Archive for the ‘Press Releases’ Category

Press Release: GuideGecko Announces Winners of International Writing Contest

Monday, September 28th, 2009

Winning titles will be showcased at the world’s largest book fair in Frankfurt, Germany

Singapore, September 28, 2009 – GuideGecko.com, the innovative publishing platform and bookstore for travel, lifestyle and entertainment guides is pleased to announce the winners of the first GuideGecko International Writing Contest. Budding authors from all over the world have submitted 67 independent travel, lifestyle or entertainment guides within the 5 week contest.

The 1st Prize is awarded to Mr. Karl I. Muller of Rancho Palos Verdes near Los Angeles, California, for his guide titled “Budget Travel in Japan”, garnering a total of 295 votes. Mr. Muller, now living in Seoul, Korea, is awarded a personal trip to the Frankfurt Book Fair in October 2009 to promote his title.

The 2nd prize goes to Mr. Oliver Hickfang from Bochum, Germany for “PocketTravel Chengdu”, his personal contribution to promote Chengdu to travelers worldwide in an effort to help overcome the tragedies of the recent disastrous earthquake. “PocketTravel Chengdu” received 198 votes. Ms. Anisah Ahmad from Singapore wins 3rd prize for “Hong Kong: A Diamond in the Rough”, garnering 128 votes. GuideGecko will feature the top three titles at the Frankfurt Book Fair. The 4th and 5th prizes go to Naleeza for “Malta” and Ms. Lorraine Koh for “Stargazing in Seoul”, respectively, who win Lonely Planet travel guides of their choice. Winners have been selected by online voting on www.GuideGecko.com.

“I am extremely excited and happy to have won this contest, competing with entries from all over the world.  I look forward to attending the book fair, giving me international exposure in the process.  This is a wonderful opportunity to advance my writing career,” says Karl I. Muller, the 1st Prize winner and author of “Budget Travel in Japan”.

Mr. Muller will be promoting his winning title at the Frankfurt Book Fair from 14 to 18 October 2009. Frankfurt is the largest and most important book fair in the world, attracting over 10,000 journalists and 299,000 visitors. The winning guides will be showcased on GuideGecko’s booth B100 in Hall 3.0, starting point of the official book fair press tour. All winning and participating guides are available at www.guidegecko.com. Detailed contest results can be found at www.guidegecko.com/writing-contest-submissions.

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About GuideGecko

GuideGecko is an innovative publishing platform and travel bookstore for travel, lifestyle and entertainment guides. GuideGecko currently offers more than 2200 guides on 169 countries and 270 cities and regions around the world. All well-known series are available, including Lonely Planet, Rough Guides and Insight Guides, along with a large variety of less conventional titles such as Hedonist’s Guides and Trailblazer, amongst many others.

GuideGecko invites casual writers, bloggers and established authors to publish and sell their own guides on www.GuideGecko.com. GuideGecko makes such guides available as PDF downloads and as printed books/booklets. Publishing is free and authors earn 50-75% on every copy sold. Become a writer and get published on GuideGecko!

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Press Release: GuideGecko International Writing Contest Launches

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

Winner receives Trip to Frankfurt Book Fair and Jump-Start into Travel Writing Career

Singapore, August 19, 2009 – GuideGecko, the innovative publishing platform and travel bookstore for travel, lifestyle and entertainment guides today launches its first international writing contest in conjunction with the world’s largest book fair in Frankfurt, Germany. From now to September 24, authors from all over the world can submit their own travel, lifestyle or entertainment guides, and the winning titles will be showcased on the fair. The top prize is a personal trip to the fair in October 2009.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for any writer to meet renowned publishers, pitch story ideas, and expose their titles to over 300,000 visitors and 10,000 journalists. Hall 3, where the winning titles will be displayed, is probably the most lively hall on the whole fair – bringing great exposure to the author and the books that are on display. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for authors to gain recognition and exposure in the publishing industry”, says Daniel Quadt, Founder and Managing Director of GuideGecko.

