Love traveling, but may be retiring from “touring”

[JB_Studio38]

**This isn’t a question or advice. Just discussing the oft sought after strategy of traveling **

I’ve been experience with touring for a while now. Over a decade to be precise. The “escort definition” of touring is: Spending a week or 2 or even WEEKS/MONTHS going between a predetermined hub of cities, staying anywhere from 2-5 days at a time, before going onto the next destination, and covering ground to hit several areas. 

I know many up and coming escorts out there often highly interested in the traveling lifestyle. And I do feel it’s become ingrained in the American escort culture to advertise in and travel to different cities. Yes it can be lucrative and help to get exposure that may be hard to do staying in the same city. However, there’s a side to it that can become monotonous. 

For one, the main thing is the costs involved. Having a hotel is almost a must because many clients may not be able to host. Even if they can, I still need a place to sleep. I have used every discount hack available for booking hotels, including 3rd party and loyalty to a few brands. It doesn’t matter because at the end of the day, it’s still money being spent. 
 

The only way to really “beat” the hotel game is to have a friend or relative to bunk with and either do outcalls or book a room on select days. However, therein lies another potential issue: Trying to maintain reliable connections out of state where you may not know people or only see them sparingly: has also provided to be a challenge. I have done trips to some cities, even my current trip: thinking that I could rely on a friend or 2 to stay with. Only to get there, and they either aren’t available to host after all or they only want to offer a limited time that’s not sufficient for what is needed. And of course, non of them are ever okay with having clients over. Then I’m back to the hotel money pit, spending more than anticipated.

The other thing is, it seems like almost every trip: there’s some news that gets released. And we may think it doesn’t affect, but it does. Even if for a couple or few days. This past couple years, I’ve had to endure everything from stock market crashes to new wars starting. 
 
Above all, the client bookings just aren’t coming in like they used to. I don’t necessarily want to see clients everyday, and definitely not multiple times a day: but I can’t go 3-4 days without a client and not start losing money. 
 

Except there’s one issue: I can’t stop traveling all together because my “base” market (which really isn’t even that, just a purgatory in between waiting to travel lol) has already become over saturated with advertisers. Plus it’s conservative and the men in the area either don’t want to pay, or they only want to pay $150. Which is not sustainable. 
 

What I have considered: relocating all together and keeping trips to within a day away. Or I can continue to tour further away, but only go places where I have friends at. However, even that’s dwindling. It’s been so many times I’ve made arrangements to stay at friend’s place for a couple/few days, and it turns into drama. I’m just tired of having to rely on half ass people, but some cities the hotel prices are so high: there’s no other way to go unless that option is available.

I’m considering using rent a room by the week options going forward. But those could have the added drawback of not being able to host I would imagine. And if I’m losing money by not hosting, whatever I saved is essentially lost. 

So idk, it’s hard to say exactly how I’ll do it. I know there’s a couple clients here on the board who are wanting me to visit their cities, but it’s these type of challenges that have hindered my desire to want to make the journey.

Unfortunately when visiting a town for a short period, sometimes the only fast and safe way to meet other gays are the hookup apps: besides going to a nightclub (which is more money and no guarantee of finding someone supportive of the biz). But the hookup apps are always people looking for just that. They aren’t reliable for anything else usually.

Edited 3 hours ago by JB_Studio38

[JB_Studio38]

And to add another thing I’ve forgot to mention: although this doesn’t happen as often since I tend to book with advance notice only these days:  Some guys who reach out to book when coming to their city, will do so but have an unreasonably narrow window of time to meet.
 

Spending time to commute takes up time to get ready. And traffic is a big delay ever since the rebound from Covid. I ended up an hour and half late to an appointment few weeks ago due to traffic backed up for miles on my way. My regular was mad at me, but he is also chronically busy/short on time and only allotted a small window to see me, despite us planning days in advance, and knowing I was traveling from 150 miles away. Which I found kinda inconsiderate.

If I’m extending my time to travel out of the way to their city and make it convenient, at least be willing to be patient. He tried to short me $100 because he could only stay for 40 minutes, I was like no sir. I have all evening and the next day to be available. I shouldn’t be penalized because you’re limited on time, especially when I was already 700 miles from my home base.

Also some have mentioned traveling with another companion to split expenses. However though it sounds like a idea: I can’t see that happening for me unless I were commuting different vehicles and maybe even booking separate rooms. Which in that case, would completely defeat the purpose. I tried that with a friend a couple months ago: he booked a hotel room and then I had to leave for 2-3 hours while he did his thing. I almost thought he got murdered in the room because he wasn’t answering his phone either.

I’ve tried it other times, and it rarely works for me unless it’s non escort friends and even then: it usually becomes outcalls only while me and friends share hotel/air bnb. Which can mean 50% less opportunity. But some people can do that. I’ve just not found it to work for me though.

Edited 3 hours ago by JB_Studio38