Blogs. They once ruled the internet. Everyone and their mothers seemed to have one, but today, they feel like a dinosaur fossil from the old internet. You might stumble upon one every now and then, seeing the date tags of the last post being June 8th, 2007, hits you with serious nostalgia.
If you thought blogs were dead, you’d be happy to know that this is far from true. Sure, a lot of it has gotten commercialized, but the travel niche is still a strong holdout for genuine content. This is because travel is right now in great shape.
According to Statista, global tourism has finally returned to pre-pandemic levels. They highlight data from the UNWTO, which shows that in Q1 of this year, there were over 300 million international tourists. That’s 3% more than 2019. Asia, in particular, saw a strong rebound and reached 92% of its pre-pandemic tourist numbers.
The world is back to normal, so let’s find out why this is the best time to start an Asia travel blog.
Reason No 1. Asia is Becoming a Travel Hotspot
In the past, Western tourists were often Euro-focused. People’s ideal destinations tended to be France or Italy, and maybe skiing down the Swiss Alps. While they are still popular destinations, a two-week vacation in Europe is often out of reach for a middle-class family of four.
Business Insider notes that the weakening dollar means that vacations to destinations like Europe and Japan will cost more this year. A hotel for five nights in London will cost you $1,869. Restaurant dinners with a bottle of wine can be as much as $150, and tickets to shows like Mamma Mia are above $300. That’s quite expensive for most people.
As Asian countries like Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia started to grow and develop, some money-conscious tourists decided to give them a chance. Turns out, you can still have a great time for a fraction of the price of a vacation in Europe.
Today, Asia and travel have almost become synonyms. If you can start a blog that guides people through the experience, it has a decent chance of success. You could write homestay reviews in rural parts of Indonesia or talk about handling expat life for those who love that sort of life. Even if there’s competition, there are a ton of sub-niches like these that you can explore.
Reason No 2. It’s Technically Very Simple to Start a Blog Now
Go ahead and search for a few travel blogs right now. Next, go to the About section and take a look at the writer. You’ll be surprised to see that so many blog owners aren’t tech people. Some of them are even seniors in their sixties, enjoying retirement. You don’t need to be technically skilled to start a website for your blog today.
Simply put, if you’re reading this article, that means you’re capable of starting one. Gone are the days of needing to hire a web developer to help you. As Hocoos explains, there are AI website-building services that give you a fully functional site within minutes. You simply answer a few questions about what you’re looking for, and you’re good to go.
So, if you were trying to use technical complexity as an excuse to back out, that won’t work. All you’d have to contribute from your side would be the ideas and messages you want to share with the world.
Reason No 3. Asia is Still Changing
This is probably the biggest reason to create a travel blog. Many of the typical tourist destinations around the world have started to stagnate. The must-see items aren’t that special anymore. European streets no longer hold as much charm when you’re trying your best not to get pickpocketed and scammed. This is a major problem, if you weren’t aware.
USA Today highlights data from Quotezone, which shows that Italy ranks number one when it comes to the number of pickpocketing incidents. France, Spain, Germany, and, surprisingly, the Netherlands follow immediately after.
By contrast, Asian destinations are still changing and evolving. There are still countless unexplored gems that people have yet to experience. When it comes to risk, the dangers are often the result of your own actions and choices. Meaning that places like Thailand (besides the recent conflict) are generally very safe.
People want to hear about these places and visit them, and you can help them if you have the knowledge to share. All things considered, these are just a few of the reasons why an Asia travel blog is a great idea. It’s surprisingly easy to do and can also be a nice source of income once you find your audience and reach decent readership numbers.
