Starting a travel YouTube channel is a leap of faith. It’s a decision that lives somewhere between a dream and a deliberate plan. Jen from Int Affair knows this firsthand. She and her co-host, Raphael, left stable jobs, bought cameras, and taught themselves everything to build a channel that now connects with over 60,000 people. Their journey wasn’t polished from the start. Their early videos were, as she admits, “a little rough.” But that’s where it begins.
Here’s what she learned about building a channel that resonates and grows.
Build on Authenticity, Not Just Aesthetics
Many travel channels are showcases of cinematic drone shots and perfect itineraries. While Jen and Raphael value beautiful visuals, they built their channel on a different principle: no-BS travel. Their core mission is to serve the viewer. They put themselves in the shoes of someone planning their first trip to Thailand or Bali and ask, “What do they actually need to know?” The content covering practical details like costs, cultural norms, food, and transportation always comes first. The lesson is clear: let your authenticity be your guide, not just your aesthetics.
Find Your Gap
Before you press record, do your homework. Look at other travel channels. You’ll find many covering similar destinations in similar ways. Your goal is to find the gap, the space where your unique perspective fits. What can you explain in more detail? What angle is being overlooked? Your niche might be breaking down budgets with extreme clarity, focusing on solo female travel, or exploring off-the-beaten-path destinations. To stand out, you must offer something distinctly you.
Embrace the Grind
The initial learning curve is steep. Cameras, editing software, thumbnails, titles, on-camera presence, it can feel overwhelming. The key is to be relentless. Jen and Raphael are entirely self-taught. They didn’t wait for expertise; they started, learned, and improved with each upload. Your first videos will not be your best, and that’s not just okay, it’s essential. Discipline is the engine of growth. If you want it badly enough, you’ll stick with it, and your skills will sharpen over time.
Make It About the Viewer, Not Yourself
This may be the most critical shift in mindset. As Jen notes, citing Gary Vaynerchuk, a huge majority of content is “selfish”: it’s about the creator’s experience. To build a loyal audience, you must become viewer-centric. Treat every video as a guide for someone who might be completely new to travel. Assume no question is too basic. This approach transforms your content from a personal travelogue into an indispensable resource. When you focus on serving your audience, growth follows.
Navigate the Reality of Budget
Travel is a luxury, and funding a travel channel is a common hurdle. The romantic ideal of constant travel can seem financially out of reach. Jen’s advice is grounded in reality: it requires sacrifice. This might mean saying no to nights out to save for a flight, choosing hostels over resorts, or creatively stretching every dollar. The channel itself starts as a passion project, not an immediate income stream. The initial investment is in the experience and the content. Monetization comes later, but first comes the choice to prioritize the journey.
The Core of It All
Underpinning all these points is a singular piece of advice Jen lives by, whether in running marathons or building a channel: have tunnel vision. The external noise (doubt, comparison, fear of imperfection) will always be there. The only person who needs to believe in your journey, especially at the start, is you. You will stumble. Your early work will feel unrefined. Keep moving forward anyway.
Starting from zero isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about having the courage to ask the questions, hit record, and commit to the long, rewarding process of figuring it out along the way. Your unique journey is the story only you can tell.