Whether you’re committed to travel vlogging as a full-time career move or simply as a cool side-gig, there are definitely going to be times that your travel is limited. It might be an unforeseen circumstance like a global crisis with a travel ban. Maybe your last adventure was so wild that you broke both of your legs. Regardless, with a little creativity, you can continue creating relevant videos for your channel to keep your audience engaged even if you’re stuck at home.

It’s entirely possible to create content that is timely and relevant to the situation keeping you grounded. You can create evergreen content that will still be important for new viewers in the future. It’s also a great time to hone your creative skills, practice editing techniques to broaden the scope of your content and think outside the box. We’ve found a few travel vloggers who are embracing their current downtime and added our own inspirations, too.

You’ve been around the block. Give us the scoop.

One of the most obvious ways to use your downtime is to create a “Best Of” video. Consider your top 5 or 10 favorite destinations. If you kept videos or photographs of those trips, add clips and create a dialogue about why it was so adventurous, moving or interesting to be there in person. There are a lot of ways to vary a top-faves video. Consider your favorite destinations from before your channel began, the best off-the-beaten-path locales or cool things you’ve done in major cities.

One of the most obvious ways to use your downtime is to create a “Best Of” video.

A less common (but possibly more fun) idea is a “Worst Of” collection. We can all relate to an occasional horrible vacation. Maybe you were unprepared, tried to travel cheaply and it didn’t work out or the destination was grossly misrepresented. Perhaps another tourist wrecked your whole trip. Whatever the reason, chances are high that you’ve learned a few lessons and your viewers can learn from it, too.

There are other ways to impart wisdom from your own experiences. Some people watch travel channels because they want to travel. Others watch because they want to make their own travel channel someday. You might have advice and expertise on luggage, backpacks or video gear to improve your travels or channel. Now is a great time to help people learn about what’s useful and what’s not. For example, Lost Leblanc’s channel has videos about shooting on iPhones and using POV to add dynamics to your travel content. You can also share your editing knowledge with tips for adding stock footage and virtual tours or incorporating graphics.

The future is wide open for predictions and recommendations.

Particularly during a global crisis, such as the Coronavirus pandemic, international traveling might not be possible for several months or longer. Pull inspiration for your travel-related videos from the very thing preventing you from getting out into the world. For example, many people have travel vouchers from canceled 2020 plans. Where do you recommend they go first? What do you think travel will look like once the travel bans are lifted? How do you think itineraries or destinations will be impacted? Which locations might be most or least traveled? To see how other channels are covering these subjects, check out some of the recent posts from Mojo Travels.

Bucket Lists also make great content. They can double as a tool for planning future trips and videos. It’s a good idea to create both short-term and long-term bucket lists like “Places to visit in 2021” as well as lifetime must-see destinations. Your lists could even be about the top places to visit within certain countries or continents. Later, when you actually get to the places on your lists, you can refer back to the original video and discuss how it compares to your hopes.

The Points Guy – When can we travel again?

When you can get out but you can’t go far, use what you have access to. Wherever you live, there are places to explore within driving distance. You can share local tourist attractions or show your viewers around the places that locals love. Online searches can help you discover random curiosities (World’s Largest Frying Pan, anyone?) and the best areas to take in nature and skylines.

Be inspired by other travel channels.

Some creators have definitely figured out their niches for posting new videos consistently during travel-banned times. Others are making Top 10 lists of other travel channels THEY subscribe to. A few are even using this opportunity to experiment with cooking foods from areas they wish they were visiting. Here are a few more to check out and a recent post to be inspired by:

Creators create. That’s what we do. We encourage you to be deliberate and consistent about creating meaningful travel content even when you can’t travel. Find ways to make your channel helpful, informative and entertaining. Give your audience something to dream about. Then, when obstacles are behind you, you’ll be able to hit the ground running (or flying, or sailing) to the next destination.