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26 Best Travel Affiliate Programs for 2024 (Based on Data)

This year my travel blog has generated over $50,000 in revenue from affiliate marketing alone. And it's only August!

Here's a peek at what it's looked like so far this year:

What's more, this travel blog earns twice as much through affiliate marketing than it does from display ads with Mediavine.

So in case you're wondering, YES, you can still do great as a travel affiliate today. It all comes down to writing the right type of content that fits into the "buying phase" of the trip-planning process.

Want to learn more? In this post I'm going to share:

• The most profitable affiliate programs for travel bloggers
• Tips for promoting different types of travel products and services
• Common mistakes travel bloggers make when monetizing their websites

But first, a quick note how I created this list (so you know it's legit).

How we compiled this list of programs

We compiled a list of roughly 50 top travel blogs . This include mainstays like Nomadic Matt , Santorini Dave , and Expert Vagabond . Plus, smaller and niche sites focusing on specific destinations, geographies, and activities to add in some variety.

Then, we ran each site through our Affiliate Link Scanner to discover which affiliate programs and merchants they linked to the most.

(Because after all, if someone creates 10 articles about a single product, there's a very good chance it's converting for them.)

Finally, we grouped together the programs by common categories, like accommodation, tours, and insurance, so it'd be easier for you to navigate.

The result is a list of the best travel affiliate programs for bloggers — all based on what the world's best travel blogs are promoting today. So, here it is.

Travel Affiliate Programs

These travel affiliate programs fall into a couple of main categories: hotel affiliate programs , travel tours affiliate programs, outdoor gear affiliate programs , luxury travel affiliate programs, rental car affiliate programs , train and airline affiliate programs , and travel insurance affiliate programs.

A mouthful, I know — but exactly which products you choose will depend on the kind of content you like to write and who your audience is.

Here are the best travel affiliate programs to promote in 2024:

• Booking.com affiliate program
• Viator affiliate program
• FareHarbor affiliate program
• GetYourGuide affiliate program
• RentalCars.com affiliate program
• Discover Cars affiliate program
• Klook affiliate program
• Plum Guide affiliate program
• Outdoorsy affiliate program
• RVShare affiliate program
• Skyscanner affiliate program
• Momondo affiliate program
• KAYAK affiliate program
• HostelWorld affiliate program
• Interrail Pass / Eurail Pass affiliate program
• REI affiliate program
• TripAdvisor affiliate program
• G Adventures affiliate program
• Intrepid Travel affiliate program
• CityPASS affiliate program
• Priority Pass affiliate program
• World Nomads affiliate program
• SafetyWing affiliate program
• Wise (formerly Transferwise) affiliate program
• Omio affiliate program
• Ferryhopper affiliate program

Booking.com

• Program name: Booking.com Affiliate Program
• Commission: 25-34% of Booking.com's cut (Booking.com), 4% of gross sale amount (CJ Affiliate)
• Cookie duration: 0 days
• Markets: Global

Booking.com is the single most popular travel affiliate program from all our research across dozens of top travel blogs.

And for good reason: hotels are extremely profitable. First off, they're expensive at around $100 per night in a lot of destination. And then, people tend to book multiple nights in a single session.

The result is great commissions, so long as you're writing content that captures people right before they book.

What you'll notice as a hotel affiliate is a high cancelation rate, sometimes as high as 30-40%. It's hard to avoid, as free cancelation policies virtually encourage this. Even so, the profits to be made are still exceptional.

One unusual aspect of Booking.com is that it doesn't use an actual cookie. You only get credit for Bookings that happen "in-session". So you'll want to target people who are minutes away from booking accommodation to secure a sale.

Despite the drawbacks, Booking.com has such name recognition and converts well enough to make it one of the best travel affiliate programs you can promote.

Hotel affiliate tips: Here are a few of my top tips for recommending hotels and accommodation to your travel blog readers as an affiliate:

• Make your recommendation early. Don't make the mistake of putting your recommended hotel links at the bottom of your posts. Summarize your recommended place to stay at the top in a "Trip Summary" with scannable bullet points.
• Make your recommendation clear. If you loved somewhere you stayed, make it clear. 1-2 sentences are enough to earn the click if your recommendation is genuine.
• Test your link text. Try calls-to-action like "check availability" and "see more images". These demand less commitment from the reader than "book now". But no matter what, you should be tracking and testing these to see which converts best for your audience.

One important note for new affiliates is that Booking.com does require you reach a minimum of 100€ in commissions before they pay you out. Given the average commission though, most travel affiliates will be able to reach this in a reasonable amount of time.

You also only earn a commission after a booking is completed and the host or hotel has reported a successful stay. That means your commissions are often only paid many months after the booking happens.

While the money with Booking.com isn't quick, the payouts are dependable and the revenue from a high season's worth of bookings can set you up for a good part of the year.

• Program name: Viator Affiliate Program
• Commission: 8% (Viator), 4% (ShareASale)
• Cookie duration: 30 days
• Alternatives: GetYourGuide at 8% and up (GetYourGuide), 5% (Skimlinks), 7% base (Awin), 7% (CJ Affiliate) , or Klook at 2-5%

Viator is an online platform for booking travel tours, experiences, and activities. While GetYourGuide could be seen as more present in Europe, Viator has an excellent selection of activities in the United States and Canada.

So if your focus is on domestic tourism within North America, this could be a great affiliate program for your travel blog.

Viator's direct program offers an 8% base commission rate. Paired with the 30-day cookie period, and your reader has a lot of time after clicking your link to go through with booking their travel experience.

To make the most from Viator, make sure that tours you promote have great reviews, ratings, and photos. If you can add your own into the article itself and share a personal experience, that's a recipe for a strong conversion rate.

• Program name: FareHarbor Affiliate Program
• Network / Software: FareHarbor Distribution Network
• Commission: 15% on the ticket price, 75% of FareHarbor's cut
• Cookie duration: Not listed
• Markets: US, CA, EU

FareHarbor, a Booking Holdings company, is the leading booking platform for tour and activity operators worldwide, with its largest presence in North America and Europe.

FareHarbor has its own affiliate network — the FareHarbor Distribution Network (FHDN). It directly connects 30,000 guided tours, outdoor activities, and other experience providers with affiliates like you - with no middleman to share commission with.

You can earn a commission rate as high as 15% (one of the highest in the industry!) for an average basket value of $100-$150.

Commissions are paid for bookings made "in-session"; so there is no cookie window, but research has shown that most activity bookings happen while bookers are already in-destination.

Within its affiliate network, FareHarbor also offers the possibility to connect with account managers who provide insights and suggestions of the best tours to feature on your website, answer questions, and automates the invoicing and payment process.

GetYourGuide

• Program name: GetYourGuide Affiliate Program
• Commission: 8% and up (GetYourGuide), 5% (Skimlinks), 7% base (Awin), 7% (CJ Affiliate)
• Cookie duration: 31 days (GetYourGuide), Not listed (Skimlinks), 30 days (Awin, CJ Affiliate)
• Markets: Global (GetYourGuide), Global (Skimlinks), US (Awin), US, FR, DE, UK (CJ Affiliate)
• Alternatives: Viator at 8% (Viator), 4% (ShareASale) , or Klook at 2-5%

GetYourGuide is a place to book travel experiences and activities online. Think guided tours, boat rides, skip-the-line tickets, city guides, and group tours large and small.

In addition to working with local tour operators, GetYourGuide also has their own Originals series of tours they run themselves. These tours are based the massive amount of data they have about the kinds of activities people like best.

GetYourGuide offers an 8% base commission rate through their direct program, though successful affiliates can negotiate for rates as high as 10 and 12%.

Paired with a 30-day cookie period, the rates are favorable for landing commissions. Especially if you cover Europe on your travel blog, since the selection on GetYourGuide is great.

The key is to promote these activities in the right kind of content, at the moment when people are most likely to book. Here are some tips on that.

Tips for promoting travel tours as an affiliate: Link to tours on articles about things to do in a city, itineraries, day trips from a city, how to reach a place, food tours, or guides to a location-specific activities or bucketlist experiences.

One thing to consider is that people browsing "things to do" posts tend to fall into two camps: people who are dreaming of a destination and people who are already there.

As such, these kind of posts can result in good revenue for affiliates, but have a lower affiliate RPM because the traffic intent is split between far future planning and immediate booking.

RentalCars.com

• Program name: RentalCars.com Affiliate Program
• Commission: 40% of RentalCar.com's cut (RentalCars.com), 6% of sales (CJ Affiliate)
• Cookie duration: 0 days (RentalCars.com), 30 days (CJ Affiliate)
• Alternatives: Discover Cars at 70% of rental car profit, 30% on Full Coverage insurance revenue (Post Affiliate Pro), 54% of rental car profit, 23% on Full Coverage insurance revenue (ShareASale)

RentalCars.com is a great example of how much of an opportunity transportation is a big opportunity for travel blogger affiliates.

As one of the biggest rental car comparison websites online, RentalCars.com has got great brand recognition and overall does prove to have some solid deals.

If you tend to do road trips or just prefer to socially distance from your fellow travelers, rental car affiliate programs are a great addition to your travel content.

The two main rental car affiliate programs we found in our analysis were RentalCars.com and Discover Cars (also in this guide). Depending on your audience, one or the other might convert better, so it's worth testing each.

Tips for promoting rental cars: Obviously, it works best to promote rental cars for places where you might like to have a car to get around, and parking isn't too terrible. Think road trips, regional trips, and destinations where people are likely to visit multiple towns or cities in a single trip.

The longer the person's trip is, the more commission you earn. So thinking about destinations where people tend to spend a longer amount of time driving around is helpful.

Discover Cars

• Program name: Discover Cars Affiliate Program
• Commission: 70% of rental car profit, 30% on Full Coverage insurance revenue (Post Affiliate Pro), 54% of rental car profit, 23% on Full Coverage insurance revenue (ShareASale)
• Cookie duration: 365 days
• Alternatives: RentalCars.com at 40% of RentalCar.com's cut (RentalCars.com), 6% of sales (CJ Affiliate)

Discover Cars is a brand I wasn't familiar with until compiling the data for this article. But then I saw it everywhere.

Their merchant page on ShareASale got my attention:

"We partner with some of the top webmasters in the travel vertical who are earning on average $2,500 USD per month with a traffic of 100K."

This means average commissions vary from $20-$50 per sale, and with a super generous 1-year cookie. With affiliate commissions like that, it's easy to imagine that adding some car rental links to your existing content could be pretty profitable.

You may find it interesting to try out both RentalCars.com and Discover Cars and see which one converts better for your readers.

• Program name: Klook Affiliate Program
• Commission: 2-5%
• Alternatives: GetYourGuide at 8% and up (GetYourGuide), 5% (Skimlinks), 7% base (Awin), 7% (CJ Affiliate) , or Viator at 8% (Viator), 4% (ShareASale)

Klook is a Hong Kong-based travel tours and experience platform. As such, we found Klook promoted most on blogs that focus on Asian countries like Japan, Korea, Singapore, China, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

With that said, since the pandemic and the turndown of international tourism in Asia, Klook has doubled down on Europe and North America as target markets. So you'll want to test promoting similar activities between Klook, Viator, and GetYourGuide to see which resonates most with your audience.

Right on the bottom of their homepage, you can see a pretty clear list of their top performing activities and tours.

Let this inspire you on the type of content to create as a travel affiliate:

Apart from tours and activities, Klook is also a reseller of train tickets, WiFi rentals, and Sim cards. Especially if your readers are traveling to a country in Asia for the first time, there are probably a number of products and conveniences you can help them discover through Klook.

• Program name: Plum Guide Affiliate Program
• Commission: 7-10%
• Cookie duration: 90 days
• Markets: AU, CA, ES, UK, US

Plum Guide is like a fancier version of Airbnb, where stays start at 139€ and go up from there. They select the top 1% of properties in a few of the most popular vacation destinations, like London, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Rome, Milan, Copenhagen, Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon, Berlin and Tel Aviv.

So while the properties on Plum Guide might be too expensive for the average traveler, the bookings you can make through this program tend to be on the higher end if they go through.

On top of that, the generous 90-day cookie period means you have a lot of time for the guest to actually book their stay after they start their research process on your website.

If you cater to luxury travellers, Plum Guide could be a good addition to the hotel affiliate programs you're already promoting.

• Program name: Outdoorsy Affiliate Program
• Commission: $60.00 or more per booking
• Markets: US, CA (AvantLink), US, CA (CJ Affiliate), US, CA (Tune (HasOffers))
• Alternatives: RVShare at 5% for each stay, $7.00 for each new RV listed (CJ Affiliate), 6.4% for each stay, $7.00 for each new RV listed (FlexOffers) , or Camping World at 4% commission

Who wants to take bets that RVing, renting camper vans, and hitting the road is going to be the most popular travel activities next Summer?

While hotels are some of the most lucrative affiliate programs for travel bloggers , RVs and camper vans take their place when it comes to destinations popular for their natural beauty.

Think about national parks and places famous for their camping and wildlife.

Apart from the solid commissions at $60+ per booking, Outdoorsy is available in both the US and Canada. So if you're outdoors activities in North America, there's a good chance you'll be covered.

Look no further than the Outdoorsy homepage for a roadmap (ha!) to their most popular places to rent an RV:

The great commissions and cookie period make this an excellent affiliate program for both travel and outdoors-focused websites.

You will need to reach $100 in earnings to trigger a payout from AvantLink, CJ, or Tune (formerly HasOffers). But with these commissions, that shouldn't be an issue.

• Program name: RVShare Affiliate Program
• Commission: 5% for each stay, $7.00 for each new RV listed (CJ Affiliate), 6.4% for each stay, $7.00 for each new RV listed (FlexOffers)
• Cookie duration: 30 days (CJ Affiliate), 45 days (FlexOffers)
• Markets: US
• Alternatives: Outdoorsy at $60.00 or more per booking , or Camping World at 4% commission

RVShare is an RV marketplace where both RV owners and those looking to rent can connect. It includes a range of vehicles from pop-ups to luxury motor homes.

With an average order value of $699, according to the program landing page, that means an average commission of about $34.95. Not bad at all, but not nearly as good as Outdoorsy , assuming a comparable conversion rate.

Still an extremely solid option if you need to promote RV or van rentals in places Outdoorsy doesn't cover. At least, as the homepage claims, it is the largest RV rental marketplace.

Similar to Outdoorsy, popular destinations are plastered right on the homepage:

Take any of these for inspiration on the types of destinations that people tend to visit by RV, and you'll be ahead of the curve.

• Program name: Skyscanner Affiliate Program
• Commission: 20% Direct and booking

Skyscanner is a metasearch engine and travel agency based out of Scotland with average site visits of over 100 million people per month. The site specializes in helping travelers search, choose, and book from a wide variety of flight, hotel, and car hire deals from over 1,200 travel providers. The website is also available in 35 languages across 60 countries.

Skyscanner is an easy sell, given its brand recognition and how trusted it is among regular travelers. The company’s airline affiliate program currently provides commissions on sales of flights and hotel bookings. The pay-outs are a share of the commissions offered to Skyscanner by their travel partners. Expect to earn in the region of 20% commissions for bookings.

You have three different ways to sell Skyscanner’s products:

• Embed widgets on your website.
• Use the company’s text links or banners or generate your own unique referral link.
• Create an innovative travel website or app by connecting to Skyscanner’s Flights API.

Overall, Skyscanner is a reliable choice for travel deals and a superior inventory of travel products.

• Program name: Momondo Affiliate Program
• Commission: $0.06-$0.60 per sale depending on the types of product and clickout (desktop, mobile) (CJ Affiliate), $0.09-$0.87 per sale depending on the types of product and clickout (desktop, mobile) (CJ Affiliate), $0.45 per click out for desktop and tablet, $0.65 per click out for mobile (Webgains), 0.05-0.46% per sale depending on the types of product and clickout (desktop, mobile) (FlexOffers), $0.07-$0.66 per sale depending on the types of product and clickout (desktop, mobile) (FlexOffers), A$0.38-A$0.83 (Skimlinks), (Skimlinks), (Sovrn)
• Markets: CA (CJ Affiliate), US (CJ Affiliate), Global (Webgains), CA (FlexOffers), US (FlexOffers), AU (Skimlinks), Global (Skimlinks), Global (Sovrn)

Momondo is a travel fare metasearch engine and aggregator owned by KAYAK. Similar to KAYAK, Momondo searches and displays cheap fares for tickets, stays, car rentals, and experiences.

The good news about Momondo’s affiliate program is that they’re open to even smaller blogs. So, if you’re just starting out as an affiliate, this might be a great opportunity. They’re open to content sites, established travel sites, and even email as long as the email content has been pre-approved by the company.

All you need to do is sign up on any of the associate affiliate network partners, receive your link and embed it to your website. You have the potential to earn US$0.65 per click on desktops and tablets and US$0.45 per click on mobile searches. Right now, the affiliate product is available for flights only. Also, reach out to the brand directly for additional support and exclusive deals if you have more than 200,000 unique site visitors a month.

• Program name: KAYAK Affiliate Program
• Commission: 0-50% (KAYAK), $0.08-$1.90 per sale depending on the types of product and clickout (desktop, mobile) (CJ Affiliate), £0.11-£0.33 per sale depending on the types of product and clickout (desktop, mobile) (CJ Affiliate), $0.08-$0.66 per sale depending on the types of product and clickout (desktop, mobile) (CJ Affiliate), $0.07-$0.61 per sale depending on the types of product and clickout (desktop, mobile) (FlexOffers), 0.06-0.83% per sale depending on the types of product and clickout (desktop, mobile) (FlexOffers), £0.28 per click on flights, hotel and car searches (TradeTracker)
• Cookie duration: Not listed (KAYAK, CJ Affiliate, FlexOffers, TradeTracker), 30 days (CJ Affiliate, FlexOffers)
• Markets: Global (KAYAK), US (CJ Affiliate), UK (CJ Affiliate), CA (CJ Affiliate), CA (FlexOffers), US (FlexOffers), CH, DE, ES, FR, IT, NL, PL, UK (TradeTracker)

KAYAK is a popular metasearch engine and online travel agency from the United States. The company offers a wide range of travel products, including flights, stays, car rentals, and experiences. From a branding perspective, the KAYAK website accounts for more than 6 million searches annually, and affiliates have already earned over US$76 million in sales.

KAYAK also has one of the most advanced and rewarding airline affiliate programs:

• Earn 50% commissions from clicks, bookings, and ad revenue for flights, hotels, cars, and packages.
• Easily customize your website for marketing with deep links, widgets, search boxes, white labeling, and API. You can even customize the solution to your needs.
• Dedicated affiliate support includes technical setup and assistance for scaling up.
• Track your earnings and performance on your very own affiliate portal.

Sign up to the KAYAK affiliate network directly on their website. Alternatively, you’ll also find the affiliate program listed on CJ Affiliate, FlexOffers, and TradeTracker.

HostelWorld

• Program name: HostelWorld Affiliate Program
• Commission: 18-22%
• Alternatives: Booking.com at 25-34% of Booking.com's cut (Booking.com), 4% of gross sale amount (CJ Affiliate)

Got a budget-conscious audience? HostelWorld is a great alternative to Booking.com if your readers are college students, young people, or generally looking to travel long-term on a shoestring budget.

It's been a pretty long time since I stayed in a hostel, so I don't promote hostels myself. However, in our research we found tons of links to HostelWorld on top travel blogs and websites.

