How to Become a Travel Writer and Enjoy These Perks

It’s supposed to be a trade secret, but most freelance travel writers get free stuff--hotel stays, meals, tours, admission to events, etc. This is how they fund their lifestyle--and then, of course, magazines pay them for their stories and photos.

Once travel writers get established and start going on press trips, everything is generally free--including airfares. You don’t even need to ask for it.

International Living pays me an expense account, but it doesn’t quite match the rate that most top hotels charge. So if I fancy staying somewhere with fluffy bathrobes and fancy bathroom cosmetics, I don’t hesitate to flaunt my travel writer credentials.

In Istanbul last August, I got gifted a room for free. Other times I usually get a steep discount. Could you get a room in a four-star hotel in the center of Belgium’s capital for $65, breakfast for two included? I did. I’ve just checked the rate Joe Public will pay for a double room tonight-135 euro ($185).

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Although I was in Brussels investigating real estate, I’m always looking out for other stories. So in the spirit of the season, I want to share some tempting discounts and freebies that any visitor (not only travel writers) can grab hold of.

I’m talking about decadent, luxurious, connoisseur–quality Belgian chocolates. Buy in bulk and they make really cheap presents. Your friends will think you’ve splurged out a fortune.

Neuhaus is one of the country’s top gourmet brands. In business since 1857, they’re an official supplier to the Belgian court. A 1.1-pound box of their chocolate pralines filled with flavored creams such as champagne truffle, almond, and rose costs around $65 in the States. At Brussels airport, 2.2 pounds cost $43.75.

Now, this is where a travel writer’s low cunning comes into play. Ride Brussels’ 1B metro to Erasme at the end of the line, and you can buy the same weight of liqueur-filled Neuhaus chocs for just $8.75. Buy 6.6 pounds and they’re a deeply discounted $18.75.

When leaving the metro at Erasme, go through the hospital grounds, then walk for another five minutes along the road to the start of Vlezenbeek/Sint Pieters Leuuw village. The address you want is Postweg 2. This is the Neuhaus factory and admin headquarters--with a discounted outlet shop in its grounds.

As tourists aren’t supposed to find this place, everything is in French or Flemish. But just follow the sign for Magasin/Winkel. That’s the shop, open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (5 p.m. Fridays). Even if you don’t buy a thing, you can gorge as many free samples as you can manage.

Classic pralines are only sold in single varieties ($12 for 2.2 pounds), and come in plain cardboard rather than fancy boxes. The liqueur chocolates are in see-through plastic bags, so you can’t exactly hide what you’ve been shopping for.

Naturally I wasn’t bothered about lugging 6.6 pounds of chocolates back into central Brussels. Even so, I still felt like telling Metro passengers, "No, they’re not all for me."

By the way, if you want to become a travel writer using the program I mentioned above, you should know that it's discounted by 25% for IL's Christmas Sale until Dec. 31.

Steenie Harvey
Roving Travel Writer, International Living

To Read More IL Articles About How to Become a Travel Writer, See:

Travel Writer: A Day in the Life

How to Become a Published Travel Writer in Less Than 3 Months

Could This Be Your First Travel Writing Assignment?

Warts and All: Earn a Living as a Travel Writer

The Secret of Free Travel When You Become a Travel Writer