[philv]

a while back i asked the board for ideas on how to make money and to travel...

some people came up with travel/cruise critic....

now I am thinking I might wish to take this up...

however, I have tried to google this and not much help.

Basically, I got my life savings, access to a great camera, a great domain name etc...

my thing is, how do I contact resorts, cruises etc so I do not have to pay out of my own pocket and still get paid to do so...?

any help from start to finish would be great, just need some ideas

[akula]

Originally Posted by philv

a while back i asked the board for ideas on how to make money and to travel...

some people came up with travel/cruise critic....

now I am thinking I might wish to take this up...

however, I have tried to google this and not much help.

Basically, I got my life savings, access to a great camera, a great domain name etc...

my thing is, how do I contact resorts, cruises etc so I do not have to pay out of my own pocket and still get paid to do so...?

any help from start to finish would be great, just need some ideas

can you get a job with a travel/cruise critic?
list here the top 10 critics in your country

[philv]

akula, thanks for the response.

however, I do not want to work for another firm/company

I want to start my own...

basically all the sites I have seen are pretty much the same content etc...

I need a niche, a unique POV...

I mean could I start traveling myself and showcasing whats important to me and build a site that way and hope to get advertisers/sponsors in the future? Or should I contact places first?

but here are some sites i have found that you requested

tripadvisor.com
cruisecritic.com
Luxury travel and business travel features - Forbes.com
travel.yahoo.com
Fodor's Travel Guides - Plan Your Trip Online
Travel Guide Information | World Travel Guide
Frommer's Travel Guides: The Best Trips Start Here!
cnn.com/travel

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Originally Posted by philv

akula, thanks for the response.

however, I do not want to work for another firm/company

I want to start my own...

basically all the sites I have seen are pretty much the same content etc...

I need a niche, a unique POV...

I mean could I start traveling myself and showcasing whats important to me and build a site that way and hope to get advertisers/sponsors in the future? Or should I contact places first?

but here are some sites i have found that you requested

tripadvisor.com
cruisecritic.com
Luxury travel and business travel features - Forbes.com
travel.yahoo.com
Fodor's Travel Guides - Plan Your Trip Online
Travel Guide Information | World Travel Guide
Frommer's Travel Guides: The Best Trips Start Here!
cnn.com/travel

So basically, you want to go play in the Majors because you heard pros make good money and live a nice life, but you refuse to first learn about the game, hire a coach, practice, etc? That's great that you want to go travel for free. However, before you can get a job like that, you need one thing - CREDIBILITY. You have none. Go get some, whether through working for another critic, establishing a successful publication, etc.

[consumertreehouse]

I personally think the best thing you could do is get a job with a company that does this. Work for a couple years, learn everything you can, then branch off on your own. This not only will make you more aware of how this process works, but you will also make great contacts that you can use once you decide to go out on your own.

The first thing a cruise line is going to ask you when you contact them is for your resume. If you have no experience chances are you won't find anyone to hire you.

Blog on the side about your job and turn this blog, once you leave, into your own personal business site.

Good Luck

[akula]

Originally Posted by philv

however, I do not want to work for another firm/company
I want to start my own...

that's just silly. there is not one rational perspective that would justify you launching and incorporating your own travel guide business Not one.

if you wanna be the director of your own company, you have a duty to hire a ceo who can act in the best interests of the company. at this stage, you have no experience in travel journalism, or the publishing industry. therefore, in your role as a director, you will need to disqualify your self from being a ceo candidate for your company.

be smart don't be a retard. you don't wanna be the guy who quits his job, kills his savings, takes out a loan and sets up his own chop shop only to find that he hates his job 6 months down the track. make the smart investment; enter your market by taking on a 6-12 month gig with one of the better companies on your excellent list: you'll save extra capital, receive free training and get the credibility to be able to close your prospects when and if you choose to do your own thing.