And even if you're not into hostels, HostelWorld seems to be branching out into the suddenly crowded market for travel experiences.

Tips for promoting hostels: Most people staying in hostels are doing it for budget-conscious reasons. So promote hostels in content targeting a younger demographic (such as college students).

Interrail Pass / Eurail Pass

• Program name: Interrail Pass / Eurail Pass Affiliate Program
• Commission: 3%
• Alternatives: Omio at 2-8% depending on customer country

Eurail is a rail pass which permits travel through 33 European countries by train. It gives travelers unrivaled flexibility. If you miss a train, in most cases you can simply hop on board the next one.

You also save the hassle of booking train tickets in advance, though in most cases you still have to make a reservation with a small 10-20€ surcharge for high-speed and night trains.

Eurail have both multi-day and multi-country passes that travelers can tailor to their journey. Travelers can also choose a single-country pass, in case they want to just travel one country extensively by train.

Interrail is basically the same thing but designed for European residents.

Either way, you can earn a 3% commission. And with an average order value of £298.27 ($408.85), this could mean an average commission around $12.

• Program name: REI Affiliate Program
• Commission: 5%
• Cookie duration: 15 days
• Brands: Arc'teryx, Black Diamond, Columbia, Merrel, Mountain Hardwear, Osprey, Outdoor Research, Patagonia, prAna, REI Co-op, Salomon, Shimano, and Smartwool.
• Alternatives: Patagonia at 8% , or Osprey at 8%

REI is the most promoted affiliate program for outdoor gear after Amazon, according to our analysis.

It's not exactly a surprise, as REI is a trusted name with a lot of brand loyalty behind it. They offer a wide range of products from camping and hiking gear to gear for climbing, cycling, kayaking, running, snow sports, and more.

REI is a perfect brand to promote whether your website is focused on travel, nature, outdoors, or sports.

The tricky part is that AvantLink and REI are particular about who they accept into their program. So you'll need to apply with an established website for a chance to get accepted.

REI offers over 200 articles from popular brands like Arc'teryx, Black Diamond, Columbia, and Patagonia.

So if you're able to get in, those brand pages are a great place to start for insights into REI's most popular and high-converting products and product categories.

TripAdvisor

• Program name: TripAdvisor Affiliate Program
• Commission: 50% of click out (CJ Affiliate), 16% of the revenue generated when users click on commerce links and/or ads throughout the TripAdvisor site (FlexOffers)
• Cookie duration: 14 days (CJ Affiliate), 1 days (FlexOffers)

TripAdvisor is one of the most popular trip-planning websites online. On TripAdvisor, you can link to restaurants, attractions, and accommodation.

Basically, the TripAdvisor affiliate program shares revenue with affiliates based on leads, rather than sales. That means you'll generate many more, smaller commissions (think, $0.20 - $0.50 in most cases) than you would if you linked directly to the accommodation providers that TripAdvisor partners with.

But it's important to know that you'll only generate affiliate revenue if the click you send to TripAdvisor results in a click out to a hotel property. No other type of click out generates a commission for you.

Whether or not this is a good strategy for you heavily depends on the type of content you're writing. For content that's early in the trip-planning journey, this could make sense. But there you're still hoping to get lucky, as opposed to being intentional about the kind of content and links you're promoting.

If you're writing guides designed for people who are actively booking their stay, promoting hotels through Booking.com, Agoda, or Hotels.com will likely prove more profitable.

G Adventures

• Program name: G Adventures Affiliate Program

Whereas GetYourGuide, Klook, and Voyagin are all tour companies, G Adventures focused on multi-day, small-group tours that rack up a big price tag — and resulting commission.

According to their FAQs, G Adventures' average order value is $2,600. At a 6% commission, that's $156 per sale on average.

Naturally, buying a tour like this is a much longer decision-making process. Luckily G Adventures also gives its affiliates a generous 90-day cookie window.

This makes it a great option if you're able to capture a reader's email address and send them a travel guide on the location, and following up with a couple emails about this tour. Sometimes these tours also have sales, too.

Tips for promoting small group, multi-day tours: Focus on destinations that may be more difficult to reach individually, or organized cross-country tours for Americans visiting Europe.

You'll notice their website features destinations like Machu Pichu, which can be complicated to reach on your own. Same story for places where travelers may not feel confident driving themselves.

In our research, we noticed both G Adventures and Intrepid Travel being promoted most heavily on South and Central America-focused travel websites.

Intrepid Travel

• Program name: Intrepid Travel Affiliate Program
• Commission: 4% on sales, $0.50 per lead
• Markets: US, CA, EU, UK
• Alternatives: G Adventures at 5%

Intrepid Travel is an alternative to consider for a lot of the same destinations as G Adventures. They cater primarily to North American and European travelers going to places in South and Central America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Here are some examples of the types of trips you'll find on Intrepid Travel:

Similar to G Adventures, they also sometimes have sales, which you can share with your email list or promote on relevant pages on your travel blog.

Again, focus on destinations that can be complicated or difficult to reach without a tour. Or locations where people might feel more safe or comfortable traveling in a small group, like the ones Intrepid Travel offers.

• Program name: CityPASS Affiliate Program
• Commission: 6%

Are you promoting large US or Canadian cities on your travel blog as an affiliate? CityPASS could be a great addition to help your audience access deals and attractions with a single purchase.

CityPASS tickets tend to include attractions like SeaWorld, Legoland, zoos, museums, cruises and more. We found them promoted most often on family travel websites, probably because dealing with tickets can be a pain if you've got kids in tow.

The top destinations mentioned on the CityPASS homepage include Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, New York City, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Southern California, Tampa Bay, and Toronto.

You can easily include CityPASS links near any of the attractions in "things to do" guides that you're recommending anyway.

Of note, other online travel agencies like GetYourGuide, Klook, and Viator also often have passes to these types of attractions. So it's worth testing out which leads to a higher affiliate RPM for your article.

Priority Pass

• Program name: Priority Pass Affiliate Program
• Commission: 10% (ShareASale), 10% (Pepperjam)

Got an audience of luxury, business, or just frequent travelers? Priority Pass is membership that gives pass-owners access to over 1300 comfortable airport lounges around the world.

Most memberships are offered on an annual basis, and range from $89-$359 per year when discounted. At a 10% commission rate, that's $8.90-$35.90 per conversion which is definitely respectable on the upper end.

Note: On ShareASale they'll give you a 15% commission for the first month, but in all liklihood it'll take you long enough to figure out the best ways to promote the PriorityPass that you won't earn a ton during that time period.

World Nomads

• Program name: World Nomads Affiliate Program
• Network / Software: Direct
• Commission: 10%
• Cookie duration: 60 days
• Alternatives: SafetyWing at 10%

One of the big benefits of travel insurance affiliate programs is you can include them in a wide range of existing content.

The downside is, trying to rank for most terms including the word "insurance" is probably not going to be easy.

While collecting our data, we noticed that a fair number of big name travel blogs include links out to travel insurance on almost 100% of their long-form content. If you've got a common footer at the end of your articles, this might be a good spot to include a link to World Nomads.

Think about destinations where safety is a concern, and share any personal experiences you may have with claiming insurance.

Including an "Is [City Name] Safe" section in existing travel guides and itineraries is a good way to start.

• Program name: SafetyWing Affiliate Program
• Alternatives: World Nomads at 10%

One of the most popular alternatives to World Nomads is SafetyWing. As opposed to being just focused on travel insurance, SafetyWing also offers insurance for full-time nomads and is among the first companies to do so.

As an "Ambassador", you can promote both the Nomad Insurance and the Remote Health insurance at a rate of 10%.

The difference is, Remote Health is a 12-month policy that gets paid out in installments. So you can actually continue to earn for each month that the person you referred remains insured (which they're obligated to do by contract).

Here's an example from the website:

A pretty excellent payout for just 10 referrals per year.

Wise (formerly Transferwise)

• Program name: Wise (formerly Transferwise) Affiliate Program
• Commission: £10.00 for personal users, £50.00 for business users
• Cookie duration: Forever

Wise (formerly Transferwise) is a bank account that makes it cheap and fast to transfer money between countries. They offer a so-called "Borderless" account, which is bank account that allows you to hold balances in different currencies.

Fun fact, I'm a Wise user myself and have found it really useful to be able to accept affiliate payouts in various currencies, and then pay bills in the currency they're owed in, instead of losing money to currency conversion in between!

Wise is a handy product for anyone who travels internationally. Digital nomads, frequent travelers, and people doing international business are all great candidates to refer to Wise.

Commissions are a flat rate and will vary a bit depending on what your payout currency is. For the UK program, it's £10 for personal users, and £50 for business users.

Note that you only get paid for funded accounts, not just signups. But thanks to the "forever" cookie, you'll get credit for any account you refer that gets funded no matter how long it takes them to do it.

• Program name: Omio Affiliate Program
• Commission: 2-8% depending on customer country
• Alternatives: Interrail Pass / Eurail Pass at 3%

Omio is a one-stop-shop for booking transportation. Trains, busses, flights, and ferries can all be found on Omio's website.

So if you're explaining to readers how to reach a specific location on your travel blog (for example, "Paris to Versailles"), the Omio affiliate program could be an easy plug when it comes to trains, busses, and flights.

Just be aware that there are transportation affiliate programs which may perform better. For example, car rentals and travel tours both tend to offer higher percentage commissions on a similar order value.

But for good measure, offering several options and then measuring which ones drive clicks and conversions is always your best bet.

Ferryhopper

• Program name: Ferryhopper Affiliate Program
• Commission: 1% gross booking value

Ferryhopper is a service that lets you book ferry transportation between the Greek Islands. Unlike a lot of other providers, they don't put an extra service charge on top, so you know your readers are genuinely getting the best deal.

That said, the base commission rate of 1% isn't super high. Considering most ferries are pretty affordable when booked in advance, this isn't likely to be the backbone of your travel blog's affiliate income.

But we did see this heavily promoted on a number of Greece-focused travel websites. So if that's a region you're covering, consider adding some content about ferries to the mix.

Monica Lent

Monica is the co-founder of Affilimate. Here to share data-driven tips and strategies for earning more from your website as a content publisher.

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31 High-Paying Travel Affiliate Programs to Promote in 2023

If you enjoy seeing the world and you’re looking to get involved with affiliate marketing , I can honestly think of no better niche than travel.

Here’s why.

• It’s a nearly $600 billion /year industry.
• People will spend literally $10,000 or more on a single purchase.
• The space is growing extremely quickly.
• You will actually have fun!
• It’s actually less competitive than many other lucrative niches.

And honestly, where else can you live the life most people dream of and get paid to talk about it?

I’ve spent a ton of time doing the research for you and found the best travel affiliate programs out there in lots of different categories.

Want to know which affiliate marketing method works best for you? Answer the short quiz below:

I’ve also weeded out a lot of bad programs that have bad reputations, or simply don’t pay enough commissions to be worth it.

You should find multiple programs that will work best for your affiliate business no matter what it is though.

Let’s dig in!

Best Travel Affiliate Programs

1. Booking.com 2. Tripadvisor 3. Expedia 4. Priceline 5. Cheapflights.com 6. Agoda 7. Skyscanner 8. airbnb 9. Cruise Direct 10. Sandals Resorts 11. Wego 12. G Adventures 13. STA Travel 14. Get Your Guide Tours 15. Viator 16. Route Perfect 17. Urban Adventures 18. Economy Bookings 19. Myrentacar.com 20. World Nomads 21. Claim Compass 22. Allianz Global Insurance 23. TravelInsurance.com 24. Travelex 25. Expedited Passports & Visas 26. Lonely Planet 27. Tep Wireless 28. Luggage Online 29. REI 30. Naughty Nomad ebooks 31. Wandering Earl

Accommodations & Flights

Probably the most popular affiliate programs to promote in the travel industry are hotel accommodations and flights, and there are plenty to choose from. Here are the ones I like the most.

1. Booking.com

URL: Booking.com Affiliate Program Commission: 25%-40% Cookie Duration: TBC

Booking.com is a great all-in-one program to promote because they offer over 2.5 million accommodations, as well as flights, flight and hotel packages, car rentals, attractions, and airport taxis.

They make it easy to sign up as an affiliate, and you’ll receive numerous tools to help you promote Booking.com, including a plugin to incorporate a Booking.com search box on their site, deep linking, and banners, as well as an affiliate support center.

You’ll earn a percentage of the commission that Booking.com gets from each booking, and it works on a commission scale depending on how many bookings you get per month, ranging from 25%-40%.

You get paid only after your referral completes their stay, and there is a $100 min payout.

2. Tripadvisor

URL: Tripadvisor Affiliate Program Commission: 50% of Tripadvisor’s commission Cookie Duration: 14 days

Tripadvisor offers reviews, recommendations, and bookings for hotels, tours, activities, restaurants, flights, vacation rentals, and cruises (over 500,000 cities and hotels in total).

It’s pretty interesting as an affiliate, because Trip Advisor is actually an affiliate as well, and they are essentially sharing commissions with you.

Affiliates earn at least 50% of the commission Tripadvisor receives from hotel bookings. You’ll get paid whether your referrals book a hotel or not since payment happens when they click out to Tripadvisor’s hotel booking partners.

The commission earned depends on several factors, such as the booking partner, hotel, seasonality, and length of stay. It’s also important to note that commissions are only earned on hotel stays, not on tours, activities, restaurants, flights, etc.

Tripadvisor has incentive programs for their affiliates, and they offer deep linking.

This means you can link directly to an exact offer, trip, hotel, etc. with an affiliate link.

You can sign up for their affiliate program through either CJ Affiliate or Awin.

*Hint: I hate Awin. Do CJ.

URL: Expedia Affiliate Program Commission: 1% – 12% as outlined below Cookie Duration: 30 days

Expedia offers bookings on flights, hotels, and activities with over 500,000 hotels across the world and 400 airlines.

Commissions are determined by the purchase:

• 1% per transaction on flights
• 3.5% per transaction on packages
• 5.5% per transaction on rental cars
• 6% per transaction on hotels
• 12% per transaction on activities
• 12% per transaction on ground transfers

Affiliates receive access to a dedicated affiliate call center for assistance. The minimum payout is $50.

These numbers are huge if you do the math. Six percent of a $2,000 hotel purchase is $120. And some people will spend up to $10,000 on their hotels!

4. Priceline

URL: Priceline Affiliate Program Commission: 3% Cookie Duration: TBC

Priceline offers hotel, rental car, flight, trip protection, and attractions. Their claim to fame is discounted travel that saves people up to 60% on over 70,000 properties and 263 airlines worldwide.

As an affiliate, you’ll earn 3% commissions on hotels, flights, vacation packages, and car rentals.

You’ll get to choose from an API integration to power your website or a private label eCommerce template, and of course, there is a dedicated support team for affiliates.

Priceline is a funny one because you will be offering better prices typically to your audience, but that means you make less commission.

I wouldn’t use Priceline if I was referring to hotels because Expedia commissions are nearly double.

5. Cheapflights.com

URL: Cheapflights Affiliate Program Commission: 45¢ per click out (desktop and tablet), 25¢ per click out (mobile) Cookie Duration: 90 days

Let me give a quick disclaimer here as a traveler and an affiliate.

I tried these guys and it was messy.

I tried to book with them and they kept claiming to have found a good price, but every time I went to book the price went away.

Could it have been a fluke? Maybe.

Cheapflights.com works with over 300 partners, and thousands of airlines and travel agents to find the best deals on flights, hotels, and rental cars.

One thing I LOVE is that Affiliates get to integrate their flight search functionality on their websites with booking engine widgets, search boxes, and banners.

This means you can have people searching for flights on your own website using their embed feature.

I don’t need to tell you how great it is to keep someone on your website.

The Cheapflights affiliate program is a pay per click program . You’ll receive fixed fee earnings when your referral clicks out to one of Priceline’s partners (45¢ per click out on desktop and tablet, 25¢ per click out on mobile).

If your website is getting thousands of visitors a month this could easily turn into $4,500 a month.

CJ Affiliate manages their affiliate program.

Agoda has almost 2 million properties worldwide, including hotels, resorts, hostels, and private rentals.

This is definitely one of the best travel affiliate programs in my eyes because the commissions are pretty decent and they are based on the booking amount, not on a revenue share.

Commissions are tier-based, ranging from 4% to 7% depending on margin. They are based on completed bookings and you are paid after your referral has checked out of the property.

• 4% – less than 50 bookings
• 4.5% – 50-99 bookings
• 5% – 100-199 bookings
• 6% – 200-999 bookings
• 7% – more than 999 bookings

Agoda provides affiliates with a dedicated affiliate support team and promotional tools that include a search box, text links, data feeds, and hotel power ads (which allow you to increase your revenue by 300%).

Affiliates must have a website to join the affiliate program and it takes 48-72 hours to get approved. The minimum payout is $200 and is done through bank transfer.

You can sign up for the Agoda affiliate program through ShareASale or right on the Agoda website.

7. Skyscanner

URL: Skycanner Affiliate Program Commission: 20% and up Cookie Duration: TBC

Skyscanner uses world-class travel search technology for checking flight prices, hotels, and rental cars, and they have a mobile app as well.

Affiliates have access to banners, travel widgets, flight booking widgets, and APIs that you can use to create your own search functionality on your site.

Commissions are on Skyscanner generated revenue, not on bookings or cart revenue. Skyscanner receives a commission from their partners when users click-out, and affiliates receive 20% of Skyscanner’s commission to start.

That means, you can earn at each stage of travel, from planning to purchase.

URL: airbnb Affiliate Program Commission: $20 for accommodations, $10 for experiences Cookie Duration: TBC

Airbnb offers home and apartment rentals, as well as unique experiences and online experiences.

They do have an affiliate program, but it isn’t for most affiliates since they require you to have at least 1 million monthly visits. Instead, what I wanted to talk about is their referral program.

By sharing your referral link, your referrals save by receiving up to $35 off of their first trip, and you get $20 for every person who completes a qualifying stay and $10 for every person who books a qualifying experience.

Money earned is given in credit off of airbnb purchases, so it’s a great opportunity to travel more often yourself without breaking the bank.

9. Cruise Direct

URL: Cruise Direct Affiliate Program Commission: 3% of the gross sale Cookie Duration: 45 days

Cruise Direct offers cruises around the world with a 100% best price guarantee.

The fact that Cruise Direct’s commissions are based on gross sales definitely makes this one of the best travel affiliate programs.

For example, an average sale on this site is $2200, so a 3% commission would earn you $66.

Affiliates have access to links, banners, search boxes, personalized landing pages, and a dedicated affiliate team, as well as opportunities for extra commissions, deals, and bonus commission opportunities.

The minimum payout is $25, and the program is managed by CJ Affiliate.

10. Sandals Resorts

URL: Sandals Resorts Affiliate Program Commission: 4% on bookings Cookie Duration: 60 days

Sandals provides Caribbean vacations at 16 Sandals Resorts (for romantic vacations, honeymoons, and destination weddings) and 3 Beach Resorts (for families).

This is another one of the best affiliate programs for travel because affiliates earn 4% commissions on all travel products, including luxury, all-inclusive getaways, private candlelight dinners, and more.

With rates that range from $150-$2000 per person per night, that can certainly add up. Plus, Sandals has one of the best EPCs in the travel niche (3 month EPC = $137.99).

Affiliates are given incentives to earn free trips and performance bonuses. There are hundreds of banners to choose from, and you’ll receive a dedicated affiliate manager.

