Do you have itchy feet? Longing to get away from the daily 9-5 grind? Well, you might not need to leave your job behind to see more of the world. There are plenty of roles out there that not only involve travel but demand it. Some careers can take you to incredible places, and your skills or hobbies may allow you to combine work with pleasure. We take a look at some top travel jobs for globetrotters.

Arguably the glamorous pin-up of travel jobs, being a pilot guarantees you see a huge part of the world and get plenty of kudos while you're at it. If flying is your passion then there's no other job like it. Pilots can be well remunerated along with being well-travelled, but the amount of training is intense (and hugely costly) as is the on-the-job pressure and responsibility.

Find out what it takes to be a pilot

Love snowsports? You could live the dream and earn money as you teach people to ski or snowboard by day at a ski school (sneaking in some slope time when you can) and enjoy the après-ski by night. You'll need qualifications, which can be expensive, and hands-on ski instruction experience. The hours can be long and work repetitive, but you're out on the mountains doing what you love. It's mostly seasonal work but some people make a career out of it.

Are you chatty, enthusiastic and full of energy? Super-organised, good at remembering things and calm in a crisis? Then being a tour guide could be the job for you. If you're passionate about travel and love people, it's a fantastic way to make a career out of exploring the world. The job entails a lot of responsibility and you'll need to put your best game face on even when dealing with the most awkward customers, but do your job well and you could forge a rewarding career out of travel.

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Successful travel snappers seek out some of the world's most amazing sights and incredible people to photograph as part of their day job. This super glamorous but highly-competitive career choice demands long days and a lot of time on the road in order to capture that perfect shot for book and magazine publishers, websites, online stock libraries or brand campaigns. But if you're talented with a distinctive style, passionate and determined, you too could be living the dream.

No matter how well-travelled you are, you could get serious wanderlust planning other people's holidays, but luckily most good travel agencies require their advisers to do their homework. And that means visiting the destinations and properties they're selling on "fam" (familiarisation) trips. First-hand experience is key in establishing trust with a client, after all, especially if you're creating a bespoke trip-of-a-lifetime for a discerning client.

Planning overseas events or jaunts for the super-rich is all part of the service for luxury concierge companies. Whether it's booking private jets, staffing a super yacht, gaining the exclusive use of a hotel or booking a top chef to cook in their Mediterranean villa, a bulging contact book of global fixers is the hallmark of a successful concierge and that involves plenty of face-to-face time.

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Work in hospitality and have your sea legs? Then how about casting away on a cruise ship? These amazing floating resorts require masses of manpower with one ship often employing a crew of thousands. Whether you're front of house in guest services or behind the scenes in IT, you'll make some incredible ports of call and have free time on-shore. Don't fancy it as a career? If you're an expert on a particular topic you could dip your toe in by delivering lectures to passengers in return for a ticket to ride.

A jet-set lifestyle is par for the course for flight attendants who can travel to hundreds of different places during their career. The hours can be long and erratic, and the work isn't always easy but close friendships are forged with fellow crew and overseas adventures are had aplenty with layovers in some lovely locations. Plus, you may well get the added perk of discounted flights for you and your close friends and family.

Teaching English abroad is a fantastic way to see the world and there are plenty of opportunities for native English speakers looking to teach overseas. You'll need a qualification – a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) or a Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) – but once you have that under your belt you can earn money as you get to live, work and play in a range of different countries and meet many new and interesting local people.

Got a scuba diving instructor qualification? Why not take the plunge and go professional? From leading wreck diving expeditions in the Caribbean to exploring Indonesia's unspoiled reefs, you'll get paid to dive in astonishing places and forge fantastic friendships while you're at it. The hours can be long, responsibility huge and work repetitive, but if you love diving this a fantastic way to live in beautiful places while getting to see the wonders of the (underwater) world.

