Learn About TripAdvisor Affiliate Program: Its Pros, Cons & More

The TripAdvisor affiliate program is a lucrative scheme. 

It’s something you can tap into.

What makes it highly profitable?

Honestly speaking, this affiliate program has huge market potential.

Read our guide to learn more about this affiliate scheme.

Program Overview

Does TripAdvisor Have an Affiliate Program?

Yes, it does have a lucrative affiliate program in the travel niche.

The affiliate program is managed by the Commission Junction and FlexOffers affiliate networks.

Commissions vary depending on the affiliate network you sign up with.

If you sign up on Commission Junction, you will earn a 50% commission with a cookie duration of 14 days.

But if you sign up on FlexOffers, you will earn up to 16% commission, and the cookie life only lasts for a day.

So I recommend that you sign up for the program on Commission Junction.

What Is the TripAdvisor Affiliate Program?

It is a performance-based marketing scheme that pays affiliates when a user sent from their site clicks out from Tripadvisor to any of its booking partners.

The TripAdvisor affiliate program is a hybrid model.

It is a combination of both pay-per-click (PPC) and pay-per-click-out (PPCO).

PPC: PPC does not require any bookings to earn a commission.

Affiliates earn a commission when a user clicks on their affiliate link and then clicks through to a booking partner’s website.

PPCO: PPCO does not require a user to book for the affiliate to earn a commission, either.

Instead, affiliates earn a commission when a user clicks on their affiliate link and then clicks out from Tripadvisor to any of its booking partners.

Are these the only benefits? No! Its conversion rate is over 30%.

So it is one of the highest-paying affiliate programs in the travel niche.

This scheme has an affiliate program through the CommissionJunction affiliate network, and its target is hotel bookings.

Affiliates get paid 50%, and the cookie duration is 14 days.

However, there is no commission on flights, restaurants, vacation rentals, or tourist attractions.

But if you promote tours, attractions, and activities, you will be paid a flat commission of 8%.

How Does the TripAdvisor affiliate program work?

It’s simple. 

Join the program through the Commission Junction affiliate network. 

Once approved, you will have access to different tools to promote the hotel bookings. 

Grab affiliate links are incorporated into your content. 

When readers click on your affiliate links, they are directed to the hotels, and you get paid for the lead.

ffiliates get paid according to leads generated, rather than complete sales.

So if a reader clicks on your affiliate link and is directed to the hotel’s page on Tripadvisor, you will get paid even if the reader does not book a room at the hotel.

So how much are we talking about here? Well, it’s a small amount. 

The amount varies. But it usually ranges between $0.20 and $0.50 per lead generated.

But if your referral decides to book a room at the hotel, you will earn up to 50% commission on the hotel booking.

Is the TripAdvisor affiliate program free to join

The answer is yes.  

It is free to join. When you join, you will not be charged anything, not even a dime. 

This scheme is open to anyone in the travel niche who promotes hotel bookings.

What Products Can You Promote?

TripAdvisor offers different products and services namely restaurants, flights, experiences, cruises, and car rentals. 

However, these services do not have any commission.

Currently, affiliates only get paid commissions on hotels and experiences. 

So despite offering different services, TripAdvisor will only pay you for promoting hotels and experiences.

In the context of TripAdvisor, experiences are tours, attractions, and activities that are booked through the official website or app. 

Products you can promote in exchange for commission:

• Hotels: Luxurious hotels located with stunning views and easy access to great attractions. 

Tripadvisor has over 860 million traveler reviews. 

So will promote something that is well known in the industry.

• Experiences – tours, attractions, and activities. 

They range from guided tours of cities, landmarks, or historical sites to day trips to nearby towns, village hiking, biking, and more.

How Much Do TripAdvisor Affiliates Make?

There are two different products you can promote that attract commission. 

The commission structures for these products differ.

So affiliates cannot earn the same amounts of money in commissions.

However, one thing that is clear is that you have the potential to make a lot of money if you drive more traffic to your affiliate links.

What are the commission rates?

This affiliate program offers different commission structures depending on the affiliate network signed up and the products they are promoting.

If a reader you referred to Tripadvisor clicks out to any of its booking partners, you will earn commissions ranging from $0.20 to $0.50.

No booking is required to earn commission here.

But if you refer a user who books a room at a hotel, you will earn up to 50% commission. 

Affiliates who promote tours, attractions, and activities earn an 8% commission.

You will find these rates on Commission Junction. 

With the FlexOffers affiliate network, Tripadvisor affiliates earn 16% commission.

Interesting, right? It is one of the best performance-based schemes in the travel and tourism niche seen so far.

How long does the cookie last?

The cookie life differs based on the affiliate network.

On Commission Junction, Tripadvisor affiliates enjoy a cookie life of 14 days, while on FFlexOffers, their cookie lasts only for 1 day.

How Do Affiliates Get Paid From TripAdvisor?

Affiliates can choose to get paid either through bank transfers or PayPal.

As an affiliate, you can choose your preferred payment method.

Bank transfers: Funds are processed within 3-5 working days.

Provide the bank name, account number, routing number, and SWIFT code.

Paypal: Funds are usually processed within 24 hours.

Simply provide a valid PayPal account.

The minimum payout threshold is normally $50. 

So you need to make $50 in commission to request a payout.

Marketing Materials and Promotional Tools

Deeplink: These links direct readers to a specific product on the website. 