You can sign up for the Sandals affiliate program on CJ Affiliate.

URL: Wego Affiliate Program Commission: 5¢-80¢ per click Cookie Duration: TBC

Wego is a “travel meta-search engine” that allows travelers to easily find the best-priced hotels and flights.

Affiliates earn on exit clicks, which means you get paid each time someone visits Wego with your referral link and then clicks a link on Wego to a partner site, such as Booking.com.

The value of each successful booking varies depending on the travel partner your referral books with and the commercial agreement between Wego and Travel suppliers, but it will look something like this:

• 5¢-40¢ per flight click
• 2¢-80¢ per hotel click

There are banners, links, and APIs to integrate their software into your site. Affiliates can choose to join as an API partner or as a non-API partner.

You’ll get paid by PayPal or wire transfer with a $100 min payout for PayPal and $500 min for bank transfer.

Tours & Niched Travel

The next category I wanted to explore for travel affiliate programs has to do with booking tours and travel that is niched, such as adventure or student travel.

Promoting these programs is a great way to separate yourself from the masses.

1. G Adventures

URL: G Adventures Affiliate Program Commission: 5% on all confirmed sales Cookie Duration: 90 day cookie

I love this travel affiliate program! G Adventures provides small group adventure travel through worldwide tours.

They offer different Travel Styles, including:

• Classic Tours
• National Geographic Journeys
• National Geographic Family Journeys
• 18-to-Thirtysomethings Tours
• Wellness Tours
• Active Tours
• Marine Tours
• Local Living Tours
• Family Tours
• Private Travel

Affiliates get to earn 5% on the booking price. The average order is $2600, which would provide you with a whopping $130!

They provide display ads, copy, XML feed, and special promotions for affiliates. Sign up is through CJ Affiliate.

2. STA Travel

URL: STA Travel Affiliate Program Commission: 10% commission on tours, ISIC cards, SIM cards; $4 per flight Cookie Duration: TBC

STA Travel is the global leader in travel for students, teachers, and people under age 35. They offer a wide range of travel products, including:

• Student Travel
• Rail and bus passes
• Travel deals
• Insurance on travel

Affiliates receive 10% commission on tours, ISIC cards, and SIM cards, as well as $4 on flights, which is nothing to write home about, but they do offer some nice incentives.

For example, there is a dedicated support team that sets up monthly promotions to help affiliates improve conversions with vanity promo codes and co-branded landing pages. There are also increased commissions for top performers.

Payments are through PayPal and sing up for the program is at CJ Affiliate.

3. Get Your Guide Tours

URL: Get Your Guide Tours Commission: 8% Cookie Duration: TBC

Get Your Guide Tours offers 34,000+ worldwide tours and activities that are personalized and guided. Offerings include:

• Walking tours
• Museum tickets
• Cruises and boat tours
• Hop-on hop-off tours
• Ghost and vampire tours
• Food and gourmet tours
• Sightseeing tours
• Local culture
• Nature and adventure
• Attraction tickets
• Food and drink

Commission is 8%, which is earned on each successful booking.

They offer their affiliates links and widgets as well as tips and tricks on best placement. Their dedicated affiliate support team also provides help with increasing conversion rates.

URL: Viator Affiliate Program Commission: 8% on bookings Cookie Duration: 30 days

Viator is a Tripadvisor company that offers tours and experiences that add up to 345,000+ things to do worldwide, including things like:

• Helicopter tours
• Food and wine
• Private and VIP shows

They are loved by their customers for their lowest price guarantee and their Reserve Now & Pay Later service, which allows travelers to secure activities without being locked in.

They offer 24/7 global customer support and there are millions of reviews to read through.

Affiliates are given customized widgets through a widget builder and API solutions, as well as 24/7 affiliate support, performance-based campaigns, and deals and promotions.

Commission is 8% on bookings.

5. RoutePerfect

URL: Route Perfect Affiliate Program Commission: $50 per sale Cookie Duration: TBC

RoutePerfect provides custom trip itineraries through their online trip planning tool. Travelers can plan their trips according to budget, preferences, and personal style.

This is certainly one of the best travel affiliate programs because affiliates receive a $50 flat commission for each package booked (min total package of $300).

You can add their Trip Planner to your site, which is great because their conversion rates are high and bounce rates are low. They also offer embedded custom trips for maximum conversions and a dedicated affiliate manager.

Payments are through PayPal (or wire transfer for commissions of $500 and up).

6. Urban Adventures

URL: Urban Adventures Affiliate Program Commission: 10% on bookings Cookie Duration: 6 months

Urban Adventures is a global day tour provider that is pretty unique because it is essentially a community of people who show travelers the secrets of their hometown.

It’s a franchise-based business, and each one has a passion for the areas they promote.

This is the site to use if you really want to experience the culture of an area. Travelers can meet locals, enjoy local interaction, and get unique itineraries.

Trips range from a couple hours to a whole day. Travelers can visit major cities as well as off-the-beaten track areas.

Urban Adventure’s travel affiliate program provides direct links, banners, embedded links, and white label options. Commissions are 10% on bookings and there is a $150 min payout.

Car Rentals

Next up is the car rental category, which is another way to supplement your travel affiliate business.

1. Economy Bookings

URL: Economy Bookings Affiliate Progam Commission: up to 50% on each sale Cookie Duration: 30 days

Economy Bookings is a website that allows you to compare car rental services and book car rentals. They have 175,000 cars in 20,000 locations worldwide.

Travelers will be able to view all of the major car rental brands on this one site so that they can find the best price.

Their affiliate program is managed through Travelpayouts and you’ll receive 50% of each sale, making this one of the best travel affiliate programs out there.

2. Myrentacar.com

URL: Myrentacar.com Affiliate Program Commission: 50% of Myrentacar’s commission Cookie Duration: 30 days

Myrentacar.com offers car rentals from 34 different rental companies.

They are known for having no hidden fees, low to no deposits, no charges after the car is returned, and prices are 2-3 times lower than international car rental companies.

Affiliates receive 50% commission on the Myrentacar’s commission. The program is managed through Travelpayouts affiliate network.

Their conversion rates are 4-7.5% and they offer links and widgets, as well as white label widgets so that your branding is front and center.

Travel Insurance & Services

Another category that is certainly worth promoting in the travel niche is travel insurance and other services like expedited passports.

1. World Nomads

URL: World Nomads Affiliate Program Commission: 10% on sales Cookie Duration: 60 days

World Nomads is one of the fastest growing global travel insurance companies. They offer insurance that is designed by travelers who enjoy buying and claiming online, even while traveling.

Now, especially, we need peace of mind when traveling. World Nomad insurance covers things like:

• Terrorist attacks
• Death oversees
• Medical repatriation
• Delayed baggage
• Digital tech coverage
• Gear and baggage coverage
• Trip cancellation
• Overseas dental
• Overseas medical

Affiliates receive 10% commission on sales, as well as ready-made content that they can promote. Payouts are made through PayPal.

2. ClaimCompass

URL: Claim Compass Affiliate Program Commission: €15 flat commission Cookie Duration: 90 days

ClaimCompass offers refunds for canceled travel. Travelers can c laim up to  €600 from the airlines if their flight has been canceled or disrupted in the past 5 years (for flights delayed longer than 3 hours).

This site is rated 4.9 out of 5 stars and it is offered in 11 languages. There are no fees unless you get compensated.

Affiliates receive a €15 flat commission and affiliate support, as well as links and widgets.

3 Allianz Global Insurance

URL:  Allianz Global Insurance Commission: $12-$25 per sale Cookie Duration: 45 days

Allianz Global Insurance is a worldwide travel insurance company that offers travel insurance, corporate assistance, and concierge services that help travelers to get the most out of their trips.

Since they are owned by Allianz SE, which is the world’s largest diversified insurance company, they are able to provide innovative products, worldwide coverage, and competitive rates.

As far as Allianz travel insurance affiliate programs go, this is a good one since you’ll earn $12-$25 tiered commissions per qualified sale.

Their program is managed through CJ Affiliate.

4. TravelInsurance.com

URL: TravelInsurance.com Affiliate Program Commission: Varies depending on the insurance company chosen Cookie Duration: TBC

TravelInsurance.com allows visitors to find and compare travel insurance so that they can travel worry-free. This is a simple way to find travel insurance since they provide a side-by-side comparison.

They have tens of thousands of positive reviews , and they claim that “You won’t find a lower price anywhere else for a specific plan found here.”

In addition to traditional travel insurance, they also cover things like trip cancellation, lost luggage, and medical emergencies.

Affiliates receive banners, text links, and real-time tracking. They have high conversion rates (quote to sale ratio) and they only work with top rated travel insurance companies (they remove the plan if their rating drops below 4 out of 5 stars).

5. Travelex Insurance Services

URL: Travelex Affiliate Program Commission: $17-$25 per sale Cookie Duration: 45 days

Travelex is one of the top names in travel insurance and they are certainly one of the most experienced with over 55 years of doing business.

In addition to travel insurance, they offer other travel services, including:

• International travel
• Lost luggage
• International driving licenses
• Expedited passport services

Affiliates can earn between $17 and $25 per sale and they receive custom creatives, incentives, and rewards for premium placement. There is a dedicated affiliate team that provides support.

6. Expedited Passports & Visas

URL: Expedited Passports & Visas Commission: 15% per sale

Expedited Passports & Visas is just what it sounds like. They are a third-party passport expediter, providing all of the following:

• New passports
• Renew passports
• Lost passports
• Passport name changes
• Child passports
• Visa for travel

All of their services come with a 100% money back guarantee, and depending on your location, they have the ability to get you your passport the same day you order it.

They claim their conversion rates are 10-40% higher than their competitors, and you’ll receive 15% commissions on each completed order.

Affiliates can ask them for specific graphics, text, or other creatives to help them succeed. They certainly have a very responsive affiliate team.

Travel Accessories, Gadgets & Items

Let’s not forget about all of the travel accessories and gadgets that travelers need, such as adapter plugs, converters, chargers, luggage, backpacks, computer bags, travel clothing, inflight comfort products, and more.

1. Lonely Planet

URL: LonelyPlanet Affiliate Program Commission: 15% on books and ebooks, 12% on travel guides, plus a commission per click out Cookie Duration: 30 days

Lonely Planet provides books, magazines, and travel guides. They are the largest travel guide book publisher, but you can also book flights, hotels, etc. on their site.

Affiliates earn 15% commission on books and ebooks and 12% on travel guides. Payments are through PayPal, and they offer dynamic banner ads and an affiliate support team.

I consider Lonely Planet to be one of the best travel affiliate programs because they are committed to providing commissions that are well above industry average on each sale, plus competitive rates on qualified leads.

Therefore, you’ll earn commissions each time one of your referrals purchases a print travel guide or ebook as well as when you generate a click through to one of their travel service partner sites.

Their affiliate program is managed by Awin (Americas and UK) and Commission Junction (Asia Pacific).

2. Tep Wireless

URL: Tep Wireless Affiliate Program  Commission: $20 per sale

Tep Wireless provides portable WiFi gadgets known as Teppy that offer global, secure, unlimited 4G internet in numerous different countries, so that travelers can avoid roaming fees.

It’s a hotspot with the guaranteed best signal and if you go over your daily data, you’ll continue to have service at a lower speed.

Travelers can rent a Teppy Pocket Wi-Fi device for $6.95 per day or purchase one for $149 (includes 1GB with pay as you go internet, allowing them to add data on the go so they never run out).

With the Tep Referral program, you’ll earn $20 for each completed order, which is a nice commission for this unique offering.

3. LuggageOnline

URL: LuggageOnline Affiliate Program Commission: 5% revenue share Cookie Duration: 90 days

LuggageOnline offers the largest luggage brand and merchandise selection, from briefcases to backpacks, luggage, and footlockers.

Their 110% low-price guarantee ensures travelers get the best deal online, and they can search for luggage based on style, function, quality, and price.

You’ll find all of the best brand names here, including Tumi, Rimowa, Briggs & Riley, Samsonite, Travelpro, and much more.

Affiliates earn a 5% revenue share, as well as plenty of coupons and promotions to promote. There is also a dedicated affiliate management team.

URL: REI Affiliate Program Commission: 5% per sale

REI is a well-known and respected brand of backpacking gear and accessories. They are the largest online outdoor store and they also provide expert advice and in-depth info about each product.

Their loyal customers love their 100% satisfaction guarantee, and free shipping to local stores, both of which will help with your conversions.

Affiliates earn 5% per sale, and the program is managed through AvantLink.

Digital Products

If you know me, you know that my favorite type of products to promote as an affiliate marketer is digital products.

They tend to offer the best commissions every single time.

When it comes to travel affiliate programs, there are a couple digital products that stand out…

1. Naughty Nomad ebooks

URL: Naughty Nomad Affiliate Program Commission: 75% commission on ebook sales Cookie Duration: 6 months

Mark Zolo is known as the Naughty Nomad and he offers several ebooks that you can earn a whopping 75% commission on!

He currently has 4 books, but seems to always be adding new ones. Here’s what he has right now:

• Naught Nomad: Not Your Typical Backpacker Story
• Naughty Nomad’s Guide to New York: The Bachelor’s Handbook
• Swagabond: Look Good. Pack Smart. Travel Light.
• My Life as a Mexican Pirate: A True Story (this is his newest book)

These books are something different and fun that you can offer to your audience.

The program is managed through e-Junkie and payments are made through PayPal.

2. Wandering Earl

URL: Wandering Earl Affiliate Program Commission: 50% Cookie Duration: 6 months

Similar to Naughty Nomad, Wandering Earl also sells travel guides, known as the Live a Life of Travel guides. Currently, he offers two:

• How to Live a Life of Travel
• Work on a Cruise Ship

Affiliates earn 50% commission and receive assistance from Earl himself. He has banners and graphics available for you, and the program is managed through e-Junkie.

What Makes Affiliate Programs for Travel so Exciting?

There are many different ways you can promote travel with a blog or YouTube channel.

For example, you can offer a general travel site with tips and access to bookings and cheap flights.

You could also get more specific, such as seniors who want to travel across the U.S.

Then, there are travel bloggers who travel around the world and write about it.

There are also many segments you can get involved with when it comes to travel affiliate programs. For instance, you can target people based on:

• Continent, country, region, and city
• Tourist attractions
• Event travel (weddings, bachelor parties, business conference, etc)

There are also numerous different products and services to promote in the travel niche:

• Accommodations
• Finance & Legal Aspects (travel insurance, Visas, travel cards, etc)
• Items Needed for Travel (travel accessories, luggage, sun protection, etc)

What Makes a Good Travel Affiliate Program?

Now that we know the travel industry is a good place to be as an affiliate marketer, let’s look at what you should be looking for when it comes to travel affiliate programs.

First and foremost, of course, is commission because I’m a firm believer that there’s no sense in promoting something that only earns pennies on the dollar.

The best travel affiliate programs provide a decent commission structure that will allow you to make real money, and that’s what you’ll find in the list I’ve provided.

While not all of these are high-ticket affiliate programs , they are the best in the industry as far as commission goes.

Cookie Duration

The next thing to look at is cookie duration. When one of your visitors clicks your affiliate link and visits one of the programs you are promoting, the clock starts ticking.

The cookie duration determines how long you will be able to earn a commission on that referral whether they purchase on that first click or not. 

I prefer affiliate programs that offer at least 60 day cookies. That’s not always possible, but we can always strive for it, right?

When you promote a product or service as an affiliate, you don’t want to feel like you are on your own to figure out how best to promote it.

That’s why I look for travel affiliate programs that offer dedicated support for their affiliates. You’ll find that all of the programs in the list below have great affiliate support.

What is the Best Way to Promote Travel Affiliate Programs?

As you can see, there are a lot of different things to promote in this niche whether you are a seasoned or a beginner affiliate marketer , including:

• Finance and Legal aspects of travel (travel insurance, Visas, travel cards, etc)
• Items needed for travel (Travel accessories, luggage, sun protection, etc)

While I didn’t find any affiliate programs that offer recurring commissions in this niche, there is a lot going for the travel niche.

But what is the best way to promote these travel affiliate programs?

My easiest guidance on this question is this:

• If you travel the world yourself, consider starting a YouTube channel.
• If you don’t travel much but enjoy the niche, a blog is a great way to go.

Want to learn the secrets that earned me a full time income as an affiliate marketer? Sign up for my webinar!

Monetize Your Travel Audience

Travelsite.io is a white-label travel site with flights, car rentals, and hotel search.

Proven Technology

TravelSite.io is powered by the same tech that runs GoLastMinute.com , a travel site with over $10 million (USD) in lifetime revenue.

Easy to Setup and Use

We host your white-label travel site in the cloud with no complicated setup like other DIY solutions such as WordPress.

Advertising Revenue

We are integrated with the Skyscanner Flights API, the Kayak Hotels API, MediaAlpha, and others for advertising monetization.

Integrations

We are integrated with many services such as Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Mailchimp (Mandrill) and more.

White-label Main Features

Shared Success

All your revenue is tracked and paid out to you minus a revenue share. Your success is our success.

Get revenue from Kayak, Skyscanner, and 220+ other travel advertisers so you can be earning from Day 1.

Affiliate Model

You earn commissions on clicks and bookings, so you don't have the customer service headaches of a booking site.

Custom Travel Blog

Make it your own with a custom domain name, images, tags, categories, and content.

@TravelDeals

Side Hustle School

Roadventurous

How to Create a White Label Website

Creating a White Label site is very easy. Sometimes it’s even easier than building your own website from scratch. In this article, we will explain how you can create a White Label website and how to develop your project. We will also give you useful tips to achieve your goal even if you don’t have any coding skills.

What Is White Label

White Label allows you to rebrand a product or service so that it is identical to the original without having to create something from scratch or invest large amounts to make your product.

There are many examples of companies – including Starbucks or, in technology, Dell – that use other manufacturers’ White Labels and then apply their own brand to personalise and sell the product with greater credibility.

However, be careful to not confuse White Label with the counterfeiting of a product.

How White Label Works

This type of business allows you to save money and time in the design and creation of the product. You will have a product identical to the original; to this, you will apply your brand. This lets you focus mainly on advertising and selling the service.

In the digital world, it’s easier to access manufacturers or programs that offer White Labels, both for free and for a fee. This allows you to offer quality services, just like the big brands.

For example, you may know about Aviasales.com – the flight search engine. You can build the very same service with your own brand! It doesn’t require a lot of skills in coding. You just have to do two things – join Travelpayouts and set up your flight White Label website . Following, we will look at the process in detail.

Join the Travelpayouts Partnership Platform

Access exclusive tools and the best travel partner programs, including flights, hotels, car rental, insurance, tours, and activities, all in one place.

Benefits of a White Label Website

Imagine competing with prestigious brands with their own program and selling the same product without major investment – or even free of charge. This is the strength that White Label can give your business.

The main benefits are:

• Low initial investment
• Growth of your brand
• Savings of time and money
• Ability to sell quality products

White Label website creation is not a hard process. Some people believe that White Label is so complicated, they give up before they try. In practice, if you were able to work with WordPress to create a travel blog, and aren’t scared of words like «hosting» and «domain», you can build your own WL website!

How to Build a White Label Website

Creating your own White Label site is simple and cheap. The easiest method is to use software that allows you to create your own website. However, if you have programming knowledge, creating a White Label website is much easier. You will be able to customize your product and offer something unique to users.

