Website Hosting

After using several better known website hosts and developers who managed their own hosting, we decided to become our own host agency. Therefore, you can reach out to us to host your website (get a quote here) or you can use the agency we contract with:

WPMU DEV offers reliable, high-performance WordPress hosting with everything built in — security, backups, optimization, and expert 24/7 support. They make switching easy with free migrations and even offer a contract buyout if you’re stuck with another host.

For agencies, WPMU DEV provides white-label tools, client management, and reseller options, all under one dashboard. They frequently run special deals like free pro email or domain registration for your first year — making it a smart choice for professionals ready to scale.

Major Affiliate Networks and Platforms

After adopting affiliate marketing following the pandemic as a way to monetize our website, we’ve learned a lot. While we still use traditional (non-AI) affiliate platforms, we’ve also begun integrating smarter tools designed to simplify management and improve relevance.

For travel bloggers just getting started, we confidently recommend Stay22 — an AI-driven platform that helps you earn from travel-related content automatically. From there, you can grow into additional affiliate networks and private partnerships that align with your audience and values.

Stay22 helps travel creators easily monetize accommodation, experience, and transportation links through interactive maps and AI-based tools that automatically match your content to relevant offers. Great for travel bloggers who want a hands-off approach to affiliate income. They recently added Amazon sales and are in the process of adding retail sales, making their brand appropriate for lifestyle blogs as well.

Amazon Associates remains one of the most accessible affiliate programs worldwide. Ideal for recommending travel gear, books, or photography equipment. Commission rates vary, but the global reach makes it a must for travel content creators. They also provide content creator specific tools and promotions.

AvantLink is a quality network focused on outdoor, travel, and lifestyle brands. AvantLink stands out for its high standards and partner selection — perfect for creators seeking trustworthy, niche-specific programs. Our partner brands on this platform include Six Moon Designs (Portland, Oregon outdoor brand), CampChef (camping stoves), Darn Tough (socks), IceMule (backpack coolers), and more.

Bookshop.org is a meaningful alternative to Amazon for selling books. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores while allowing creators to earn affiliate commissions through curated reading lists or travel book recommendations. 

CJ Affiliate (formerly Commission Junction) is one of the largest affiliate networks with a wide range of travel and lifestyle partners — from hotels and tours to insurance and airlines. Excellent tracking and tools for serious affiliates. Our partners on this platform include BioLite (headlamps and more), OM System (our cameras!), and World Nomads (travel insurance). We find their system clunky and outdated but they have partners we want to work with.

Impact is a comprehensive affiliate and influencer platform used by many major travel brands. Their dashboard offers detailed reporting and tools for scaling your affiliate income across multiple programs. We use Impact for these partners: GOING (formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights), HolaFly (eSIMS), and Stellar (WordPress plugins like GiveWP, Events Calendar, and Restrict Content Pro).

Partnerize is an enterprise-level affiliate and partnership platform connecting publishers with premium travel brands such as airlines, hotels, and booking services. Ideal for experienced creators looking to build long-term relationships in the travel industry. We use Partnerize for Adorama (camera equipment) because they recently migrated to this platform. We’re hopeful to gain more partners like HostelWorld from this European platform.

Independent Affliate Networks

These brands manage their own affiliate programs instead of using big affiliate networks — except for RockPorch, which is its own small but mighty platform. They focus on outdoor and adventure gear, giving creators like us access to brands such as REI and Columbia that don’t always accept smaller publishers directly. It’s a great way to share trusted gear with our readers while supporting the outdoor community.

RockPorch is an emerging affiliate program supporting gear brands, small makers, and outdoor lifestyle companies — a great fit for travel influencers focused on adventure and authentic storytelling. They love working with brands with active Instagram profiles.

Global Rescue is a trusted name in travel safety and evacuation services. Perfect for responsible travel content that emphasizes preparedness and traveler well-being.

Wanderwell is a Portland, Oregon based B Corp–certified travel insurance provider designed for mindful travelers. Wanderwell combines ethical practices with practical protection, aligning perfectly with sustainable tourism values.

Other Useful Tools

Kit is our go-to for email marketing and automation. Kit makes it easy to tag and segment subscribers, send personalized content, and build audience relationships that last. It’s simple, powerful, and designed for creators who care more about connection than complexity.

SparkLoop is a game-changer for growing your newsletter audience. SparkLoop helps you reward current subscribers for referring new readers — think of it as word-of-mouth marketing powered by smart automation.

Hello Audio is perfect for turning written or video content into private podcasts or audio courses. We love it for sharing exclusive content with our community in an easy, accessible way — whether that’s a travel story or a behind-the-scenes business tip.

LearnWorlds is all-in-one platform for creating and selling online courses. Its intuitive tools make it simple to share your expertise — from travel writing and photography to sustainable tourism and marketing — with learners around the world. We have yet to make our course but hope to have one sometime soon! What would you like to see us teach?

WPML is a WordPress plugin for multilingual blogs like our own. We use it to manage our English and Spanish language content.