Hi, I’m Matthias, alumni of TDM class 2012.
So, why am I writing here? Well, because the program coordinator, Wesley van den Beemt, asked me to. Just kidding, but I assume she had her reasons for that. So, what happened?
Let me start from the beginning: After I finished the TDM program in 2012, I moved to Munich where I started my work as an Online Marketing Manager for a tour operator specialized in language holidays.
A perfect life
I felt in love with Munich especially with its summers. Nature, mountains, lakes, the Alps, big city life, entertainment, parties, all of that. I couldn‘t ask for more. I felt free and was happy to have a good life, an interesting job and even a manager title.
I learned a lot about online marketing especially SEO, social media, marketing cooperation’s, blogging, blogger relations and so on.
Since 2007 I always wanted to run my own travel blog, but I did not have the technical expertise nor was it a priority. However, now after gaining much more insights it was about time. I created my own blog – „Traveltelling“
There is always an expiry date
The side effect of most of us (former-) tourism students is that every once in a while we get bitten by the ‘travel bug’ and need to escape to broaden our horizon and feel the need to see, learn and experience something new again. So the more articles of previous travels I published on my blog, the more my inner wanderlust grew.
At one point I decided to leave my job and take my savings. The travel project ‘4 months, 8 countries and 2500 km cycle trip through Eastern Europe’ was born. I teamed up with tourism boards and tourism companies of the countries I wanted to cycle through and managed to get a lot of sponsoring. My readership and visibility in google grew.
And now?
Within one year I brought the blog to a level where it gives me an additional income and finances my travels. But next to blogging you need to have other sources of income. For me these are:
- Consultancy about SEO and website optimization for tourism companies
- Consultancy about blogging and blogger relations
- I am now German ambassador for the Serbian Tourism Board – a long-term cooperation from the cycle trip
- Holding lectures about specific travel destinations and bicycle travel
- Creating content for websites and corporate blogs of travel companies
- And last but not least translation jobs
Tipp for you
If YOU are also a travel blogger you are always a journalist, too. Means you have free access to a lot of events. Use your blog as a networking tool in the travel and tourism sector and the city you live! Maybe you will find your next employer through it.
Don’t get lost in your comfort zone. The world has so much to offer. Make the most of your life. You only have one. Live it to the fullest!
If you are interested you can follow me and my adventures on facebook and instagram.
Next on is India, Iceland, ITB Berlin, Germany and The Netherlands.
This post was written by former Master TDM student Matthias Derhake.
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