Great Escape Publishing

Posted May 3rd, 2012 by Bonnie Caton & filed under Travel Writing.

If getting paid to travel and taking entire trips that are paid for by someone else seems too good to be true… take a look at a few of the success stories that have come in from readers over the past couple of years…

*****

How exciting — I landed a press-trip on my very first try. This gave my husband and me a romantic, three-day Valentine’s weekend at someone else’s expense.

My husband and I cruised the Gulf Islands with complimentary refreshments and full buffet meals, photographing picturesque island-scapes and leisuring like the rich and famous.

Using our attraction passes, we toured the Royal BC and Maritime Museums, Fort Rodd Hill, Fisgard Lighthouse, and the delightful Victoria Butterfly Gardens.

We dined where the locals hide out and toasted new friends at the Irish Times Pub. We browsed galleries, bookstores, and Chinatown… admired a chalk artist sketching a sidewalk masterpiece…waltzed alongside the carillon… sampled fine wines and decadent chocolates.

At night, the prestigious Parliament buildings and harbor came alive with twinkling lights, transforming our promenade stroll into a starlit fairytale. How apropos for our Valentine weekend.

— Dawn-Marie Hanrahan

*****

So far, I’ve written several articles for WorldReviewer.com. I’ve had a two-week, all-inclusive tour to Borneo… I’m waiting to be approved to visit Panama on a free press-trip to write about birds and natural history. And just this morning, I was invited to France for another free press-trip to complete a story I pitched last week.

Not bad for a “non-believer!” Thanks for all the help your program provided!

— Alan McBride

*****

I just returned from a month in Portugal and am working on three articles for editors. I had an amazing individual three-day paid trip to the Schist Villages in Central Portugal. And in September, I took a fantastic trip to Alaska on a small cruise ship.

I am enthused about future possibilities of returning to the Amazon; perhaps doing a trip to Bolivia, teaching English and writing about it in Spain and Ecuador (still just possibilities), and perhaps a cruise back to Alaska in September.

The trip to Bolivia, arranged by Adventure-Associates (a tour company in Ecuador), is an individual press trip, as is the Amazon trip. I still have another individual press trip with Kapawi Lodge all set up. I arranged that trip through my connection with the editor at Luxury Latin America. I hope to go in the next year.

— Sandra Kennedy

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I snowmobiled in the Yukon in 30 degrees below zero weather, took a crazy jeep drive in Sedona, enjoyed spa days in Mexico, and slept in a hammock in Hawaii.

I found some press-trips through my membership with the International Travel Writers & Photographers Alliance (ITWPA). But after taking a few trips, I seemed to be on every Travel PR firm’s mailing list, and I continue to receive an onslaught of invitations. I also subscribe to sites like MediaKitty.com to keep me abreast of travel writing opportunities.

— Connie Reichert

*****

Just wanted to check in and let you know that 2012 is shaping up to be my most travelingest year ever!

Here are some details of my planned trips:
* 24 press trips, FAM tours, or self-guided tours
* 150 days on the road
* 10 states in the U.S.
* 11 countries: Canada, Romania, England, Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Bali, Sarawak

— Roy Stevenson

*****

Of course, the one “catch” to all of this is that to travel for free, you do have to intend to write a story or take photos (hardly a catch, since it’s part of the fun).

Tomorrow, I’ll share a quick start-up plan to getting your first article published by this time next week… just by following four simple steps.

[Editor’s Note: Learn more about opportunities to profit from your travels (and even from your own home) in our free online newsletter The Right Way to Travel.]