Check out the world's most spectacular shipwrecks

Flying first-class, reviewing luxurious hotels and filing copy as you dangle your toes in an infinity pool with a cocktail in hand… Not quite, but there's no doubt that being a freelance travel writer for a newspaper, website or magazine is an exciting and coveted job that opens up the world and is as far removed from the desk-bound 9-5 as could be. But it's not all freebies and glamour, plus it's hugely competitive and far from lucrative.

See the world while trying to make a positive difference to it by working for an international aid organisation. A whole range of professional skills are in demand for both short and long-term postings, particularly health professionals, teachers and engineers. The British Red Cross, for example, sends humanitarian workers on missions to provide medical and financial care in global conflict and crisis zones.

Similar to a travel writer, this sounds like a dream gig for maintaining a globetrotting lifestyle and it can be. But it can also be lonely, exhausting and daunting. It's all about getting detailed and practical information so they can accurately recommend where to stay, eat, how to get there and things to see and do. Travel writers cover a huge amount of ground often within tight deadlines, so while there might not be much downtime by the pool, they certainly clock up the mileage and adventures. 

Love surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, paragliding, kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding at the weekend? Whatever high-adrenaline activity you love to do there's bound to be a way to make some money out of your hobby while you hop around the world's best beaches. You'll need to complete some globally recognised watersports instructor training but once you have that, the world's oceans are your oyster.

These are the world's most beautiful beaches from above

Are you fearless in the face of danger? Have an encyclopedic knowledge and utter passion for the natural world? Then working as a safari guide could be the job for you. Spending days in the wilderness, tracking animals and escorting excited guests around the African bush has plenty of appeal, but it's also very hard to get into. However, train to be a field guide and put in the hours to get the necessary hands-on experience and you may be successful at getting a sought-after post.

Another way to earn money doing what you love doing is by starting a travel blog – documenting your weird and wonderful overseas adventures through blogs, photographs, video and social media content as you roam. With a huge amount of people now at it, you'll need a compelling USP and strong business strategy in order to make it both engaging and commercially viable. But get it right and you could spend your life writing missives from the road. 

Find out what it's really like to be a travel blogger

Want to dedicate your career to conserving and protecting wildlife? There are plenty of opportunities to work internationally for successful conservationists who get to venture into amazing habitats around the globe in search of incredible creatures and plants. Joining a volunteer conservation expedition, like with International Primate Rescue in South Africa, is a great way to gain hands-on experience and to see if this could be the new career for you.

Bag a job on-board a luxury train such as the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, Belmond Royal Scotsman or Rocky Mountaineer and you will get to whizz through some spectacular locations around the world while you work. Whether you're the train driver, steward or housekeeper, you will be on duty for long hours, but there are certainly worse views to be had from an office window. 

This is what it's like to work at the end of the world

Know your pinot from your plonk? Take it one step further and qualify as a sommelier and you could find yourself swanning off to wine growing regions around the world in search of delicious drops to put on your wine list, all in the line of work. And the skills of a high-calibre sommelier are highly sought after by luxury hotels and fine dining restaurants across the globe.

Are you fluent in more than one language? Then perhaps you can put your linguistic gift to good use and forge a career in it. It takes more than just knowing a language though; it's important to understand the country's culture so you're abreast of cultural nuances and familiar with accents. Interpreters and translators are employed by a range of travel companies, international and aid organisations around the globe to provide interpretation skills and translate documents.

Great with children and proficient in a second language? Becoming an au pair or nanny for an overseas family can be a fantastic way to live and work in another country. By living with locals you'll really get immersed in the culture while improving your language. Or join a local family that does a lot of overseas travel and you will be taken along for the ride. You might not get much time to enjoy the sights alone, but you'll get bed, board and be paid to see some of the world. 

Take the brood to one of these family-friendly destinations

Whether you're voyaging around the Caribbean as a chef on board a super yacht or skippering a bunch of backpackers on a budget Dalmatian flotilla, there is a range of roles for qualified yacht crew. The hours are long and demanding but you get a roof over your head, food and some free time to explore the wonderful places where you moor up.