In Travelpayouts, you must proceed to the White Label section and create a new WL. Then you need to configure it. For this, you will need a WL website builder software.

Review of White Label Website Builder Software

No programming skills are required to use White Label. However, if you want to change the appearance of the header or footer, you will need to know at least HTML. To help you get the result you want, editors can assist you in making your own customizations:

• Atom is an open source project. Therefore, it is free of charge, with a clean and easy-to-use interface. It also offers many possibilities for customizing the language in which you want to program. The only defect is its slow start compared to other software.
• Brackets is ideal for beginners. It is designed by Adobe and is totally free. Brackets is very easy to use, and its development is constantly evolving. It’s a good option to start with.
• Visual Studio Code is developed by Microsoft. It is the most complete editor and, like Atom, is one of the editors that programmers use most often. However, it is very heavy at startup, even though the possibilities that this software offers are worth the wait. The editor is free. Its main feature, called ‘IntelliSense’, helps with the automatic completion of code and is of great help.

You can choose another website builder software. Please share in the comments other best apps for building WL projects.

Hosting for a White Label Website

Now that you have created your White Label, you have to show it to the world. You have two possibilities:

• Set up on the subdomain;
• Set up on the main domain.

If you want to set the White Label on your subdomain, you must create a CNAME record for the domain in the DNS settings of your hosting. An example could be: ” example.your_sitename.com IN CNAME whitelabel.programs.com. “. Note that you do not need to create the subdomain; only direct the DNS to point to the subdomain.

The second option is to do the setup on the main domain, then access the control panel of your hosting plan to create a 301 redirection of the domain. You’ll then search the main directory of the site for the “.htaccess” file or, if it does not exist, create a new one and enter this code:

Next, create a CNAME record for the subdomain by pointing your main site to your White Label; for example: www.your_site_name.com IN CNAME whitelabel.programs.com.

In both cases, it may take up to 72 hours before your changes become active.

Design Elements

Differentiating the White Label is the most important thing for making your website unique. Here are some useful tips:

• When choosing the main color, consider the fact that each color has a meaning; red = danger, blue = safety, green = success and so on.
• The contrast between the text and background is crucial; the stronger the contrast, the more annoying it will be for the user to use the site.
• The position and size of the logo seem trivial but they are important both for their aesthetic factors and to make your brand recognizable.
• Simplicity is essential. If you use too many colors or too many style variants, you will confuse your audience, leading them to look elsewhere.
• You are working for your audience, not for yourself. Do you like purple? Okay, but how many users might like it? Look at things as if you were a customer and you’ll get results.

Branding Tips

Branding goes beyond the image of the logo or the colors. What can you convey to impress your customer? You must work on this; create emotions and aim to convey a good first impression.

• Identify yourself with a clear logo that indicates what you are offering without using unnecessary words or slogans.
• Work with your audience to make them an active part of your project; make them feel important.
• Create a logo that will last over time, one that does not follow the trends but that will still be current in five or 10 years.
• Define your business and then your brand.
• Don’t imitate the big brands. Create something personal that differs from the others.

You will find more information about how to work with WL in our knowledgebase.

Travel White Label Websites

If your dream is to create your own travel brand, now you have the opportunity to realize it thanks to the White Label Travelpayouts. It is unlike other brands, in fact, you will have at your disposal a portal for booking flights and hotels which is easily customizable in every aspect. You’ll have all this without any investment to create your travel website.

If you are searching White Label website examples, you can look at the https://whitelabel.travelpayouts.com .

How to Build White Label With Travelpayouts

After you have created your account on Travelpayouts you can develop your own White Label.

From your account, go to the White Label section then click Create a new White Label and now follow these steps to build White Label with Travelpayouts.

These are the sections you can edit:

• Main for basic settings such as domain, main language, White Label type (flights, hotels or both)…
• Meta to set White Label page title and other meta tags such as social sharing and to set your favicon
• Header to customize the homepage and insert a logo or a background image
• Front page content to modify the section you’ll see below the
• Color scheme, where you can choose the colors of your project using the standard ones or customize it to your tastes
• Footer here you can set the end of the page, such as copyright details or other useful information
• Mobile App Settings here you can allow your visitors to download the mobile app you created with Travelpayouts

To find out more, click here .

You can see how the White Label solution works on whitelabel.travelpayouts.com or on the site of one of our partners .

Why to Use White Label in Travel

Creating a travel portal from scratch is an investment difficult to sustain, as well as finding agreements with airlines or hotels to be able to sell their products on your site. Here is where the White Label solution allows you to avoid these steps and investments by giving you the opportunity to create your own travel portal according to your needs and with non-existent costs excluding the purchase of the domain.

You can build your own brand and not share your audience with other projects. It can be the good strategy if you are playing the long game, so to speak.

White Label projects also a good way for traffic arbitrage in travel , as it allows sending any type of traffic that you want and that may be forbidden from the affiliate network side. When you send traffic to your own website (White Label), you are deciding for yourself the sources of traffic.

Please share your experience about White Labels below in the comments.

45 of the Best Travel Affiliate Programs for 2024

Affiliate Marketing

Looking to start a travel affiliate program? Or do you want to find the best travel affiliate programs out there? You’re in the right place.

Travel is one of the most profitable niches in the affiliate industry. If you are a travel brand, an affiliate program is an essential avenue to amplify your reach through authentic word-of-mouth promotion.

Post COVID-19, travel has seen a resurgence. The average traveler spends $1708 on a three day family vacation for a family of four.

Plus, revenue in the travel and tourism industry is set to reach $854.70 billion in 2023.

Not only that, but by 2027, 74% of total revenue for travel brands will be fueled through online sales. This is a huge opportunity for affiliate marketers and brands alike to gain a competitive advantage.

What is a Travel Affiliate Program?

In simple terms, they are partnerships where travel brands pay individuals or other companies (also known as affiliates) for sending paying customers their way.

Think of it like a friend recommending a hotel or a travel agency to you. If you book a room or a trip because of your friend’s recommendation, and your friend gets a small ‘thank you’ payment from the hotel or agency, that’s basically how an affiliate program works, but on a much larger scale.

In the travel world, this could include recommendations from a famous travel blogger or influencer for hotels, flights, tours, or even travel insurance. They create content about travel for their audience. When someone in their audience purchases by clicking an affiliate link (or referral link) they share or using a coupon code, they will earn a commission on the sale for each successful referral. It is all tracked using affiliate tracking software like Tapfiliate.

Ready to boost your bookings? Join Tapfiliate now for a 👉 free 14-day trial and kickstart your travel affiliate program!

Benefits of Travel Affiliate Programs

Whether you are a brand or an affiliate there are several benefits to travel affiliate programs. We’ll take a deep dive for both brands and affiliates so you can make an informed decision.

For Travel Brands:

Travel brands with affiliate programs have a myriad of benefits and it doesn’t only include increased sales and revenue. Let’s dive in!

Increased Sales and Revenue: Affiliate marketing gives travel brands the opportunity to increase bookings or sales and take advantage of word of mouth marketing .

Cost-Effective Marketing, Especially for Those with Lower Margins: Marketing can be tough when you have low margins (airlines, we are looking at you!) With affiliate marketing you only pay commissions on sales made with a smaller upfront cost.

Risk Mitigation: When you are marketing your travel brand it is essential to have diverse revenue channels. By including affiliate marketing into the mix you are mitigating your risk. Additionally, the financial risk is less, because you pay for performance.

Expanded Reach and Visibility: Affiliate marketing gives you access to new audiences and increased brand awareness through word of mouth marketing.

Increased Credibility: When people talk positively about your brand with their audience it builds trust with your brand. You can build a positive image using endorsements and content from reputable affiliates.

Performance Tracking and Data Insights: Data is the additional layer you need to understand your customers and optimize your marketing strategies to increase growth. With an affiliate tracking software like Tapfiliate , you can track sales in real-time and optimize your strategies.

Strengthened Partnerships: Long-term relationships are key to a successful affiliate program. When you have developed a network of partners and influencers, ensure you create long-term relationships.

Flexibility and Scalability: An affiliate program gives you the opportunity for flexibility and scalability. As an advertiser, you can choose your own commission rate and whether you offer commission increases for your top performers. Once you start to grow you can easily scale your program.

Competitive Advantage: The travel industry is a competitive space. Your brand needs to stay ahead and stand out. An affiliate program enables you to use word of mouth to stand out from competitors.

User-Generated Content: Content generated by your affiliates is a great way to highlight your brand and promote yourself to your audience.

Take advantage of these benefits and start your travel affiliate program now with a 👉 free 14-day trial.

For Affiliates:

If you are an affiliate who is looking to join travel affiliate programs to market to your audience, there are several benefits whether you focus on business travelers or backpackers.

Additional Income to Talk About Something You Are Passionate About: If you are passionate about travel, affiliate marketing enables you to earn money without needing to create a product or service yourself.

Free Stays and Comped Trips: If you are a successful affiliate, some brands will offer complimentary stays or free products to help you promote more successfully.

Low Start-Up Costs: As an affiliate there are no costs to join an affiliate program and start promoting, so it’s accessible for anyone.

Performance-Based Earnings: You earn more when you sell more. There’s no cap on the limit you can earn.

Multiple Income Streams: When you promote a travel brand, you aren’t tied to that brand. You can promote multiple products and services giving you multiple affiliate income streams.

Networking Opportunities: When you join an affiliate program, often you talk to an affiliate program manager and sometimes they have communities for their affiliates. This is a great networking opportunity.

Training, Education and Development of Skills: To help affiliates succeed, many affiliate programs offer training, resources and support. Many affiliates hone their skills in digital marketing, content and SEO to drive additional revenue.

Flexibility and Independence: Being an affiliate gives you the ultimate flexibility. You can work from anywhere and set your own schedule. You’ll have total control over your promotional strategies and your content.

Data Insights and Performance Tracking : With many affiliate programs, you are provided with your own login area to track your sales. This gives you the opportunity to try and tweak your performance and optimize your strategy.

45 of the Best Travel Affiliate Programs

We’ve rounded up the best travel affiliate programs that you can join including some of the most popular affiliate programs. We’ve grouped them into categories: search aggregators, flights and transport, insurance, gear and guides, stays, tour companies, and cars and car rentals.

As an affiliate working with travel brands, it can sometimes be the case that you won’t get paid a commission until a booking has been completed. It means that sometimes you will wait a long time for a commission so the sooner you start promoting, the better.

Search Aggregator:

Booking.com.

Cookie duration / referral window: Not listed

Commission rate: Up to 40%

Booking.com is a global leader in online travel, providing a wide selection of accommodation options from hotel bookings to vacation rentals, with search tools and customer reviews.

Their affiliate program has a tiered commission structure based on the number of bookings you get. Their top tier of commission is 40% for 501+ stays booked per month. Currently they do not pay commissions on car rentals. 

Cookie duration / referral window: 7 days

Commission rate: Up to 6%

Expedia is one of the world’s largest travel agencies, offering a wide selection of travel options including flights, hotels, car rentals, and vacation packages.

Commission rates are based on categories and vary widely. For example, flight bookings earn $2 regardless of value, where car bookings give 2% on the sale value. 

Cookie length / referral window: 7 days

Commission rate: 4%

Hotels.com is a leading online hotel booking platform, providing travelers with access to hundreds of thousands of properties worldwide, ranging from international chains and all-inclusive resorts to local favorites and bed & breakfasts. They offer 4% commission on sales with some exceptions including gift cards.

Cookie duration / referral window: 30 days

Commission rate: 20%

Skyscanner helps travelers to find the best options for their trips with comprehensive comparisons of flight prices, hotels, and car rentals from a wide selection of providers.

Skyscanner is a household name offering searchable flights, hotels and car hire. They pay 20% commission on sales. Flights and car hire do not earn commissions. Their referral window is 30 days which is generous compared to their competitors. 

Cookie duration / referral window: 30 minutes

Commission rate: Up to 50% or $0.95 per click.

Kayak is a widely recognized travel search engine that aggregates data from hundreds of travel sites, providing users with a comprehensive view of their options for flights, hotels, car rentals, and more.

When you join the Kayak affiliate program you’ll also get access to HotelsCombined, momondo and cheapflights. 

TripAdvisor

Cookie duration / referral window: 14 days

Commission Rate: Up to 40% TripAdvisor is one of the largest and most comprehensive travel platforms, offering millions of reviews, opinions, and recommendations on hotels, restaurants, attractions, and more. The platform enables travelers to make informed decisions through user-generated content, while also providing the ability to compare prices and book a wide range of travel services

The affiliate program is based on clicks and not on sales so you don’t need someone to book something to earn a commission. Tripadvisor earns a referral fee when a customer clicks out to any of the booking sites, which they then share with you, their affiliate.

Cookie duration / referral window: Session

Commission: up to 7%

Agoda is a global online travel agency with an extensive inventory of hotels, vacation rentals, and flights, catering to travelers seeking diverse and affordable accommodation options. They offer a tiered commission rate based on the number of stays you refer. You earn 7% for 1000+ stays per month

Sign up to our affiliate program today

Cheaptickets.com

Commission rate: Up to 8%

CheapTickets is an online travel agency offering a wide range of affordable travel options, including flights, hotels, car rentals, and vacation packages. 

Commission rates are paid on a category basis, with some categories earning a specific dollar amount, and others a percentage of the sale. For example, event tickets earn 8% commission, and cruise bookings earn $30. 

Commission rate: 3%

Priceline is a popular online travel agency known for offering substantial discounts on hotels, flights, car rentals, and vacation packages. They offer 3% commission on the sale value, but also offer a set rate of $2 for flight bookings.

Cookie length / referral window: 45 days

Commission rate: Up to $3 per booking. 

JustFly is an online travel agency that uses its technology to offer travelers budget-friendly options for flights, hotels, and car rentals. The platform streamlines the booking process and provides access to numerous travel deals. This affiliate program offers set dollar amounts on bookings, regardless of value with international flights earning the maximum commission amount. 

Cookie length / referral window: 90 days

Commission rate: Up to $35 per booking.

CheapOair is an online travel agency known for offering competitive prices on flights, hotels, and car rentals, helping travelers find affordable travel options across the globe.

Their commission rates are tiered per category. For example, the highest paying category is vacation packages, and if you get 501+ sales per month you’ll get $35 per booking. For flight insurance you would get $5 per sale if you got 100 or less sales in a month.

Flights / Transport

Qatar airways.

Commission rate: 2% 

Qatar Airways, the state-owned flag carrier of Qatar, is renowned for its luxurious cabin offerings, hospitality, and commitment to innovation. They offer a set rate of 2% commission on all sales, regardless of whether a flight is first class or economy.

Cookie length / referral window: 30 days

Commission rate: 1.25%

Emirates, based in Dubai, is one of the world’s leading airlines, known for its service, state-of-the-art fleet, and extensive global network connecting passengers to over 150 destinations. They offer a commission rate of 1.25% on all bookings.

Etihad Airways

Commission rate: 1.6%

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, is known for its luxurious services, offerings, and an extensive network connecting passengers to key destinations worldwide. Their affiliate program offers a 1.6% commission rate on all flights booked.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

Commission rate: Up to 1.5%

Renowned for its reliable services, extensive global network, and innovative approach to environmentally responsible flying, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines connects passengers from around the world,They offer 1.5% commission for long haul flights, and other flights booked earn 1%.  

Air France, France’s flagship airline, offers an extensive global network connecting passengers to hundreds of destinations across the globe. They offer 1.25% commission on flight bookings. 

Hawaiian Airlines

Commission rate: 1.5%

Hawaiian Airlines operates a comprehensive network of flights that connect the Hawaiian Islands with numerous destinations in the United States, Asia, and the South Pacific, offering passengers a gateway to the unique beauty and culture of Hawaii.

They offer 1.5% commission on all flights booked. 

Interrail pass / Eurail pass

Commission rate: Up to 5%

Eurail and Interrail offer rail passes that provide flexible and cost-effective travel options across Europe, catering to both non-European residents (Eurail) and European residents (Interrail) respectively. 

They offer different passes which enable you to travel to up to 33 countries. They offer up to 5% commission on global passes, and 3% commission on one-country passes. 

Going (Formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights)

Cookie length / referral window: Up to 30 days

Commission rate: Up to $40

Going, formerly known as Scott’s Cheap Flights, is a travel deal alert service that helps subscribers save money by notifying them of discounted and error fares for international flights.

Cookie lengths and commissions vary. For example, email verification earns $1 and the referral window is 7 days. For membership purchases you can earn $40 and the referral window from clicks is 30 days.

Dollar Flight Club

Commission rate: 40%

Dollar Flight Club is a subscription-based service that alerts members to low-cost flight deals, helping travelers save money on airfare to destinations worldwide. They offer a set 40% commission per sale.

FerryHopper

Commission rate: 1% of gross booking value

Ferryhopper is an online platform that streamlines the process of booking ferry tickets, offering a comprehensive database of ferry routes across Europe and beyond. 

They pay 1% commission on the gross booking value. 

Shuttlefinder

ShuttleFinder is an online platform that connects travelers with a variety of airport shuttle services, offering a range of options from shared rides to private vehicles. Their affiliate program offers 20% commission on sales. 

Travel Insurance Affiliate Programs

World nomads affiliate program.

Cookie length / referral window: 60 days

Commission rate: 0.83USD per order 

World Nomads is a renowned travel insurance company that caters to adventurous travelers, providing comprehensive coverage for a wide range of activities and unexpected incidents. 

For affiliates they offer a flat rate of $0.83 per order, regardless of the order value. The cookie length of 60 days is pretty long considering most travel brands have shorter referral windows. 

Cookie length / referral window: 365 days

Commission rate: 10%

SafetyWing offers specialized travel insurance catering to digital nomads, remote workers, and frequent travelers, providing comprehensive coverage that includes medical, and travel interruption. They offer a 10% recurring commission for up to a year. 

Gear & Travel Guides:

Commission rate: Up to 10%

Travelpro is a luggage brand, regarded for its durable travel bags designed to meet the rigorous demands of frequent travelers and flight crews. With a focus on quality, functionality, and style, Travelpro offers a wide range of luggage options, ensuring travelers can find the perfect gear to suit their journey. 

Their affiliate program offers a base commission rate of 8%, but commissions increase to 9% for sales of $500+, and 10% commission for sales above $1000. They also offer free products for sweepstakes.

Cookie length / referral window: 15 days

Commission rate: 5%

REI is a well-established outdoor retail cooperative, providing a range of high-quality gear, apparel, and equipment for camping, hiking, cycling, and various other outdoor activities. Their travel selection includes bags, car racks, luggage and more. They offer a 5% commission on sales. 

Cookie length / referral window: 14 days

eBags is an online retailer specializing in luggage, backpacks, and travel accessories, offering a wide range of products to suit various travel needs. The commission rate is 3% with some exceptions on specific SKUs including gift cards. 

Lonely Planet

Commission rate: 15%

Lonely Planet are well known for their travel guidebooks, but they also sell a variety of different travel-themed books and maps as well. They offer 15% commission on all sales. 

Hotel Affiliate Programs & Stays

Accor hotels.

Accor is a hospitality group, boasting a diverse portfolio of over 5,100 properties across luxury, mid-scale, and economy segments. Commission is 4% on the sale value, and they have programs serving Europe and the USA. 

IHG Hotels and Resorts

IHG Hotels & Resorts is a global hospitality company, boasting a broad portfolio of well-known hotel brands spanning from luxury to economy. Their affiliate program offers 3% commission with a few exceptions that don’t pay commission.

