GuideGecko is an online publishing platform that provides visibility and a marketing engine for travel writers who want to author and publish their own guide books. Each year, GuideGecko holds a writing contest, and the first prize winner is invited to attend the Frankfurt International Book Fair. His or her guide book is also published. Second and third place winners also have their books published.
This year’s winners include a MatadorU graduate, Doriana Briguglio, and a current MatadorU student, Huiting Lim. Doriana’s guide, The Sicilian Experience, was ranked #1 by both popular vote and by the jury. Huiting’s guide, The Budget Chic Travel Guide, was ranked #2 by popular vote.
Both Doriana and Huiting leveraged the writing and social media skills they learned in the MatadorU travel writing course to write and promote their guides. In a message to the Matador team, Doriana said, “Thank you very much beacuse it’s thanks to all of you I decided to start writing again and follow my dream.”