Read our report to learn what’s changing in travel affiliate marketing and how to stay ahead of the curve. Plus, a chance
to win 1 of 3 consultations with an industry expert.
What to expect: exclusive Travelpayouts data, interviews with pro travel bloggers, insights from partnership managers.
What to expect: exclusive Travelpayouts data, interviews with pro travel bloggers, insights from partnership managers.
Pro tips
“Don’t build with the assumption that Google traffic will be there. Use SEO as a foundation, but plan as if it won't perform.” Jessie Festa
Insight #1
Google traffic is no longer something creators can fully rely on
AI-powered search is reducing click-through rates for travel sites. Google’s 2026 AI updates are likely to accelerate this trend.
Experienced creators agree: don’t assume Google traffic will always be there.
Experienced creators agree: don’t assume Google traffic will always be there.
Pro tips
“Make sure your affiliate links, widgets, and other monetization elements are easy to see and use on a phone.” Eugenia, partnership manager at Travelpayouts
Insight #2
Most travel bookings happen on mobile
Nearly 70% of bookings from Travelpayouts’ top 100 partners now happen on mobile.
Pro tips
“If accommodation is your only monetized vertical, you end up with 150 articles that are variations of ‘where to stay in X.’ Every new vertical creates new content ideas and new monetization opportunities.” Eugenia, partnership manager at Travelpayouts
Insight #3
Our top 100 partners work with an average of 8 brands each
The more verticals a creator covers, the more they earn from the same traffic.
Pro tips
“Booking.com skews international. Expedia is more U.S.-heavy. GetYourGuide performs strongly in Europe and Latin America; Viator in North America; Klook in Asia.” Bri
“Don’t limit yourself to one brand by default. Pick the brand that fits your audience's geography, and test it for thirty days.” Eugenia, partnership manager at Travelpayouts
Insight 4
Even a strong brand can be a poor match for a specific audience
One brand converts better in Asia. Another has better rates in Europe. A third has properties that don't exist anywhere else. If you have a global audience and you're running just one of those, you're probably not serving a significant chunk of your readers as well as you could.
Pro tips
“Use CR1 and CR2 to understand where your bottlenecks are. If you have:
- High traffic and low CR1, check your placements and UX. Are your links and widgets visible and easy to use?
- Good CR1 and low CR2, think about brand fit or user intent. Are you sure your audience is interested in what you’re offering?” Eugenia, partnership manager at Travelpayouts
Insight #5
Your CTR can show where your site is leaking revenue
Visits → Clicks
CR1
5–6%
If your CR1 is below 3%, that is a signal to change something.
Clicks → Bookings
CR2
1.3%
If your CR2 is above 1%, you are in healthy territory.
Pro tips
“Audit your archive and look for older pages that already get steady traffic but don’t earn anything yet. Add relevant links, offers, or booking blocks where they naturally fit.” Eugenia, partnership manager at Travelpayouts
Insight #6
96% of travel blog content earns nothing (but there’s a fix)
On average, only 4% of pages on travel blogs generate any revenue at all. Many creators still focus on monetizing new posts. But older content often already has traffic, rankings, and reader trust.
Whatever you're facing, others have faced it, too.
That’s why we made you a list of supportive travel creator communities. Visit them for support and advice from bloggers who’ve been in your shoes.
Write down your wins
from the past week
from the past week
Even the tiniest victories deserve attention.
Answered one email? Published one story?
Took care of chores? It all counts!
Answered one email? Published one story?
Took care of chores? It all counts!
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