Hostelworld

Commission rate: 18-22%

Hostelworld is a leading online booking platform dedicated to helping travelers find and reserve budget-friendly hostel accommodations worldwide. They offer 18-22% commission.

Sign up to our affiliate program today  

TrustedHousesitters

TrustedHousesitters connects homeowners with reliable sitters who provide pet care and security for their homes in exchange for accommodation. This means worry-free travel for pet owners.

For affiliates, they have a high average order value combined with a high conversion rate on their website.

Homeexchange.com

Commission rate: Up to $20

Home Exchange is a global platform that enables travelers to swap their homes with others, allowing for a unique and cost-effective way to travel.  For affiliates looking to promote Home Exchange commission starts at $5 for an account signup. You’ll get $10 when a home is completed 80%, and then $20 for a subscription.

Tour Companies

Commission rate: 8% 

Viator, a TripAdvisor company, is an online marketplace that provides travelers with access to thousands of tours, activities, and experiences worldwide. You get 8% commission on all completed bookings.

Get Your Guide

Cookie length / referral window: 31 days

GetYourGuide is an online platform offering a wide array of tours, activities, and experiences worldwide, connecting travelers with local operators for memorable adventures.

G Adventures

Commission rate: 6% 

G Adventures is a travel company specializing in authentic, sustainable small-group tours that connect travelers to local cultures and environments around the world. Commissions are 6% on all completed trips. 

City Sightseeing

City Sightseeing is a global brand renowned for its iconic open-top, hop-on hop-off bus tours, providing flexible and convenient sightseeing options in over 100 cities worldwide. They pay 10% commission on sales. 

CitysightsNY

Commission rate: Up to 15% 

CitySights NY provides a comprehensive range of sightseeing tours and experiences across New York City, showcasing the Big Apple’s iconic landmarks, neighborhoods, and attractions. 

Car & RV Rentals:

Cookie length / referral window: 1 day

Commission rate: 3% 

Hertz is one of the most recognized car rental companies globally, renowned for its extensive fleet, numerous locations, and commitment to customer service. They offer a set 3% commission on the sale value. 

RentalCars.com

Rentalcars.com is a leading online car rental service, providing customers with a wide array of vehicle options from various trusted suppliers worldwide. They offer 6% commission on bookings where the customer pays upfront, and 1% commission when a customer chooses to pay later.

Commission rate: 1%

Enterprise Rent-A-Car is a globally recognized car rental company, renowned for its extensive fleet, numerous convenient locations, and exceptional customer service. Catering to a variety of travel needs, from daily errands to road trips, Enterprise offers a wide range of vehicles. They offer 1% commission and if you are new to affiliate marketing they offer tutorials.

Discovercars.com

Commission rate: 70% of car rental profit plus 30% of their full coverage revenue

DiscoverCars is a global car rental platform that offers users a comprehensive search and booking service, aggregating deals from a wide range of providers. They have a long referral window and commissions are generous.

Budget 

Cookie length / referral window: Unlisted

Commission rate: Up to 4%

Budget is a globally recognized car rental company offering affordable and reliable vehicle options for both leisure and business travelers. They offer up to 4% commission on bookings. Their referral window is unlisted.

Cookie lifetime / referral window:   30 days

Commission rate: $60+

Outdoorsy is a peer-to-peer RV rental platform that connects RV owners with travelers looking to experience the freedom and adventure of an RV vacation.

Cookie length / referral window:   30 days

Commission rate: 4% per booking  or $7 for a new RV listing

RVshare stands as a leading peer-to-peer RV rental platform, facilitating connections between RV owners and travelers seeking unique and flexible travel experiences. They offer 4% per completed stay, or $7 for every new RV listing.

How to Set Up Your Travel Affiliate Program

If you are a travel brand interested in setting up your own affiliate program, this guide will help you to get set up quickly.

1. Choose the Right Affiliate Platform or Software

Opt for an affiliate platform that can adequately support travel-related products and services. Ensure the platform is user-friendly and offers robust features for tracking and reporting, allowing you to monitor bookings, cancellations, and customer interactions efficiently. Given the nature of travel planning, it’s crucial to choose a platform that permits delayed commission payouts, considering the potential gap between booking and actual travel or the potential for cancellations. An affiliate software like Tapfiliate is perfect for this because we do not have rules around payouts – you are in control.

2. Create an Attractive Commission Structure

Travel affiliates are attracted to programs that offer worthwhile incentives. Investigate what similar travel affiliate programs provide (check out our list of travel affiliate programs above) and set your commission rates competitively. You could offer enhanced commissions for high-performing affiliates or additional bonuses for promoting specific destinations during peak seasons, ensuring alignment with travel trends.

Tip: Some brands include a minimum payout amount. A minimum payout means that an affiliate has to have a specific amount of commission approved in order to receive their payout to avoid unecessary fees.

3. Create a Comprehensive Affiliate Agreement

Your affiliate agreement should be comprehensive, outlining all terms and conditions unique to travel promotions. Include specifics on commission rates, the time frame for payouts post-travel, acceptable promotional methods, and any travel-specific branding guidelines. Clarifying these aspects upfront minimizes potential misunderstandings and sets a solid foundation for the partnership.

4. Develop Marketing Materials

Supply your affiliates with a variety of marketing materials tailored to travel promotions. This can include destination-specific banners, travel deal videos, affiliate links and deep links for hotel reviews, and high-resolution images of travel spots. Ensure all materials uphold your brand image and are optimized to attract and convert travel enthusiasts.

5. Recruit Travel-Focused Affiliates

Seek out affiliates that specialize in travel content, such as travel bloggers, vloggers, and influencers with engaged audiences interested in travel. Focus on partners who have a following that aligns with your target demographic and can authentically promote your affiliate products or services.

6. Provide Support and Communication

Establish a strong line of communication with your travel affiliates, offering them the support they need to effectively promote your products. Be prompt in addressing their queries and keep them in the loop regarding any new travel deals, changes in services, or updates to your affiliate program. Regular updates and support help maintain a motivated and informed affiliate network, ensuring the success of your travel affiliate program.

By honing in on the specifics of travel affiliate marketing, you can create a program that attracts the right partners and drives successful promotions.

Transform your travel brand with Tapfiliate! Start your 👉 free 14-day trial today.

Strategies for Promoting a Travel Affiliate Program to Potential Affiliates

1. Optimize Your Program’s Landing Page:

Ensure your travel affiliate program’s landing page on your website is not just a signup form but a comprehensive resource. Highlight popular travel products or packages that affiliates can promote (for example packages for business travelers), showcase testimonials from successful travel affiliates, and clearly outline your competitive affiliate commissions structure and payout timelines.

2. Utilize Social Media:

Use your brand’s social media channels to share captivating travel content that integrates stories of successful affiliate partnerships. Create posts that showcase the unique travel experiences affiliates have helped promote, and highlight the financial and experiential benefits of joining your program.

3. Engage with Online Communities:

Identify forums and online communities where travel bloggers, influencers, and affiliate marketers gather. Participate in these spaces, sharing your travel expertise and insights. Use these interactions as opportunities to subtly introduce your affiliate program, emphasizing its unique advantages for travel content creators.

4. Content Marketing:

Develop blog posts and articles that delve into the world of travel affiliate marketing as a part of your content creation strategy. Share success stories, tips, and strategies specifically tailored to promoting travel products and services. Use these pieces to highlight how your affiliate program stands out and include clear CTAs directing readers to your affiliate signup page.

5. Email Marketing:

Segment your email list to identify individuals with a keen interest in travel and affiliate marketing. Send them tailored email campaigns that showcase the unique aspects of your travel affiliate program, share success stories, and highlight the potential earnings and travel opportunities affiliates can enjoy.

6. Host Webinars and Live Sessions:

Host webinars and live Q&A sessions specifically tailored to travel affiliates. Use these platforms to provide a walkthrough of your affiliate program, share success stories, and give insights into the best practices for promoting travel products and services. This approach helps build a community and offers a direct line of communication with potential affiliates.

7. Network at Industry Events:

Attend industry-specific events and conferences to network with potential travel affiliates. Bring materials that showcase the success of your affiliate program, and be ready to answer questions and discuss the unique advantages of your travel-specific affiliate program.

Start Your Travel Affiliate Program Today

The travel sector stands out as one of the most lucrative arenas in the affiliate industry, offering opportunities for both businesses and affiliates alike.

By integrating a travel affiliate program or referral program into your marketing strategy, you not only enhance your visibility in this competitive field but also significantly mitigate financial risks associated with traditional advertising.

For affiliates, partnering with a travel program opens doors to multiple revenue streams, complimentary stays, and a level of flexibility and independence that is hard to find with other work.

The process of setting up a travel affiliate program and affiliate tools is streamlined and user-friendly, thanks to the flexibility of affiliate software like Tapfiliate .

These platforms provide robust tracking, detailed reporting, and a user-friendly interface, ensuring that both you and your affiliates can focus on what matters most: creating unforgettable travel experiences and generating revenue.

Can’t wait to get started and set up your travel affiliate program? Start your 👉 free 14-day trial of Tapfiliate today.

Ashley Howe

I’m the content strategist here at Tapfiliate. Living in Alkmaar, I like reading books, travel and ramen. You can find me on  LinkedIn  or  Twitter .

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Affiliate Marketing

18 best travel affiliate programs in 2024 (top offers).

With travel affiliate programs, you can make money online by writing about your favorite topic.

There’s certainly a lot of money to be made in the travel niche. Like.. a lot!

In 2019 alone, spending on leisure tourism passed $4.6 trillion , with 1.5 billion international tourist arrivals recorded in that year. According to our affiliate marketing statistics, the average travel website earns nearly $14,000 per month

Granted, the travel industry has taken a beating at the hands of the coronavirus. But you can bet it’ll bounce back. Our desire to travel hasn’t gone away — it’s just taken a short hiatus.

Because building a travel blog or website from scratch takes time, it makes sense to get started now so you’re ready to make money when things are back to normal.

Take the first step by reading our round-up of the 18 best travel affiliate programs you can sign up for right now. Ready to join thousands of other travel bloggers and earn some serious passive income promoting your favorite travel sites? Let’s look at the top affiliate programs in the travel industry.

Travel Affiliate Programs

• Expedia affiliate program
• Booking.com affiliate program
• Agoda affiliate program
• Tripadvisor affiliate program
• Hotels.com affiliate program
• G Adventures affiliate program
• Travelpayouts affiliate program
• Kayak affiliate program
• Viator affiliate program
• World Nomads affiliate program
• GetYourGuide affiliate program
• REI affiliate program
• Take Walks affiliate program
• InsureMyTrip affiliate program
• TrustedHousesitters affiliate program
• Hostelworld affiliate program
• Safety Wings affiliate program
• Amazon Associates

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Expedia is one of the world’s biggest travel brands, offering access to over 140,000 properties worldwide, plus discounted flights, vacation packages, cruises, and car rentals.

Its network of more than 500 travel partnerships with accommodation and airline suppliers allows travelers to save up to $500 on combined airline tickets and hotel bookings . 

Through its loyalty program, users earn points to spend on future travel experiences, providing an additional incentive to book through Expedia.

The Expedia affiliate program pays different commissions based on the type of successful referral you drive, ranging from 2% on rental cars to 6% on cruise bookings.

While the seven-day cookie window is one of the worst among the affiliate programs on this list, the seven-day EPC of more than $83 shows there’s plenty of affiliate income to be made here.

• URL: Expedia affiliate program
• Commission: 2% – 6% 
• Cookie duration: 7 days

2 Booking.com

Booking.com is an online platform covering travel services like hotel bookings, airline tickets, and car rentals.

It’s one of the most popular travel comparison sites, with almost 30 million bookable rooms in more than 2.5 million properties.

The strength of Booking.com’s partner relationships means users never have to pay booking fees, which often helps it undercut the competition.

Given the strength of its brand and the scale of its offering, it’s no surprise that Booking.com runs one of the most popular travel affiliate programs, with more than 12,500 travel affiliates signed up.

Whether travel bloggers, influencers, or anyone else, they earn 4% on all bookings. The seven-day EPC of $160+ makes this one of the highest paying affiliate programs in the travel niche.

Affiliates can also access an offers search box, banner integration options, and deep linking.

However, it’s not all good news because the cookie window is session-based — so you only earn money if someone clicks your referral link and converts right there.

So make absolutely sure to send warm, pre-qualified traffic only to Booking.com.

• URL: Booking.com affiliate program
• Commission: 4% 
• Cookie duration: Session-based

Agoda is one of the world’s largest online travel accommodation platforms, with a network of more than two million vacation rentals and hotel bookings.

Rather than specializing in a single area of the travel niche, it offers deals on business, leisure, solo, and family travelers, from the biggest resorts to the smallest hidden gems. That means more audiences for travel bloggers to target.

Agoda’s travel affiliate program focuses on travel bloggers because it’s only open to people with their own websites. In other words, there are no social influencers.

If you qualify, you can earn up to 7% commissions for each successful referral, more than the other big booking portals offer.

You can also access hotel power ads, text links, and other tools to increase affiliate marketing commissions.

• URL: Agoda affiliate program
• Commission: Up to 7%
• Cookie duration: 30 days

4 Tripadvisor

You probably know Tripadvisor is an online review platform. That’s its main purpose, and it does it better than anyone, with the site boasting approximately 884 million reviews as of 2020.

However, it’s also a portal that lets you book hotels and activities.

Accommodation is the sole focus of the Tripadvisor affiliate program. Affiliate marketers earn a 50% split of the money Tripadvisor earns from hotels, whereas it pays no commission on flights, restaurants, vacation rentals, or tourist attractions.

That 50% commission is already pretty generous but rises as high as 80% during incentive campaigns.

Another interesting vagary of this affiliate program is that no booking is required for you to earn a commission . Instead, you earn money every time a user sent from your site clicks out from Tripadvisor to any of its booking partners.

With conversion rates 30%+, the Tripadvisor program can be one of the highest paying affiliate programs in the travel niche (provided you can drive enough traffic).

• URL: Tripadvisor affiliate program
• Commission: 50%
• Cookie duration: Two weeks

5 Hotels.com

As its name suggests, Hotels.com is a major provider of hotel accommodations, with a portfolio spanning more than one million properties in 200 countries.

Whether you’re looking for a glitzy resort or a tiny bed-and-breakfast, you’ll likely find it here.

Hotels.com runs 85 localized websites in more than 35 languages, so unlike some referral programs , you can tap into a truly global audience. 

However, it runs multiple affiliate programs through the Commission Junction affiliate network, each focusing on travelers in a specific market.

If you sign up for only the US and Canada affiliate programs, you’ll earn commission only on bookings from customers in those locations.

To make life easier, Hotels.com allows affiliate marketers to promote exclusive voucher codes with competitive discounts. 

• URL: Hotels.com affiliate program
• Commission: 4%

6 G Adventures

G Adventures positions itself as the leader in small-group adventure travel.

Rather than booking fly-and-flop trips to all-inclusive resorts, its customers want to live like a local in the Amazon, tour North Asia by rail, or go mountain trekking in Nepal.

So it’s in a relatively niche market — albeit one that’s still projected to be worth $1.6 trillion by 2026. That makes this one of the best affiliate programs for adventure travel blogs.

Another upside of the adventure travel niche is the premium prices. These are often once-in-a-lifetime trips, so people aren’t necessarily looking for the cheapest option.

So, while the 6% commission rate doesn’t sound spectacular, it becomes much more attractive when you learn that G Adventures’ average order value is $2,600.

• URL: G Adventures affiliate program
• Commission: 6% per sale
• Cookie duration: 60 days

7 Travelpayouts

Whereas the other travel sites on this list are all brands running individual affiliate programs, Travelpayouts is a pay-per-action affiliate network offering multiple referral programs focusing on everything from flights and hotel bookings to car rental services and insurance.

Travelpayouts offers access to more than 90 travel affiliate programs from brands like Vrbo, Tripadvisor, and Hilton Honors, some of which are exclusive to the affiliate network.

Since 2011, it’s paid over $28 million in commissions to approximately 300,000 affiliates.

The Travelpayouts affiliate network shares up to 70% of its earnings with referral partners.

Affiliate marketers can earn 1.1% – 1.15% of the total booking value on flights and 4% – 5% on hotels.

All of these factors make this one a bit of a no-brainer.

• URL:   Travelpayouts affiliate network
• Commission: Varies
• Cookie duration:  Varies

Talking of affiliate networks, let’s take a look at Kayak.

Because Kayak owns many brands — including HotelsCombined, Momondo, and Kayak — it effectively runs its own travel affiliate network.

Combined, those brands generate over six billion travel searches yearly, work with over two million properties, and pay out over $76 million in annual affiliate earnings.

Getting access to multiple travel affiliate programs through single signup sounds like a pretty good deal. And it gets even better when you consider Kayak’s 50% commission rate.

The only real downside is the payment threshold—you won’t see any of your commissions until your earnings reach $500.

• URL: Kayak affiliate program

For many people, travel is all about the experience. Viator is basically a one-stop shop for those experiences, with more than 395,000 attractions and things to do in 2,500 destinations.

Viator goes out of its way to smooth the path to conversion. It supports over 35 languages, has a catalog of more than one million reviews to help customers make the right booking, and offers cancellations up to 24 hours in advance on 85% of its affiliate products.

That makes it a lot easier for affiliate marketers to monetize the traffic they refer.

Travel bloggers and other content partners earn an 8% commission on each booking, and the 30-day cookie is more generous than many of the referral programs on this list.

• URL: Viator affiliate program
• Commission: 8%

10 World Nomads

World Nomads is the first travel insurance provider on this list.

As its name suggests, World Nomads focuses on what it calls the “intrepid” travel market, with its various travel insurance policies offering coverage for more than 200 activities and protecting against things like trip cancellation and medical emergencies.

It is recommended by many big-name travel brands, such as Lonely Planet, which is a major trust factor.

Another strong selling point is the company’s ethical credentials. More than 70% of its customers make a micro-donation when purchasing a travel insurance policy.

Over the years, World Nomads has used this approach to raise more than $3 million, which has helped support over 100 projects worldwide. 

As if that wasn’t enough reason for affiliate marketers to promote World Nomads, the brand’s affiliate program offers commissions of $0.83 per qualified sale with a generous 60-day cookie window.

• URL: World Nomads affiliate program
• Commission: $0.83

11 GetYourGuide

Local knowledge can often make a big difference to your holiday experience.

That’s where GetYourGuide—a Berlin-based online travel agency and marketplace for tour guides and excursions—comes in. The site boasts a catalog of more than 34,000 tours and activities worldwide, including big hitters like the Sistine Chapel and the Louvre Museum.

Affiliate marketers earn 8% commissions through the GetYourGuide travel affiliate program, with an opportunity for higher rates on a per-partner basis. 

To help drive affiliate sales, the brand runs regular promotions, offers a lower price guarantee, and allows last-minute bookings.

• URL: GetYourGuide affiliate program

Amazon might be the go-to destination for general last-minute travel purchases, but REI is the place for specialist outdoor gear . 

It’s been a fixture of the outdoor industry for over eight decades and operates 165 retail stores across the US, which means its brand is super strong.

If you need a new backpack, hiking boots, or trekking pole, REI has what you need.

This isn’t a conventional travel affiliate program, but there are still many monetization opportunities for travel blogs.