The contest is open to everybody, from casual writers to bloggers and established authors. Topics can span from anything and everything under the sun, as long as they are travel, lifestyle or entertainment related. With no page limit, the authors have the freedom and flexibility to write their own guides the way they want. Submissions can be new titles as well as existing titles previously published on GuideGecko or elsewhere.

Upon submission, the guides will be published instantly and listed on GuideGecko’s front page where they receive maximum visibility. Customers and viewers can choose to vote for and even order these guides immediately. Participation in the contest is free and the authors will receive full royalties and retain the copyrights of their guides published on www.guidegecko.com.

The winners of the ‘GuideGecko Writing Contest’ will be decided through online voting which starts immediately. The first prize is a personal trip to the Frankfurt Book Fair for the winning author. In addition, the top 3 titles will be showcased on the fair. Other prizes include a selection of Lonely Planet travel guides and subscriptions to travel magazines.

Closing date is 24 September 2009 and prize winners will be announced on 25 September 2009. For more information and to enter the contest, please visit www.guidegecko.com/writing-contest.

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About GuideGecko

GuideGecko is the innovative publishing platform and travel bookstore for travel, lifestyle and entertainment guides. GuideGecko currently offers more than 2200 guides on 169 countries and 270 cities and regions around the world. All well-known series are available, including Lonely Planet, Rough Guides and Insight Guides, along with a large variety of less conventional titles such as Hedonist’s Guides and Trailblazer, amongst many others.

GuideGecko invites casual writers, bloggers and established authors to publish and sell their own guides on www.GuideGecko.com. GuideGecko makes such guides available as PDF downloads and as printed books/booklets. Publishing is free and authors earn 50-75% on every copy sold. Become a writer and get published on GuideGecko!

For more information, please visit www.GuideGecko.com. For photos, logos and screenshots, please visit www.GuideGecko.com/media.

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Press Release: GuideGecko Unveils Preview Functionality for Travel Guides

Wednesday, July 1st, 2009

GuideGecko Unveils Preview Functionality for Travel Guides

Indie guides for trips with a twist can now be explored before making a purchase

Singapore, 01 July 2009 – GuideGecko, the innovative online store and publishing platform for travel guides, today unveils its new guide preview functionality. Guide previews allow consumers to look inside independent guidebooks before making a purchase. Previews for the first independent guides are available immediately on www.GuideGecko.com.

Independent guides offer specialized advice that often cannot be found in mainstream series such as Insight Guides or Lonely Planet. The new preview functionality allows customers to browse through hard-to-find titles to ensure that the guidebooks match their needs and expectations before making a purchase.

“Previews are extremely helpful, especially for highly specialized independent guides. Only when you browse through you can find out if a guidebook covers all the topics you are looking for with the right level of detail. Our preview functionality allows you to do exactly this – all online, from the comfort of your home,” says Daniel Quadt, Founder and Managing Director of GuideGecko.

Only three months after its launch, GuideGecko already offers more than 50 independent travel guides to destinations all around the world, from ‘Diving in the Caribbean’ and ‘Sydney on Public Transit’ to ‘Vegetarian Food in Singapore’ and ‘Passing the Bar Examinations in Pattaya’. Some guides offer more than 40 pages as a preview.

“Previews are a perfect marketing tool for our independent authors, who are now able to show the high quality of their work more easily. Therefore, previews offer a win-win situation for customers and authors,” says Quadt.

GuideGecko currently offers more than 2100 guides in total, including all major guidebook series such as Lonely Planet, Rough Guides and Insight Guides. GuideGecko continues to invite budding authors to upload and publish their own guides and to offer as many preview pages as they like. Independent guides can range from short booklets to thick books and cover any travel, lifestyle or entertainment topic. Independent authors can publish and sell their guides through GuideGecko’s online publishing platform at www.guidegecko.com/publish, and GuideGecko makes such guides available for download and as printed books or booklets. Independent guides and previews are accessible at www.GuideGecko.com.