So you can refer readers to a targeted hotel. 

With the Commission Junction affiliate network, you will have access to the deep link generator. 

The deep link generator enables affiliates to create deep links to a specific page on a website.

Tex links: Text links refer readers to a desired website. 

I personally recommend using text links because they are the most effective tools in affiliate marketing.

Ad Banners: These are graphical images that are used to promote affiliate products. 

They are beautifully designed, so they attract the attention of readers.

Buttons: These are clickable images used to direct readers to a particular website or page on a website. 

Who Should Join the TripAdvisor Affiliate Program?

Travel bloggers: People want real experiences. 

So if you are a travel blogger who writes about your own travel experiences and recommendations, join the program.

Travel websites: Travelers are eager to know about their destinations.

Travel website owners who provide information on destinations, accommodations, activities, and more can promote this scheme in exchange for a commission.

Hotel review websites: If you share your opinions on hotels with others, sign up for this scheme, promote their products, and get credit for it.

Tourism boards: The invitation is extended to tourism boards.

Tourism boards recommend their regions or countries to others as travel destinations.

So you can join, promote, and enjoy the benefits.

Travel agencies: Do you sell travel packages and tours?

If yes, then the company extends an olive branch to you.

Tour operators: Tour operators are in the business of organizing and conducting tours. 

Organizing and conducting tours is crucial in the travel business.

So if you are a tour operator, you can join this scheme.

Activity providers: Businesses or individuals that offer tours, excursions, and similar activities are not excluded.

They also qualify to join as an affiliate.

Is TripAdvisor Affiliate Program Worth It?

It is one of the highest-paying schemes in the travel and tourism niche.

However, like other affiliate programs, it has its own pros and cons.

Pros

High commission rate: When a referral books a room at a hotel, the affiliate gets paid up to 50% commission on the booking.

No minimum traffic requirements: Affiliates can join even if their blog or website does not receive a lot of traffic.

So it is a great option for those just starting out.

Deeplink generators: You can generate deep links to direct your readers to specific hotels that you are promoting.

Variety of promotional tools: Affiliates have access to different promotional materials.

The provided tools include banners, text links, deep links, buttons, and more.

Freedom to collaborate: The scheme allows affiliates to partner with others.

So if you want to increase your earnings, work with people who have an audience in the travel niche.

Variety of marketing platforms: This program is flexible.

Affiliates can promote their affiliate links on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

Cons 

High minimum payment threshold: The minimum payout threshold is $50.

So to get paid, you need to reach the threshold.

The amount is high for affiliates who are just starting out.

High competition: The travel niche is saturated.

There is too much competition. 

So it is difficult to stand out from the competition.

Conclusion: Is TripAdvisor Affiliate Program Worth It?

Yes, it is worth joining.

Why? 

The program offers a high commission rate of 50%, no minimum traffic requirements, and a conversion rate of over 30.

How To Join the Program

• Visit the TripAdvisor affiliate program page
• Check the FAQs to learn more about the program
• Click on the “Join our affiliate program” button
• Fill out the application
• Read and agree to the terms and conditions
• Submit your application
• Wait for review by the affiliate team

Requirements To Join the Affiliate Program

There are no specific requirements for joining the affiliate program. 

Traffic is not taken into account. 

When reviewing sites for applicants, they look at the look and feel of the website.

However, the content should be in the travel niche.

Does TripAdvisor Support Affiliates?

Tripadvisor does help affiliates.

When affiliates have questions about the program or face challenges, there is a team to answer or troubleshoot their problems.

Tips For Success As An Affiliate

Social media: Promote your products on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other platforms to spread your tentacles.

Create good content. If you want to be a successful affiliate, create helpful content that will attract customers to your affiliate links.

Engaging content will compel them to return.

Disclosure of your relationship with the company: You are required to disclose if you are benefiting from a product you are promoting.

It is a legal requirement, but it also builds trust among your readers.

Use SEO: Do your keyword research to find products that people are looking for.

Keyword research will also show how competitive the product is. So SEO will help you find products that are lucrative.

Alternatives To the TripAdvisor Affiliate Program

If you are looking for more affiliate programs in the niche, here are some similar ones:

Expedia affiliate program

The Expedia affiliate program offers commission rates ranging from 2% to 6% per booking.

This affiliate scheme has a high conversion rate, although it has a lower commission.

The cookie duration given is 7 days.

Booking.com affiliate program

I discovered that the Booking.com affiliate program pays affiliates up to 4% commission per booking.

It offers a session-based cookie.

Agoda affiliate program

The Agoda affiliate program offers a higher commission rate. 

It pays up to 7% commission per booking.

The cookie’s lifespan is 30 days.

Hotels.com affiliate program

The Hotels.com affiliate program is another interesting scheme.

It offers a commission rate of 4% per booking.

The cookie lasts for 7 days.

Kayak affiliate program

The Kayak affiliate program offers a generous commission rate.

Its commission is 50% per booking, which is really high.

The cookie duration is 30 days.

Viator affiliate program

The Viator affiliate program offers an 8% commission per booking.

I like its cookie duration; it’s really long.

Its cookie duration is 30 days.

Final Thoughts

TripAdvisor is a big player in the travel niche.

It is a lucrative affiliate program; its commission rate is high.

The commission offered per sale is 50%.

Its conversion rate is high.

Talking about the cookie duration, it lasts for 14 days.