While a 5% commission doesn’t sound like much, the site’s average order value of more than $120 makes it much better.

What’s more, it offers free pickups from REI stores and free shipping on orders of $50+, offering plenty of incentives for readers to click your text links.

• URL: REI affiliate program
• Commission: 5% per sale
• Cookie duration: 15 days

13 Take Walks

Take Walks is a tour booking service that works with up to 600 guides in 13 of the world’s most vibrant cities—from Paris and Rome to New Orleans and New York. More than one million travelers have booked its guided tours.

Prices aren’t especially cheap — for instance, its Paris tours range from $44 – $252. But they exclusively cater to small groups and often include special access to major attractions, sometimes with skip-the-line access.

Those premium prices make this affiliate program look more attractive. Which travel blogger wouldn’t want to earn a 15% commission on a $250 booking?

• URL: Take Walks affiliate program
• Commission: 15% per sale
• Cookie duration: 45 days

14 InsureMyTrip

As you can probably guess, InsureMyTrip is another travel insurance site.

Unlike World Nomads, InsureMyTrip is a comparison site that works with multiple travel insurance providers, including AIG, AXA, and IMG.

To help international travelers make the right choice on their travel insurance purchases, it offers more than 100,000 ratings and reviews from previous customers.

The InsureMyTrips affiliate program offers a choice of affiliate models — referral-based and commission-based. 

Terms appear to be decided per case, so you must sign up via a simple online form and check with their affiliate manager to see how much you can earn.

• URL: InsureMyTrip affiliate program
• Commission:  Undisclosed
• Cookie duration: Undisclosed

15 TrustedHousesitters

No one likes to leave their furry friend behind when going on holiday. 

Fortunately, TrustHousesitters offers a solution — choose a sitter to move into your house and look after your pets while you’re away.

The site has property owners in 130 countries, from London townhouses to Hawaiian beachfront homes. 

Users pay a membership fee, starting at $129 a year, that enables them to either:

• Bid for the right to become live-in pet sitters and stay in the owner’s house for free
• Access unlimited pet and home care from verified sitters

Either way, that’s a great deal!

As such, TrustedHousesitters effectively runs two separate travel affiliate programs. Like how Airbnb used to run a host affiliate program and a guest affiliate program, affiliate marketers can earn up to 40% commission for referring sitters, owners, or combined to TrustedHousesitters.

• URL: TrustedHousesitters affiliate program
• Commission: Up to 40%

16 Hostelworld

Hostelworld is another big travel booking platform. But whereas Booking.com and Expedia are generalists, Hostelworld focuses specifically on the hostel experience, offering more than 36,000 hostels in 179 countries.

Over 13 million verified guest reviews back up its listings to help travelers make the right choice.

Hostelworld runs one of the most popular affiliate programs in this profitable niche, with members including Culture Trip, Lonely Planet, and Tripadvisor, plus high-profile travel bloggers like The Broke Backpacker.

That’s always a sign that a referral program is worth joining.

Commissions are earned on a CPA basis, calculated as up to 40% of the deposit earned by Hostelworld for each booking.

• URL: Hostelworld affiliate program
• Commission: Up to 40% of the deposit

17 SafetyWing

SafetyWing sells travel insurance catered to two specific audiences:

• Digital nomads
• Remote teams and entrepreneurs

Many mainstream insurance providers don’t serve those two markets, so there’s plenty of incentive for a qualified reader to click an affiliate link and buy a policy.

Whatever policy you promote, the SafetyWing affiliate program offers a 10% commission rate and an extremely generous 365-day cookie window—the longest referral program on this list.

As another sweetener, SafetyWing pays out once a month through PayPal when you reach a minimum earning threshold of just $10.

• URL: SafetyWing affiliate program
• Commission: 10% per sale
• Cookie duration: 365 days

18 Amazon Associates

Travel isn’t just about booking flights and hotels. You need to buy countless other things ahead of a big trip, from luggage and travel adaptors to clothes and sunglasses.

And where do you buy all that stuff from in a hurry? Amazon.

As affiliate marketers in any niche will tell you, the terms of the Amazon Associates program aren’t exactly the most generous. 

Commissions vary from category to category — for instance, you can earn 4% on clothing sales but just 3% on sports gear and a measly 1% on health and personal care products.

Moreover, the cookie window runs for a mere 24 hours, so if your referrals aren’t highly qualified, you won’t earn a penny through the Amazon affiliate program .

On the flip side, Amazon has a huge brand and is widely trusted, so it’s not a tough sell to persuade people to buy.

Plus, you get a cut of any sales made by your referrals during the 24-hour window, so you might earn an unexpected bonus commission.

• URL: Amazon affiliate program
• Commission: 4% on Apparel
• Cookie duration: 24 hours

✈️ Conclusion

As you can see, there’s no shortage of quality travel affiliate programs with high potential to generate income.

And that’s without even mentioning three huge travel sites — Airbnb, Hotels Combined, and Skyscanner — that had paused their affiliate programs at the time of writing.

But don’t think you can simply start a travel blog and immediately earn passive income.

For starters, you’ll need to build your travel website, conduct keyword research, and write high-quality content to compete with the many travel bloggers already doing it.

(Explore our curated selection of 15 travel blog examples for a dose of inspiration for your own website. )

And that’s before you’ve thought about the right affiliate programs for your target audience.

It’s hard work. But it’s not impossible. Many travel affiliate marketers have made it work, and so can you – especially with us in your corner!

Sign up for our free training to learn the five simple steps needed to build a high-earning travel blog in 2024.

Phil Norris is a freelance writer who specializes in digital marketing, SaaS, and e-commerce. Before becoming a freelancer, he worked in various content roles at marketing agencies for nine years, most recently as head of content. Since branching out on his own in 2018, Phil has worked with and written for the likes of Neil Patel, AWeber, Drip, and the Social Media Strategies Summit.

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Over 300,000 global experiences in 2,500 destinations

Who should sign up for viator's travel affiliate program.

Viator's Affiliate Program is for anyone who loves travel. Whether you create content, provide travel services, or just have a passion for exploring, you can earn money by promoting Viator's tours and activities. Join the Viator Affiliate Program and turn your passion for travel into profit!

“Viator has thousands upon thousands of experiences available, so I can always find something that fits my travel style, and my audience's.

The platform constantly evolves with better reporting, linking features, etc. which is great."

- Maddy  |  Maddy's Avenue

"The Viator Partner Program doesn't just let me monetize my travel and adventure content, but it allows me to share unforgettable experiences from around the world that my readers truly love."

- Olly  |  We Seek Travel - Adventure Travel Blog

“ I like that the Viator Partner Program makes blog monetizing super easy. It is easy to join as an affiliate partner - the process takes less than a minute if you already have a Tripadvisor account. 

I can create my links and widgets in a jiffy and drop them in relevant blog posts and be ready to earn. I remember I got my first sale in less than 24 hours of joining the Viator Partner Program. ”

- Soumya | Stories By Soumya

"I love the Viator affiliate program because it has helped me provide my audience with a quicker way for them to book excursions while also generating another passive income stream that supports my nomadic lifestyle."

- Mac | worldnomac.com

“ Viator is the main way I monetize tours and activities. People want to know the best things to do in any given destination, and Viator has access to some of the best .”

- Kate  | Adventurous Kate

Earning commission couldn’t be any easier

Quick & free sign-up with no traffic or follower minimums

Over 300,000 experiences. Something for every audience.

With over 1,000,000 reviews, your followers can book with confidence.

Plug-and-play tools built to monetize content on social media

8% commission on every completed booking

Weekly payouts (*for PayPal)

Frequently asked questions, what is a travel affiliate program.

A travel affiliate program allows you to earn money by sharing travel-related products and services.

Here's how it usually works: When customers make bookings or purchases based on your recommendations, you receive a commission once the transactions are completed. It's an easy way to generate income, whether you're passionate about travel or simply looking for additional revenue streams.

How much can I earn as a Viator Affiliate?

Viator Affiliates earn 8% commission on any experience booked within 30 days.

When a user clicks your link, they're "cookied," which means you earn commission on any experience they book within that 30-day window, but you'll receive the commission once the experience has been completed.

As your traffic and conversions grow, so do your earnings. The more you share, the more you earn!

What types of experiences are on Viator’s travel affiliate program?

With over 300,000 experiences in 2,500 destinations and various categories, the Viator Affiliate Program offers endless options, from walking tours and cooking classes to multi-day excursions and helicopter tours. As a Viator Affiliate, you'll unlock our exclusive affiliate tool, Viator Selector, which makes it easy to find high-quality, top-converting experiences.

Where can I place a Viator link?

Anywhere you like! Share Viator links in your travel articles, blogs, social media posts, YouTube video descriptions, or even send them to friends and family via text or email. It's easy and flexible, so you can reach your audience wherever they are.

Do any of your affiliate tools require technical skills?

Our affiliate tools, such as links, widgets, and banners are easy to use and do not require any special technical skills.

For our Affiliate API , we recommend having a basic understanding of API development work.

How exactly do payouts & commissions work?

Earning commission with the Viator Affiliate Program is easy and rewarding, with flexible payout methods to suit your preferences:

• Bank Transfers: Monthly payouts with a $50 minimum threshold per payout. If you don't reach $50, your earnings carry over to the next month.
• PayPal: Weekly payouts with no minimum threshold. Your earnings for the previous week are sent every week

Your commission never expires. As long as you're registered and your banking details are complete, your commission is automatically credited to your account. It's that simple – focus on earning, and we'll handle the rest.

What are the best ways to maximize my commission as a Viator Affiliate?

We're here to help you succeed as a Viator Affiliate! Here are some expert tips to boost your commission:

• Use Viator Selector: Discover, filter, and create affiliate links for excellent-quality and best-converting experiences easily with Viator Selector. It’s your shortcut to finding experiences that drive conversions!
• Quality Content: Create engaging, informative content that resonates with your audience and showcases the uniqueness of Viator experiences.
• Keyword Optimization and SEO: Target relevant keywords and follow SEO best practices to enhance your content's visibility and attract active travelers.
• Visual Storytelling: Enhance your content with captivating visuals, such as images and videos, to bring experiences to life for your audience.
• Track your performance: Leverage Viator's tools to track your performance, fine-tune your strategies, and maximize your Viator Affiliate earnings to the fullest."

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• Multiple sales channels - B2B, B2B2B, B2B2C
• Centralised mid-office
• Ability to connect multiple GDS, LCC, and third party APIs
• Complete Reservation Management
• Travel Agent Management
• Transactional Accounting
• Accounting System Integration
• Comprehensive system to manage rates, discounts and allocation
• Payment Gateway Integration
• Multiple Supplier APIs
• Add direct contracts
• Redistribution API

Join Travelopro White Label Travel Affiliate Program and connect your business to the world's largest online travel booking website

White Label Affiliate Program for Flights and Hotels Booking

Paragraph 1: Flight Affiliate solutions offers prices and availability from all major travel suppliers and it would help you to get industry leading conversion rates, quick payments, advanced modification options, dedicated partner support and much more.

Travelopro provides Flight White Label Affiliate Solution to travel agencies, tour operators and travel companies across the globe. The White Label option gives your visitors a convenient way to plan their travel using your website, while seeing your brand name and your design.

Our White Label Affiliate System provides you with multilingual solutions in multiple currencies, designed to convert your visitors into affiliate sales. Our affiliate program makes your conversion process easy by providing you with regular sales and significant deals that will convert your visitors into sales.

We provide you with the complete solution from hotel; car and flight booking web portal development with API integration so that you can also grow your business and reach the global market. This makes your website more user-friendly and ensures higher conversions.

With a single search, modern travelers can browse thousands of flights, hotels, transfers and car rentals from all over the world with real-time rates and availability and make reservations on their mobile phones immediately.

Travelopro is a pre-eminent travel technology company providing profound technology solutions for the entire travel industry. The services involve GDS integration, Travel API integration , XML integration, Travel Portal Development and much more.

With the integration of Travel APIs in travel portals travelers can find any travel information at their fingertips. Our Travel APIs directly connect you to all the data you need to build an innovative website or app.

We also provide end to end API integration solutions for travel website development including travel B2B development and B2C portal development with best XML API Integration services to our customers at affordable prices which makes us stay ahead of our competitors.

Your customers will be able to take advantage of the best deals on flights, hotels or car from wherever they are in the world - either as independent travel solutions or integrated together.

The Turn-Key Travel Affiliate Program to Monetize Your Travel Website.

Our software is suitable for tour operators, travel agents, offering them a booking platform for flights, hotels, car, transfers, sightseeing and tours.

We provide travel development that empowers companies to deliver a fully loaded online travel booking website that goes well beyond customer expectations.

We provide consulting, development for all the travel portal development aspects of B2C, B2B travel portal development and travel API integration for airline booking, hotel booking, travel packages, car rental.

We provide white labelled solution for travel website development and travel booking software projects.

We specialized in portal design, development and integration of various GDS's XML and JSOM, API's, testing & deployment to client host after which we also maintain the product for 24/7 technical and customer support services.

We develop websites that are flexible in extension, implementation and integration. Providing unlimited customization and complete access to source code, your company is in safe and secured hands.

You can configure your business by dynamically performing changes on our website design in real time and effectively managing leads as per your desire.

If you are developing your travel business or entering for the first time in e-business, we are here to help you to find all the travel portal related solutions.

Our team of experienced professionals provides you the best possible solutions. We provide customized travel portal development to your changing requirements.

Get your travel business online

If there is one thing you do today, get your travel business online. everyone are talking of going online. provide yourself and your agents with their own b2b/b2c booking engine. travelopro platform consist of many components assembled to get your one stop travel software and travel technology, to automate travel business process and configured in many ways to meet your business goals. here's what you'll get (its affordable, easy and profitable)..

Destination

Fetaures of Online Reservation System:

• Fast and Flexible booking engine
• Secure, scalable and robust reservation architecture
• Fully customized booking engine
• Cost-effective solutions
• User friendly interface
• Integrated Payment Gateway
• Multi-language support

Travel Technology Platform You can trust

Powered by our Industry Leading Travel Technology – Including complete inventory and Global Fares – Travelopro gives you the highest quality travel technology solution to power your brand.

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Monetize Your Passion For Travel

Become a TourRadar affiliate today

Higher-than-average commissions

50,000 organized adventures, earn commission long after the click, organized adventures: what are they.

It's the ultimate travel hack - the gateway to stress-free exploration. Hosted by a guide who will transform your followers trips into a life-changing experience, organized adventures take care of activities, logistics, and more. All your followers have to do is choose an adventure, pack their bags, and go! With small groups , coach tours and river cruises , there is something for everyone.  

Group adventures

Private adventures

Personalized adventures

Tourradar's one-click-trip technology.

Enjoy the convenience of a pre-planned journey while sparing your audience the time and effort of researching and booking each aspect separately. Multi-day tours handle all the travel arrangements, from activities to transport, ensuring a hassle-free experience.

Frequently asked questions

What does an affiliate do.

An affiliate earns a commission for advertising another company’s products, whether it be through an onsite widget or an affiliate link. The best part about being an affiliate is that you can work from anywhere – from a boat on the Galapagos Islands to the futuristic streets of Tokyo!

How do I become a travel affiliate?

Do you love traveling and setting off on adventures? Simply document your adventure via social media, YouTube, a blog, or your very own website and you'll be eligible to become a travel affiliate. 

Who can join the TourRadar Affiliate Program?

Anyone with an online presence who shares our brand values can join. Simply connect your website to TourRadar through affiliate links and dynamic widgets to advertise and effectively monetize your traffic. The TourRadar Affiliate Program allows you to combine links and widgets, giving you freedom and flexibility to communicate with your audience as you see fit.

Why should I become a TourRadar affiliate?

At TourRadar, we see our affiliates as fellow adventurers who love to share their experiences around the world with their audience. Connect your readers to the life-enriching experiences you love and we’ll reward you with a competitive commission for your referral. 

What affiliate solutions are available?

TourRadar's affiliate solutions include website banners, widgets, affiliate links, a Search & Content API, and a White Label Solution. These easy-to-implement solutions are available for partners to use within our TourRadar Affiliate Program. Apply now to stay updated on our latest releases for affiliates!

How much can I earn as a TourRadar affiliate?

We love connecting travelers with our wonderful world, which is why we are proud to offer a competitive commission to those who sign up for the TourRadar Affiliate Program. With an average booking value of USD $3,000, you can enjoy a competitive commission rate of up to USD $180 for every sale made!

Latest Articles

Discovering our Search and Filter Tool

Explore how to use our dynamic search and filter tool to find exactly the adventure you’re looking to promote.

10 Affiliate Marketing Tips to set you up for success

Whether you're a newcomer or a seasoned affiliate, these 10 tips will set you on the path to success in the dynamic and ever changing world of affiliate marketing.

How to use affiliate links effectively: 5 best practices

These five tips will help you master the art of successful affiliate linking and provide you with tips and examples of how to optimize your content. 

Travel Affiliate Program

Flight booking affiliate, travel affiliate, white label affiliate, b2b affiliate, hotel booking affiliate.

White Label Affiliate, Travel Affiliate, B2B Affiliate, Hotel Booking Affiliate, flight Booking Affiliate

Travel Affiliate Advantages

Our Travel affiliate networks is connected to GDS and Providers with affiliate programs, in order to, allow them to promote travel-related offers. Nowadays, we have all the amenities that help us travel faster and more comfortable. Therefore, there is little or no reason preventing people from traveling, be it for work or leisure.

Affiliate marketers make your income from commissions. so, It is only logical for you to go for affiliate programs that pay a higher commission.

The travel sector is so competitive with loads of resellers competing for the same highly considered purchases so branding is key. however,  clients need to trust the brand and clearly understand the advantages of booking with that company over another. Strong relationships with key publisher s can add even more legitimacy to a travel company, speed up word of mouth and greatly increase reach.

Travel White label Solution

There is a huge variety of travel affiliate programs out there to choose from. However, you need to ensure you partner with the brands that reflect your own mission and values. Only select organizations that suit the interests of your readers or clients.

Travel is a diverse category, so consider your target audience or customer . Whatever your niche is – be it adventure travel, unusual places, or a specific region – partner with brands and businesses whose products or services complement this. For example, if you write for budget backpackers, you shouldn’t affiliate with a high-end product brand. Families seeking kid-friendly package holidays have very different requirements from luxury honeymooners.

Sticking to a niche in travel is the best way to ensure that your affiliate content reaches the right audience. From there, you can offer specific services or create specific content that will be beneficial to your customers.

Affiliate Links

Affiliates typically promote tourism products and services on YouTube and their websites.

B2B Affiliate

A. Hotel Booking + Flight Booking + Car Rentals

B2C Affiliate

B. Hotel Booking + Flight Booking + Holiday Booking + Tour Booking

Hotel Booking System

C. Hotel Website + Live Booking Engine

Tour Package System

D. Dynamic Tour website

Register Now!

For those agents who want to use one of our pre-built websites with their own logo and brand. This service allow agents to have their own search engine and use HolidayLogin’s inventory of Hotel, Flight, Tour and Car Rental. and also use their dedicated admin panel to customize their interface.

Holiday Login Smart Travel Network

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Upload your inventory (hotel and tour) on engine and sell it online.

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Create Your Own Travel Platform

The World's #1 Rated

Create, build &, white label travel platform.

The industry’s leading white-label platform that empowers businesses, brands, employee benefit companies, travel agents, and individuals to launch their own fully branded and customizable e-commerce travel storefronts.