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About GuideGecko

GuideGecko is part online shop and part publishing platform for travel, lifestyle and entertainment guides. GuideGecko currently offers more than 2100 guides on 169 countries and 270 cities and regions around the world. All well-known series are available, including Lonely Planet, Rough Guides and Insight Guides, along with a large variety of less conventional titles such as Hedonist’s Guides and Trailblazer, amongst many others.

Budding authors are invited to publish and sell their own guides on www.GuideGecko.com, and GuideGecko makes such guides available as PDF downloads and as printed books/booklets. Publishing is free and authors earn 50-75% on every copy sold.

All guides on one site, all at very low prices. That’s GuideGecko.

For more information, please visit www.GuideGecko.com. For photos, logos and screenshots, please visit www.GuideGecko.com/media.

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For media enquiries, please contact:

Daniel Quadt
Email: media_[at]_guidegecko.com

Telephone: +65 94555974

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Press Release: GuideGecko starts ‘Crazy Tuesday Travel Guide Deals’ on Facebook®

Wednesday, May 13th, 2009

GuideGecko starts ‘Crazy Tuesday Travel Guide Deals’ on Facebook®

Customers vote for the travel guides they want at a 30% discount

Singapore, 12 May 2009 – GuideGecko today launches its Crazy Tuesday Travel Guide Deals, a promotion that allows customers to choose which travel guide they want to buy at a 30% discount. Every Facebook user that becomes a fan of GuideGecko’s page can join the weekly votes. The guide with the highest number of votes wins and is available at a 30% discount for one day on the following Tuesday.

Voting takes place on GuideGecko’s page on Facebook® at www.facebook.com/pages/GuideGecko/119479475760 . Fans can vote for any of 2100+ travel guides available on www.GuideGecko.com . While every fan can only vote once per week, users are welcome to invite their friends to vote in favor of their preferred guide. There are no obligations for fans or voters. Fans submit their votes as comments on the page, citing the guide title and a link to the guide on GuideGecko’s website.

A new vote starts every week. Voting ends each Monday at 12:00noon Singapore time. The winning guide is offered at a 30% discount off the suggested retail price on the following Tuesday. GuideGecko delivers worldwide at low shipping costs, with free shipping in Singapore.

"We leverage Facebook for its viral marketing potential. We involve our customers and empower them to decide which guides shall go on offer. Facebook is a highly interactive platform, and Crazy Tuesday Travel Guide Deals reflects that," says Daniel Quadt, Founder and Managing Director of GuideGecko.

Details are available at www.facebook.com/pages/GuideGecko/119479475760 .

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About GuideGecko

GuideGecko is part online shop and part publishing platform for travel, lifestyle and entertainment guides. GuideGecko currently offers more than 2100 guides on 169 countries and 270 cities and regions around the world. All well known series are available, including Lonely Planet, Rough Guides and Insight Guides, along with a large variety of less conventional titles such as Hedonist’s Guides and Trailblazer, amongst many others.

Budding authors are invited to publish and sell their own guides on www.GuideGecko.com , and GuideGecko makes such guides available as PDF downloads and as printed books/booklets. Publishing is free and authors earn 50-75% on every copy sold.

All guides on one site, all at very low prices. That’s GuideGecko.

For more information, please visit www.GuideGecko.com . For photos, logos and screenshots, please visit www.GuideGecko.com/media .

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For media enquiries, please contact:

Daniel Quadt
Email: media_[at]_guidegecko.com

Telephone: +65 94555974

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Press Release: GuideGecko launches, lowest prices and free shipping in Singapore

Tuesday, March 31st, 2009

GuideGecko Launches Online Shopping & Publishing Platform for Travel, Lifestyle and Entertainment Guides

Lowest prices and free shipping for customers in Singapore at www.GuideGecko.com

Singapore, 31 March 2009 – Singapore based start-up GuideGecko today launches its flagship website for travel, lifestyle and entertainment guides. Part online shop and part publishing platform, www.GuideGecko.com offers an unparalleled variety of all major guidebooks as well as unique guides by independent authors unavailable elsewhere. Customers can now find exactly the guides they need more easily than ever, as well as choose from over 1600 guidebooks at the lowest prices. Singapore residents enjoy free delivery.