From hairdressers in hotels and masseurs on cruise ships to reiki practitioners in super-luxury spas, highly-skilled hair and beauty therapists are in high demand around the world. Why stick to your local salon or beauty parlour when you could be pampering clients within a tropical spa garden in Bali or snipping hair in one of Sydney's swankiest salons?

Get a foot on the ladder in a management scheme with an international hotel chain and you could be working at a top London hotel one year then find yourself managing a team in a far-flung island in the Seychelles the next. The opportunities for long-term overseas travel postings and meeting people from all over the world while you're at it are endless with the right company.

There are a number of public relations agencies that specialise in the travel industry with clients including tourist boards, hotels, tour operators, airlines and cruises. Really understanding the client's business is absolutely key to this communications role so regional and international travel is very much par for the course. And hosting press trips for travel journalists is also part of a travel PR's job description.

Do you know your ristretto from your macchiato or are you a marvel at mixology? Then you're pretty much guaranteed gainful employment on your overseas travels with experienced baristas and bar staff in demand in holiday destinations, providing you have the right visa of course.

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Whether it's a winter season for a ski resort, a stint at a campsite in Europe or looking after family guests at an all-inclusive Caribbean resort, being a rep is generally seasonal but a fantastic way to spend a few months working overseas. You'll need to be good at dealing with all manner of requests, and doubtless complaints, while keeping your cool and having a can-do attitude.

Can you do your job remotely? Then who's to say you couldn't abandon the 9-5 rat race and roam the world with your laptop at your side? All you need are the right skills and fast Wi-Fi. Your typical "digital nomad" tends to be freelance writers, web designers and digital and social marketeers, but that's by no means definitive. Swinging in a hammock by a white sand beach must be conducive to strategic thinking, right? Just leave the Zoom call with your client until you're out of your swimmers.

You might not get paid for it, but a stint overseas as a volunteer can be a brilliant cultural experience and give you solid work experience, whether you're a WWOOFer (Worldwide Work Opportunities on Organic Farms) in Brazil or helping out on a wildlife conservation project in India. Join a volunteer expedition or if you're looking for a career break the VSO recruits professionals looking to use their skills to help communities. It pays a basic living allowance and covers accommodation and travel.

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Similar to blogging, being a travel influencer can be a beneficial way to share your experiences with an ever-expanding audience. You might want to vlog on YouTube, share travel tips on TikTok or post stunning photographs on Instagram – or a mix of all three – all while globe-trotting. It’s worth focusing on a particular topic in this well-saturated industry and stay engaged with your audience to produce the best content.

Have a love for history and are curious to see what remains hidden from past worlds? Field-based archaeology could be the role for you. You’ll need a history-/archaeology-focused degree and site experience but institutes, universities and other organisations could send you out to excavate Roman ruins in Italy, Incan structures in Mexico or sacred burial pits in Norway. Excavations can take weeks or months but you’ll gain a deeper understanding behind the culture of wherever you are in the world.

Whether you already work in events or if you’re the one in your group of friends who’s in charge of the holiday itinerary, becoming a wedding planner could see you travel around the globe. OK, it’s pretty demanding and you’ll work around the clock but it gives you a chance to visit some of the most romantic destinations in the world, whether it’s an intimate get-together in Italy or a blow-the-budget extravaganza in Sri Lanka. Once the big day is over give yourself a little extra time for a lot of rest and relaxation.

If you work in Human Resources for an international company and fancy a change of environment, many larger companies with overseas branches offer relocation schemes. You may know your role well but it’s vital you can adapt to different cultures and ways of communicating. In doing so you’ll develop global knowledge as well as your career – surely a win-win scenario.

Ideal for budget-hungry backpackers and longer-term travellers, working at a hostel is a fun way to earn your keep and meet like-minded people as you go. You’ll work a set number of hours (usually 20-30 hours a week) in a range of roles – housekeeping, reception work, gardening – in exchange for accommodation. Some hostel work includes free meals too; companies like Worldpackers can help you look for your ideal role. Make sure you check visa requirements before you apply.

Now find out how to avoid these common travel money mistakes