Get Started Today

Everything You Need in a White Label Travel Loyalty Platform

Our industry-leading white-label technology equips partners with the essential tools to thrive in a dynamic sector. With TRAVLR, you'll discover the pinnacle of what a white-label platform can offer as well as some of the most competitive pricing for your customers, all hidden behind a login wall.

Access millions of travel products

Instantly be connected to the travel industry and sell all segments of travel

Dive into our travel marketplace and handpick products from top tourism operators globally to showcase on your website. Fine-tune itineraries, set pricing, launch promotions, and even craft dedicated landing pages for marketing activations. With real-time dynamic pricing and booking automation, effortlessly transform millions of products into instant sales opportunities!

Connect and sell

Seamless Integration

Customise your site to align seamlessly with your brand, from payment methods to product selections and currency options. Ensure a cohesive, captivating, and genuine experience for your audience every step of the way without the need of design teams or external developers.

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Advanced Analytics

Gain insights with detailed analytics and real-time reports on revenue, payment types, trends, cart abandonment, and demographics of your customers that are booking on your white-label site.

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Get started instantly by accessing one of the largest inventories of travel products so you can start generating revenue instantly.

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Effortlessly select from an array of partners, products and pricing to ensure you maintain the edge on your competitors.

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Experience uninterrupted peace of mind with our real-time support, ensuring immediate assistance and guidance.

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With an extensive marketplace featuring thousands of trusted suppliers and seamless connectivity to the industry's finest tourism operators, you have the power to offer the most extraordinary travel experiences directly from your own website.

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Hear from our partners

Both our customers, and customers of people who use our white label site are raving about the experience, and service offered!

"TRAVLR's platform redefines flexibility in digital travel commerce, empowering entrepreneurs and content based organisations the ability to weave their unique narrative through a customizable space, transforming possibilities into realities in the ever-evolving universe of the global travel industry."

Steve Davidson

"TRAVLR revolutionizes the connection between technology and exploration with its intuitive CMS, offering a seamless, user-friendly bridge to the world of travel. Its straightforward interface removes technical barriers, inviting users to create, connect, and delve into the global travel scene with unprecedented ease and confidence."

Mason Adams

GM of The Bali Bible (ex. Asia Escapes Holidays)

"In partnership with TRAVLR, we launched Concrete Playground Trips to convert our audience's intent to conversion. TRAVLR's platform and partnership allows us to create unique products and offerings for our audience, underpinned by travel expertise, delivered with speed and flexibility, turning the engagement with our content into revenue for our business."

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With TRAVLR, everything you need to navigate the complex world of travel is in your hands, consolidating endless possibilities into a user-friendly platform that puts you in control of your journey, your way.

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TRAVLR is a revolutionary platform in the digital travel space, offering an all-encompassing solution that connects the industry, and enables and empowers travel industry professionals, content creators, and entrepreneurs by providing a comprehensive system that combines aspects of wholesale, retail, and digital travel business processes under one umbrella.

What is TRAVLR and how is it different from other travel platforms?

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White Label Travel Platforms: The Ultimate Buyers Guide

How to vet and select a white label travel portal / private label travel booking engine .

Want to know how to identify a white label travel solution for your company/organization? This comprehensive buyer's guide provides the information and tools you need to assess and select the best platform.

About 19 min.

Who Should Use This Guide?

Whether you're an executive looking to attract more members/customers, boost retention rates, or if you're simply interested in learning how a branded travel platform can boost loyalty and revenue, this article has got you covered.

This guide is for anyone interested in association benefits, member engagement, customer engagement, new business development, affinity group benefits, travel agent platforms, travel club benefits, credit union benefits, cash-back platforms, and consumer rewards platforms.

What You Should Learn:

In this guide, we'll help you identify the best white label travel platforms so that you can confidently evaluate competing products. By the end, you'll have a better understanding of how these programs work, why they differ, and which features can have the most impact on your organization.

What is a White Label Travel Platform?

A white label travel platform ,   white label travel portal , white label hotel booking engine , or private label travel website . What's the difference? Frankly, they all mean the same. Some may quibble about the technical differences between a co-branded travel platform and a travel booking engine , but for our purposes here, we'll use white label and private label interchangeably, the definition being : white label travel platforms are travel booking software products built by one company and rebranded and used by another company or organization.

In that spirit, an effective white-label travel portal is a plug-and-play solution that allows an organization to offer hotel bookings, car rentals, flights, and even sightseeing reservations in a seamless user experience .

In the interest of simplicity, we’ll focus on the most popular feature of a travel booking platform...the hotel booking function. In a white-label travel platform context, hotel bookings will usually drive the most engagement and revenue.

The Online Travel Booking Landscape

Since then, online bookings have exploded. Back in the early days, the competition was stiff between online travel agents (OTAs) and you could find some amazingly low rates. Now consolidation has resulted in less competition, and rates have stabilized over time. We’ll talk about why in a minute.

If you’re like most people, we each seem to have a preference for which OTA we like to use to book our own hotel, car rental, and flight reservation. Some insist they find the best deals on Hotwire® or Hotels. com® as opposed to Expedia or Travelocity®. Others may swear by Kayak® over Priceline® or Booking. com.

But few people are aware that the OTA market is dominated by Booking Holdings ( BKNG ), (formerly called Priceline), and Expedia Group ( EXPE ). The bottom line is, between the two, they control 95% of the OTA market.

As a matter of fact, when you look at who owns which OTA, you can see how powerful these two OTAs truly are:

Booking Holdings and Expedia Group are the two biggest players in the online travel industry. Booking Holdings owns well-known brands like Priceline, Booking.com, and Kayak, as well as other subsidiaries, while Expedia Group owns Hotels.com, Hotwire, and Orbitz, among many others. As these OTAs continue to dominate the market, it's important to consider their impact when selecting a white-label travel portal. Both companies rely heavily on their white-label products, with Booking.com's white label alone accounting for a staggering 53% of their annual revenue. However, it's important to note that there are alternatives.

Online Travel Booking: Retail Model vs. the Wholesale Model

When it comes to how the hotel booking industry operates, there are two primary types of business models. The Retail Commission Model , and the Wholesale Merchant Model . Let’s first look at the most common model used for the vast majority of hotel bookings.

The Retail Commission Model

On the surface, this model seems pretty simple. A hotel pays a commission to someone who delivers a room buyer who didn’t book it on the hotel's own website. However, it gets a lot more complicated when you consider how powerful these OTAs have become, and how willing they are to leverage that power. That’s not to say they are somehow being unethical. It’s just that their focus is on the consumer, not on a hotel or a chain of hotels. With over a million hotels, resorts, and rental lodging properties worldwide, they have no shortage of supply. And since the hotels don’t buy their product, the OTAs are not focused on serving the needs of hotels.

To add to their challenge, more and more hotels can’t attract enough business themselves, so they have few better options than to plug into the OTAs distribution and marketing machine to help them sell their room inventory. This can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, they can sell more rooms through the OTAs. But on the other hand, they’re sacrificing a significant percentage of their revenue to the OTAs just to sell those rooms. Consequently, their margins are very thin.

Some of the larger hotels are pushing back; hotel chains like Hyatt® , Marriott®, Hilton®, and Wyndham® are heavily promoting their “book directly” campaigns. Hotels can save a lot of money if they can get you to book directly. They'll offer great incentives to convince you to book directly rather than on an OTA's site. These chains also have the money to put into marketing aimed at convincing customers to book directly, and in return, they give guests certain perks for doing so.  The result has caused Expedia to launch a feeble attempt to argue against direct booking, saying that booking directly actually hurts hotels. Needless to say, their argument has not resonated with consumers. 

For most other hoteliers, their profit margins are already small, and that means they don’t have a lot of resources to build a robust, user-friendly website to the level that competes with the OTAs. Not to mention having the know-how to build their own sophisticated SEO strategy. That’s why paying a large commission to an OTA can often deliver enough ROI for them to survive.

But lately, the OTAs are putting a bigger squeeze on these small and medium-sized hotels, forcing them to cough up even more in commissions, more than the average of 30% commission. To add to the pain of these smaller hotels, the bigger corporate hotels usually pay an average of 15% commission, giving them an even greater competitive advantage.

Rate Parity and Other Strategies

That’s why there’s so little price difference from one OTA to the next .

When you consider that most OTA’s make between 15% to 30% commission on every hotel reservation, you can imagine the type of revenue these companies can generate. For a quick reference, Booking Holding’s market cap is $122B , and Expedia's is $20B .

“The purpose of rate parity is to prevent the hotels from undercutting the OTAs on price. Even if it means the hotel make little to no profit. That’s why there’s so little price difference from one OTA to the next.”

With that kind of size and influence, is it any wonder that Expedia and Booking Holdings are among the largest ad spenders on Google ? They spend as much as 50% of their profit on marketing, all aimed at attracting hotel shoppers.

And they’re very good at it.

They know how to reach buyers, how to generate interest, and how to use sophisticated SEO strategies to convert leads to sales. They’re especially good at convincing buyers that they’re getting a good deal.

One of the tricks they use is to make you think you’re getting a better deal than everyone else. To accomplish this, they’ll show you comparable rates among their sister companies. For example, when booking a hotel on Expedia, their room rate will be compared to the same room on Travelocity or Orbitz (OTAs owned by Expedia). So you may assume they showing you a competitor's rates, but all they’re doing is comparing rates with OTA's they control. It’s really not a true comparison. And with rate parity, you’re still not going to see any significant savings on room rates anyway.

If they’re not comparing rates among their sister companies, you’ll often see OTAs give you a comparison against the “ rack rate ,” or the maximum price for a category of rooms. Unless you’re showing up at a hotel and are desperate for a room, nobody pays the rack rate. But when they offer their “discounted” rate next to the rack rate, it appears like you’re getting a great deal.

One tactic used by OTAs to sell empty rooms without compromising their brand integrity or pricing structure is offering opaque rates. These non-transparent rates are often implemented through a bidding process like Hotwire, and upon entering the desired location and date of stay, the search results will hide the hotel's branding, address, and other features. While not everyone may be adventurous enough to book such a rate, it can sometimes work out and save the user some money. However, it requires the user to trust that the hotel is not a dive or located in a sketchy neighborhood, and once confirmed, the reservation cannot be modified.

These and other strategies have forced many hotels to start showing a BAR (Best Available Rate,) when quoting a price. In a nutshell, the BAR is the lowest rate given to any guest for a specific date. It helps hotels offer greater transparency so guests can see what the hotel is actually charging, as opposed to what the OTAs have concocted through their own pricing schemes.

It all points to a significant advantage these big OTA’s have over their competition. If your white label booking platform is powered by an affiliate feed from Booking Holdings or Expedia, don’t assume you're going to get their lowest rates.

The Wholesale Merchant Model

An important alternative to the Retail Commission Model is the Wholesale Merchant Model . This model is available to companies like big tour operators, large group bookers, FIT companies (Foreign Incoming Travel), airlines, bedbanks, etc. It also includes some hotel aggregators, which is a term reserved for companies that serve a very technical function for the industry. But, for simplicity's sakes, we’ll call all these large travel entities “aggregators” for now.

It’s likely you’ve never heard of these aggregators. That’s because they are huge B2B companies that don’t have high name recognition with the public. Most don’t offer a direct-to-consumer UX/UI product. They deliver their content to enterprise-level clients via an API feed. That way, those who can play in this space must have the resources necessary to invest in hiring developers, programmers, and other IT specialists so they can consume the aggregator's complex API development requirements.

Aggregators buy hotel rooms in large quantities, on condition they get the hotel’s net rate. The net rate is the absolute lowest rate the hotel can sell a room, and still be profitable. Hotels don’t give the net rate to just anyone. They’ll only give that rate to an aggregator because they buy a lot of rooms in bulk. For example, they’ll purchase an entire floor for a month, or they’ll buy a block of rooms for a season. This way, the hotelier can justify giving the net rate in exchange for guaranteed revenue for a certain segment of their inventory.

“The net rate is typically not subject to the rate parity restrictions required by OTAs. This allows hotels the flexibility to be even more aggressive in their pricing of these rooms, adding even greater savings potential over the OTA’s retail prices.”

Buying rooms at the net rate also offers the aggregator a couple of other benefits. One, they exclude the typical commission, which means these rooms are at least 15%-30% lower than the OTA rate. Secondly, the sales and room taxes are calculated at a lower rate. Best of all, the net rate is typically not subject to the rate parity restrictions required by OTAs . This allows hotels the flexibility to be even more aggressive in their pricing of these rooms, adding even greater savings potential over the OTA’s retail prices.

Among all those who qualify to get their hotel inventory from an aggregator, only a small number of travel wholesalers actually offer a white-label travel product.

So if you would like to offer a travel booking solution to your audience, t he only way to give your members direct access to wholesale rates is to make sure your white-label travel portal is powered by a wholesaler, such as Access ®, or a similar type of company that competes in this space.

These wholesalers usually have the same inventory as the large OTAs, and consumers would see little if any difference between the available inventory and the overall booking experience. Except for the price. You decide if you want your audience to see a retail rate or a wholesale rate.

Business Objectives of White Label Travel: Loyalty vs. Revenue...or a Little of Both

Once you’ve decided whether your white label travel platform will offer retail or wholesale rates, you still have another decision to make. It relates to the value you want to offer your audience from your online booking engine.

It all depends on what you are trying to accomplish by offering a white-label travel booking platform.

For some organizations, their goal is to add compelling value as a tool to boost loyalty and engagement . This could work for non-profit associations, trade associations, alumni associations, and other types of membership groups looking to add value to their association benefits, as a means of boosting member retention, engagement, etc.

For others, a white label travel platform is an attractive tool to generate incremental revenue. This could include groups who want a loyalty and rewards platform. That includes banks and credit unions who have exhausted their revenue streams from accountholder fees and service fees, and are looking for new streams of revenue. It becomes a way for them to compete with large banking institutions with a ton more money to throw at driving account holder revenue.

It could work for any type of organization that must deliver value to its audience but needs ongoing revenue streams to keep growing.

And still, for other types of groups, white-label travel platforms are about trying to do a little of both: enhance their member benefits and also make a little money as well .

So let’s take a look at the two primary options for serving up your travel discounts:

White Label Travel Platforms: Instant Savings vs. Cash Back

Instant savings option.

For organizations interested in offering compelling value as a way of boosting member loyalty and engagement , the best way to achieve this is to pass along all the available savings to the end users.

For example: let’s say someone from your group books a weekend at a hotel in Las Vegas, and instead of paying the typical $500 they would see from an OTA, they get a rate of $400. That $100 in savings is instantly applied to the final price upon checkout. Bada bing bada boom. Instant savings equals a happy user.

This instant savings option has many meaningful advantages:

• It has the greatest impact on user engagement and retention.
• It incentivizes users to return to your website more often.
• It offers great value to your existing suite of user/member benefits.
• With typical savings of 15%-50%, the savings can differentiate your organization from your competition.
• When members save money, it generates goodwill that can be leveraged to impact retention and boost referrals of their friends and family.

Cash Back Option

The cash-back model is a relatively new feature among white-label rewards programs . This model gives the users a cash-back amount credited to their account after they’ve booked their reservation.

The available cash-back amount for each booking can be divvied between the user and the sponsoring organization.

Example 1: a user books the same Las Vegas hotel and pays $500, but receives a credit of $100 in the form of cashback, posted to their card after confirming their reservation.

Example 2 : a user books the same hotel and pays $500, but is offered $80 in the form of cashback posted to their card after confirming their reservation. Behind the scenes, the sponsoring organization makes $20 from the transaction.

The typical split between the user and sponsoring organization can vary. In most cases, the sponsoring organization will realize between 10%-30% of the total transaction, but this amount is usually negotiable.

This cash-back option has these advantages:

• Delivers a high-value rewards program that’s unique in today’s marketplace.
• Can deliver an engaging benefit that also generates incremental revenue.
• Allows you to deliver a cash-back product, a familiar and compelling user benefit.
• Gives users significant cash back rewards ranging from $50, $100, and even $150 per night.
• Gives banks or other financial institutions the ability to limit transactions to a specific card using BIN suppression .
• Gives card providers the ability to generate significant interchange fees from high-dollar hotel transactions.

White Label Travel Platforms: Key Questions to Ask

The features of a white label travel platform can vary widely. Some offer the bare minimum of services and support for your organization, while others offer a wide variety of value-added services. When vetting different programs, don’t be afraid to be direct, and ask these important questions:

Do they have global inventory pricing?

Does your private label travel portal offer a global inventory, with familiar hotel brands in all the popular destinations? Do they offer a range of properties within a wide spectrum of price points, including 5-star resorts, to business class and economy hotels? Do they offer boutique hotels, as well as Bed & Breakfasts, home vacation rentals, cabins, beach houses, hostels, and other unique properties? How many countries do they serve? With over 1.5 MM hotels, resorts, inns, and B&Bs worldwide, how many properties do your provider boast about on their network? What types of properties don’t they include and do they have a business reason for limiting their inventory?

Is their travel booking site private labeled for you?

It’s your audience…and your travel platform should reinforce your brand. Does the travel booking platform look like your organization? Will your audience instantly recognize it as you? Does the travel portal feature your logo and color scheme? What other types of branding options do they offer?

Do they offer an integrated payment gateway?

Can your customers/members seamlessly book their travel once they submit their reservation and payment info? Is your white label travel platform the “merchant of record” when the transaction is made? Do they process the transaction properly and then instantly send a confirmation to the user? What if there’s a problem with the customer’s credit card, or what if the reservation is canceled for some reason? How do they offer refunds? Do they give an instant credit back to the user’s credit card, or do they force the user to receive a company credit toward future purchases? (See customer service below.)

Is it scalable from the get-go?

Does your provider have a scalable product that works for organizations large and small? Do they have a proven and time-tested team of developers? Are those developers based in the U. S. or overseas? Will your booking engine work correctly the minute they turn it on? Can it grow with you as your organization grows? Nothing is worse than having launched your platform and having to pause or re-launch it a few months later because your provider found a bunch of bugs. What is their guaranteed uptime? Is it less than 99.9%?

What is their experience with travel content mapping?

Because each aggregator serves up its API data solutions differently, there’s bound to be conflicting data and duplicate search results. How does your white label travel platform organize all the numerous points of critical hotel data they collect from multiple channels, and how do its algorithms expose that information to your members? That includes such things as room rates and types, arrival dates, room photos, online reviews, room availability, etc. How often do they refresh their data? What happens when the same room is listed as being available, but in fact, an OTA sold the room a few seconds before? How does your provider’s solution resolve such issues? How do they prioritize which rooms will be at the top of the search results? What other built-in mapping tools have they implemented?

Do they have a simple and intuitive UX/UI?

Because Expedia and Google® have set the bar pretty high when it comes to our expectations for a travel booking engine, does your white labeled travel platform at least meet that standard? Are you able to give the UX/UI a thorough test drive and put it through its paces? Are you confident that the UX/UI is intuitive, or is it clunky and a pain to use? Consumers demand ease and convenience from any merchant they patronize. What about the check-out portion of the UX/UI? Are your users forced to wade through a flood of terms and conditions upon checkout? Is the checkout process frustrating and forgettable? Can you bundle a hotel, car rental, and flight all in one transaction?

Do they offer a mobile app or just a mobile responsive website?

