adventures, recognizing the responsibility they hold as content creators. This includes being conscious of their carbon footprint and the impact their travels have on local communities and environments. They encourage fellow travelers to consider local practices, such as avoiding animal rides and supporting eco-friendly businesses, as part of their travel experiences. By leading through example, they strive to inspire others to think critically about their travel choices while still enjoying rich experiences.
Balancing Travel and Content Creation
Finding a sustainable pace of travel is crucial to avoiding burnout in the world of content creation. The couple discusses the necessity of carving out time to reflect and enjoy their surroundings without the pressure of constant content production. They advocate for a balance between seizing travel opportunities and taking breaks to recharge, ensuring their relationship and individual well-being are prioritized. This approach allows them to remain curious and engaged travelers, crafting compelling narratives from their adventures while still enjoying the process.
“When we got into this, we didn’t know how to make videos. That’s a skill we’ve had to learn, because the industry has changed so much, from photos to videos. We are still learning all the time.” —Anne Howard
In this episode of Deviate, Rolf, Mike, Anne and Kiki talk about they got started traveling as a couple, how they made it affordable, and how they made the transition into the world of content creation (2:15); how to navigate recording and sharing travel experiences that go wrong, including relationship dynamics (9:30); how to make travel “sustainable” in the personal and creative sense of the word (17:00); the advantages of having a “niche” as an influencer, and how sponsored travel works (24:30); and what makes travel influencers stand out from others, and the importance of learning new skills (34:00).
Mike & Anne Howard are on The World’s Longest Honeymoon, traveling for the last 13 years through 80 countries across all 7 continents. They have written and photographed a National Geographic book on couples adventure travel, Ultimate Journeys for Two, as well as the glamping guidebook, Comfortably Wild.