Does your provider offer a dedicated mobile app, or is their platform simply a mobile-responsive website? Have they opted to create mobile responsive web design because it’s cheaper and faster to create? If so, are you prepared to deal with the associated lack of both speed and functionality as compared to a dedicated mobile app? Has your provider invested in developing a stand-alone mobile app (which is typically far more expensive to develop, test and iterate)? Does it offer SMS push notifications to confirm a booking? What does their app do to help drive ongoing usage?  Does it offer show-your-phone mobile coupons?

Do they offer other travel-related benefits as well as everyday discounts?

Do they have a direct relationship with popular theme parks like Walt Disney World®, Disneyland Resort®, and Universal Studios®, and allow you to book your vacation tickets directly AND at a discount? What type of value-added benefits do they provide to entice your users to visit your site in-between vacations or business travel? Do they offer more than just hotel, car rentals, sightseeing tours, etc. ? Can they keep your users engaged so they can save at everyday places like restaurants, big box stores, and main street retailers , as well as auto services, movies, entertainment/recreation discounts and more?

How good are their customer/member services and support?

This one is huge. Does your white label travel platform offer high-touch customer/member support , or do they only offer self-help and “user-retrieved” assistance? Do they charge members for calling customer service? Do they offer only basic-level customer support, or can you escalate a case to a higher tier?

How fast do they provide timely and accurate refunds? Do they communicate with your members/customers about billing issues, or do they just let users discover a problem on their own? Do they provide 24/7/365 live customer service and support for each hotel booking, car rental, and flight reservation? Are their call center reps U. S.-based? Are they native English-speaking representatives? Will your organization have a customizable toll-free number, and if so, will your provider answer each call as if it was your organization answering the phone? Do they also offer alternative communication methods such as web chat, SMS texting, and email support?

If you really want to step it up to the next level, ask if your provider offers courtesy pre-arrival hotel confirmation for each reservation . This level of customer service is truly game-changing, as they can call a few days ahead to make sure each reservation is valid, and resolve any issues long before your member/customer arrives.

Do they offer multi-language web support?

If your audience is global, does your white label travel provider support the world’s business languages? Not only should they support the world’s 1.5 billion English speakers, but what about the 1.1 billion speakers of Mandarin Chinese, the 572 million speakers of Spanish, and 275 million Francophones? Do they support currencies other than just the USD, such as Canadian Dollars, Mexican Pesos, the Euro, and British Pound?

Do they manage your member data securely and confidentially?

Does your white label travel platform play fast and loose with your member data in order to get to your members so they can market other products or services? Are they SOC 2 compliant ? Do they have a proven history of successfully managing complex security demands for large corporate clients with sophisticated data security procedures and protocols?

Can they provide you with documentation relating to their data protection and retention policy, their data encryption and key management policy, and their company’s acceptable use policy? Will they provide documentation about their PCI compliance ?

Do they use a well-known, established production application infrastructure for things like firewalls, routers, application servers, database servers, physical and environmental security, etc.? Are they willing to provide you with that documentation?

Do they offer dedicated onboarding, technical, and client success teams?

What type of experience does your provider have with launching a white label travel booking engine ? Do they really understand the intricacies of this process? Do they have a team of people dedicated to your specific onboarding and launch process ? Will they oversee all the technical requirements, and also all the other requirements of maintaining the ongoing success of your program? Will they conduct regular account reviews and monitor key performance indicators? Do they charge for services like built-in analytics with member-level reporting? Do they offer suggestions about how to make adjustments to improve the success of your program?

Does your provider support a secure Closed User Group (CUG)?

Is your provider dedicated to providing a true closed user group ? Or are they casual about letting interlopers break in and use your platform, as a means of generating additional commission revenue? Hotels and car rental companies reserve their best discounts for a CUG, that way their best discounts aren’t exposed to people who would otherwise pay full price. When the general public has access to the same discounts you offer on your travel portal, you can be sure you’re not going to offer much in the way of compelling discounts that can attract and engage your audience .

Do they offer marketing and promotional services?

Does your white label travel solutions provider actively promote your travel savings to your members through email, social media, printed materials, etc., or is your staff expected to create and execute the marketing strategy? How does your provider view ongoing education? Are they experienced in getting users in the habit of going to your website to book their travel needs? Do they offer other types of marketing assistance? What are their email automation capabilities? What’s their sending reputation? Can they surprise and delight your travelers both before, during, and after their trip?

Do they want to be a partner or just a vendor?

How invested are they in the long-term success of your program? Do they work behind the scenes to make sure your travel platform has compelling content and performs as well as possible under adverse conditions? Are they making constant improvements to their booking pages so they convert at higher rates? What other types of routine improvements do they make?

White Label Travel Solutions: Final Word

White-label travel platforms come in many shapes and sizes. Now that you have some insight into how the industry works, you’ll be better positioned to make the best decision for your organization.

In full disclosure, I am employed by Access which offers a white-label travel portal . Despite my best efforts, I can't completely eliminate my cognitive biases about which travel platforms I think are best.  On the other hand, critics should also acknowledge that I've spent nearly a decade studying different types of programs and I've learned a thing or two about how how to identify the characteristics of a good consumer discount and travel program . That's my role at Access, to research and write about products in this industry, and provide our senior management with an unvarnished assessment of how Access stacks up against our competitors.

I’m sharing this research with you, hoping to provide you with the tools you need to make an informed business decision. I’m confident that by sharing my findings with you, you will, at a minimum, view Access as a serious contender among any other platforms you may consider.

Feel free to reach out to me with any questions or issue you have with my research and findings. And because I’m just a writer, I’m happy to answer any questions you have without an uncomfortable sales pitch. If you’d rather speak directly with a business development/sales professional, go here.

Industry Terms

Hierarchy of hotel rates:.

Rack rate: The highest price a hotel charges for a room before any discounts. Typically this rate is set artificially high, so when discounts are applied, the final rate looks generous by comparison.

Retail rate: This rate involves a hotel’s most common public rate, with some discounts applied off the rack rate, usually about 5%-15%.

Opaque rate: A non-transparent rate that allows hotels to offer discounts without having to expose their public price position. Usually, this type of pricing is implemented in a bidding process (such as is common with Hotwire) where the hotel's branding, location, star rating, or other feature is hidden prior to booking. Once the reservation is made, the hidden information is revealed, but no changes can be made thereafter. Discounts can range from 10%-20% or more.

BAR (Best Available Rate): The BAR is the hotel’s lowest available rate of the day. This rate is open to the public and usually does not require pre-payment or cancellation penalties outside their typical policy. This rate was created to respond to the complex pricing strategies imposed by online travel agencies. Usually, this price is between 10%-25% off the rack rate.

Wholesale Rate: this is the rate offered by a wholesaler, who purchases multiple blocks of rooms at a discounted rate (see Net Rate). After a small markup, this rate is typically 15%-50% lower than the retail rate.

Net Rate: This is the lowest rate for a room that the hotel will offer, while still maintaining the profitability of the room. This rate is usually made available only to B2B bulk-buying wholesalers, (See bedbank or aggregator) who pre-purchase multiple blocks of hotel rooms at bulk rates, then sell each room B2C at a wholesale rate.

Gross Room Rate: The total revenue a hotel can generate from a single room for one night. This includes all forms of revenue, such as that derived from resort fees, loyalty program rewards/points, breakfast fees, parking fees, etc. It excludes taxes, rebates, refunds, credit transactions, etc. This, plus the typical markup, is the basis for how they calculate the Net Rate.

Other Terms Mentioned in this Article:

Affiliate Supplier: A hotel supplier that sells its hotel inventory to a third party at a discounted rate. Typically they charge more than the wholesale rate, but usually less than the retail rate. They often sell their inventory through white-label travel platforms for companies and organizations.

Aggregator: A type of hotel service provider that acts as the technology hub. It searches many different sources offering hotel accommodations, then collects and disseminates the most pertinent information in a single search query for its B2B clients.

Bedbank: is a B2B company that typically buys discounted room accommodations in bulk, at the Net Rate, then sells those rooms to travel sellers such as wholesalers, travel agents, airlines or tour operators, etc.

BIN suppression: The BIN stands for Bank Identification Number. It reflects the first four to six numbers on any payment card to identify a banking or financial institution, which is critical in matching a transaction with the card issuer. BIN suppression is a feature that limits transactions to a specific BIN, so a financial institution can control which cards can make purchases on a specified site.

Co-branded travel booking site: a travel booking website created for an organization (such as an association, company, or group) by an Affiliate Supplier or Wholesaler. This site typically bears the logos or names of both the organization and an Affiliate Supplier/Wholesaler. This strategy is aimed at leveraging the influence of both brands.

Co-branded travel booking engine: See Co-branded travel booking site:

CUG: A Closed User Group typically consists of members of an association or group, where members are required to log in and be authenticated prior to having access to exclusive discounts or rates. CUGs are used to prevent hidden discounts from being exposed to customers who otherwise are willing to pay a higher price.

Interchange fees: A fee all merchants are required to pay with every credit card or debit transaction and is paid to the financial institution that issued the card. That rate can vary between 2% for credit cards, and 0.3% for debit cards.

Merchant of Record: any business authorized and legally liable for processing a credit or debit card transaction. It is responsible for being PCI compliant, following the rules established by financial institutions, and complying with all local and international tax laws.

OTA: Online Travel Agent/Agency is an e-commerce business whose online properties allow travelers to book hotels, car rentals, flights, cruises, sightseeing tours, activities, and other related services. The two largest OTAs are Booking Holdings ( BKNG ), (formerly called Priceline), and Expedia Group ( EXPE ).

PCI compliance or PCI DSS compliance: Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard are security standards created to make sure all companies that accept, process, store, or transmit credit card information, do so in a safe and secure environment.

Private label SaaS: (see White Label SaaS)

Rate Parity : A clause in which the OTAs require hotels to offer the same rate across almost all of their distribution channels. This is designed to prevent the hotels from undercutting the OTAs on price. Net Rates are not typically subject to Rate Parity, but this practice is under scrutiny by taxing authorities.

Retail Commission Model: Typically an OTA sells rooms at a public rate, and earns a commission (ranging from 15%-30%,) for selling the room.

SaaS: Software as a Service. A popular cloud-based computer application where a service provider hosts its entire software product online, and little, if any sources of the application reside on a local computing device.

White label SaaS: A software product that is built by one company, for the purpose of being rebranded and used by another company.

Wholesale Merchant Model: Typically a wholesaler purchases room accommodations at the Net Rate, and sells those rooms at a wholesale rate to its B2B clients via a white-label travel platform or API feed.

Wholesaler: A B2B company that buys hotel accommodations at the Net Rate from a bedbank or aggregator, then adds additional value, such as the infrastructure required to support a white-label travel platform, and then sells those rooms at the wholesale rate.

Topics: cash back rewards , Travel , member loyalty , membership benefits programs , membership discounts , membership benefits , member travel benefits , member incentives , online travel , white label , private label , turnkey , credit union benefits , white label travel platforms , white label travel solutions

Written by: Gary Toyn

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Australia’s Travlr to Bring Travel-as-a-Service to U.S. Media Brands

Sean O'Neill , Skift

December 23rd, 2021 at 2:30 AM EST

Media brands that publish travel content are seeking enhanced monetization of their work and audiences. The story of one vendor serving them helps to highlight the questions that brands such as BBC and MTV face more generally.

Sean O'Neill

Travel Tech Briefing

Editor’s Note:  Exclusive reporting on technology’s impact on the travel industry, delivered every Thursday. The briefing will guide executives as they decide if their companies should “build, buy, or partner” to stay ahead.

(Editor’s note: Travel Tech Briefing is taking time off at year-end and will be back on Thursday, January 6. Thank you for being loyal readers. Here’s wishing you all the best in 2022.)

A small startup in Australia called Travlr poses a question. Could a modern approach to white-label and affiliate sales boost how publishers — such as news sites, TV brands, and guidebook companies — sell travel?

Travlr has signed up a handful of notable customers for its solution, aiming to appeal first to markets in Australia and New Zealand.

• Stuff , which claims to be the most popular news site in New Zealand, tapped Travlr to build its Stuff Travel Bookings experience .
• BBC Global News , the corporation’s international (advertising-based, ex-UK) division, used Travlr to create a Discover Beyond site selling travel.
• Viacom’s MTV Australia tapped the startup to help build an MTV Travel e-commerce experience.
• In October, the startup announced its pre-Series-B capital raise of about $4.8 million ($6.7 million Australian).
• It will bring its solution to the U.S. market next year.

The backdrop is that many publishers and media companies face a problem. They inspire their audiences to book travel, but they seldom capture the commissions on purchased trips.

• A news site or guidebook publisher, for example, might inspire a traveler to book a cycling trip thanks to the compelling content it creates.
• But the consumer will go to Google to search the trip details. They will buy it elsewhere, either in parts or as a package.
• This so-called attribution problem is hard to solve, though ad tech companies such as Sojern try to connect the dots .
• So far, the fixes to help publishers and other organizations cut out some of the middlemen and collect more of the commissions have been imperfect.
• White-label travel agencies have been around for decades. Many groups, such as Apple Travel Management , have long had units that have bundled vacation packages and then sold and serviced them on behalf of airlines and other companies. Apple Leisure Group runs Southwest Vacations , for instance.
• Affiliate sales have also been around for decades. Companies such as Expedia’s Affiliate unit , Travelpayouts , or GetYourGuide typically place what are essentially ad display units on a publisher’s site. Travel offers in the widget or site link out to other resellers to complete the transaction. The blog or other publisher is later mailed a check for a small commission — if the link led to a booking.
• White-label and affiliate models can sometimes give a disjointed, static, or junky experience for consumers. Some brands distrust the reporting on attribution from the resellers and suppliers.

Travlr is a white-labeled online travel agency. But unlike past versions, it easily lets a publisher customize some of the offers to boost purchase rates or to target niche audiences.

• Publishers can create custom travel packages with Travlr’s platform. Travlr can then highlight the packages.
• If a journalist writes an article about, say, a cycling trip around Lake Dunstan in New Zealand, the publisher can create a bookable itinerary via Travlr’s platform for sale under the publisher’s brand name. Example: Here on Stuff Travel .
• Underneath the bespoke trips, there’s a booking engine for buying trips in the customary online way.
• Let’s use the MTV Travel partnership as another example. When a consumer books a trip, Travlr is the merchant of record, though the consumer only sees the brand name MTV Travel .
• If a problem arises, the consumer can ring a call center run by Travlr, where agents answer the phone under the name of MTV Travel.
• “They take 100 percent of the profit of any bookings that are driven through our ecosystem,” said Simon te Hennepe, co-founder and CEO of Travlr. The startup charges a licensing fee to MTV for the tech and resources.
• Customer data stays with the brand. If a user buys a trip through, say, Stuff Travel, they agree to provide their email address, for example, to Stuff. The publisher can then use that data for re-targeting and providing more personalized offerings.
• “If our contract is canceled and we walk away, they still own the email address,” Hennepe said. That’s a big difference from the traditional models.
• Travlr sources the content through Hero Travel , a vendor it holds a stake in. The vendor gives the startup connectivity to the so-called channel managers that aggregate demand, such as Australia-based SiteMinder , effectively through one API [application programming interface, or data exchange method] feed.

Travlr calls all of the above a “travel-as-a-service” model.

• This name plays off the popularity of software-as-a-service businesses that sell access to cloud-based tools and enterprise applications via a subscription model. 
• Travlr launched its first iteration in January 2019.
• Bjorn Harvold appears to have been the first to write about “travel-as-a-service” in an article in 2019 . Harvold is a co-founder of a company iko.travel , which offers some similar functionality.
• This year Moscow-based online travel agency OneTwoTrip has seen growth in its “travel-as-a-service” product called Forma . The platform lets banks, telecoms, and other companies sell travel to their customers, allowing those customers to earn cashback in the partner brand’s loyalty programs and to pay in installments.
• L.E.K. Consulting has predicted that the travel-as-a-service model will evolve over time to “bring about expanded use of themed subscriptions and ‘clubs’ for booking travel.”
• John Harvey, the former chief marketing officer of travel management giant Hogg Robinson (since acquired by American Express Global Business Travel ) sees a variation of “travel-as-a-service” as an opportunity in corporate travel , too.

Travlr said its white-label travel agency improves engagement and conversion for publishers and other media brands.

• Stuff Travel had about 95 percent of its platform revenue in the past year go from people who aren’t subscribers to its paid subscription product or who hadn’t created log-ins for free access to Stuff’s editorial content, Hennepe said. (Stuff’s paid membership gives readers access to Stuff’s premium news and entertainment content.)
• A mix of search engine optimization and word of mouth brought these new users to Stuff Travel and Stuff as a whole. In other words, the travel sales were acquisition and re-engagement channels for the publisher.
• Some other publishers see an opportunity in driving sales from their content. In an article, video, or other pieces of content, they might reference an amazing hotel. Up until now, they might link to the hotel’s own site or to an affiliate program. Now they will link to offers on their travel platform run by the startup.
• A partnership with a tour operator could help with creating bespoke itineraries.
• Today the split in Australia is roughly 40 percent of the transactions coming from custom offers while the rest come from do-it-yourself trip bookings via the booking engine, which is similar to what one would find on most online travel agencies, Hennepe said.

Over time, destination management companies may cotton onto the model.

• Tourism boards often run inspirational campaigns on publisher sites. But they can’t be sure if the campaigns lead to heads in beds in their regions. This is another type of attribution problem.
• A tourism promotion site built using Travlr’s platform could directly connect the dots between a campaign and transactions.
• In an example, one of Australia’s largest newspaper groups, Australian Community Media (ACM) , has tapped Travlr to promote Fiji on its Explore Travel site . In theory, details about the effectiveness of different messaging and packages and the types of travelers who book them could be of value to Fiji’s tourism authorities.
• Tourism boards could come to Travlr and say, ‘We want to do a campaign in, say, Canada for destination X,” Hennepe said. “We can activate extended reach because our media partners are obviously generating the profit from any of the spending. The media houses can give a campaign more exposure to their audiences because at the end of the funnel, they’re taking the profit.”
• “The tourism board, meanwhile, can prove to its stakeholders what the return on investment was for their ad spending,” Hennepe said.
• For more context, read Travel’s Creator Economy Resets for Next Boom by Skift’s Lebawit Lily Girma.

I’ve focused on Travlr because I feel its business model suggests that “help may be on the way” for editorial publishers and other brands.

• I believe its model points out some interesting industry dynamics. You don’t need to feel you want to invest in the startup or expect it to become a billion-dollar technology company to learn from its story.
• Unlike many travel startups, it addresses a real pain point that companies are willing to pay money to solve, and it has a large “addressable market” worldwide.
• The startup’s story suggests a broader observation, too. Thanks to new technologies and business practices, non-endemic brands may have an easier time of getting into selling travel. Shifting industry dynamics could reshape the long-tail of travel reselling.
• Perhaps one day we’ll see TikTok Travel . Given that 2021’s most-downloaded social video app has lots of travel inspiration, it may want to monetize the trip experiences that go viral .
• Luxury Travel Hackers is a travel agency that debuted this year that focuses on addressing an “attribution problem” on social media platforms.
• Let’s say you inspire someone to take a trip with your content on Instagram, TikTok or elsewhere, but you don’t get any commissions for trips booked. The startup has a workaround, and it emphasizes working with social media influencers , as do rival startups  TrovaTrip and Thatch .
• Expect more innovation in trying to monetize travel content online.

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