Lowest prices and free shipping

Guides are offered at very competitive prices: 17 to 30% below the suggested retail price for commercially available guides throughout the whole catalogue. For example, GuideGecko customers can save S$16.95 (34%) on the Lonely Planet Vietnam compared with Borders (S$48.95), or S$11.87 (27%) compared with Kinokuniya (S$43.87). The same book on GuideGecko costs only S$32.00 and customers can order it at any time at their convenience, without the need to make their way to the shop. Free islandwide delivery within 3 to 7 days completes the hassle free service.

Unparalleled variety of well known guides and easy search

GuideGecko currently allows customers to choose from more than 1600 guides on 167 countries and 227 cities and regions around the world, with 21 guides on Singapore alone. All well known series are available, including DK Eyewitness, Insight Guides and Lonely Planet, along with a large variety of less conventional titles such as Hedonist’s Guides and Trailblazer, amongst many others.

Customers can easily search the 68 categories from diving to dining, shopping to sightseeing, trekking to travelling with children – to name but a few. Currently, all guides are in English; guides in other languages will be added in the near future.

“The choice of guides in local bookstores is usually very limited, and in online shops guides are jumbled up with all the other books. GuideGecko solves these problems by offering the widest variety of guides, and our tailor-made and easy to use search functionalities allow customers to find exactly the guides they need quickly and easily,” says Daniel Quadt, Founder and Managing Director of GuideGecko.

Unique guides by independent authors

GuideGecko seeks to become the largest worldwide publishing platform for independent guides. “Customers want up to date guides with insider tips by knowledgeable authors. Independent guides are often the perfect choice as their authors write on what they know best – from authentic eateries to little known hideaways, making tourists feel like locals. With all major guidebooks as well as unique guides by independent authors, GuideGecko aims to offer its customers the widest possible choice of guides, all on one site,” says Quadt.

Budding guidebook authors are now invited to upload their guides at www.GuideGecko.com/publish. Publishing is free and authors/publishers can offer their guides for download and as printed books. Authors earn 50 to 75% on every sale and all they need to do is write and upload their guide of any length; everything else from secure payment collection to printing and shipping is handled by GuideGecko. The guides can be updated at any time, thus ensuring that customers will always get the latest information.

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About GuideGecko

GuideGecko is your platform for Travel, Lifestyle & Entertainment Guides. Find and buy exactly the guides you need, or become an author and sell your own.

GuideGecko is the flagship development of Net Gecko Pte Ltd, a Singapore registered company. Established in 2008, Net Gecko is managed by a team of eager travellers with a strong background in the web development and publishing industries. GuideGecko was completely developed in Singapore. The website is at the forefront of ‘social commerce’, the latest internet buzz that combines e-commerce with elements from social communities. GuideGecko employs advanced web 2.0 functionalities and interactive features to enhance and facilitate the user experience. For more information, please visit www.GuideGecko.com. For photos, logos and screenshots, please visit www.GuideGecko.com/media.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Daniel Quadt
Telephone: +65 94555974
Email: media_[at]_guidegecko.com

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Press Release: GuideGecko launches, authors can publish their guides immediately

Tuesday, March 31st, 2009

GuideGecko Launches Online Shopping & Publishing Platform for Travel, Lifestyle and Entertainment Guides

Authors can publish their guides immediately on www.GuideGecko.com

Singapore, 31 March 2009 – GuideGecko, a new online platform for travel, lifestyle and entertainment guides, officially launches its website today at www.GuideGecko.com. Part online shop and part publishing platform, the portal offers all major guidebooks as well as guides by independent authors.

GuideGecko attracts customers with its large variety of guides, tailor-made search functionalities to help them find exactly the guides they need, and very competitive prices at 17 to 30% below the suggested retail price for commercially available guides. Thus, it provides a perfect marketing platform for independent authors to reach out and sell their guides to customers worldwide. Authors and publishers can offer their guides for download and as printed books. Guides can be updated at any time and customers will always get the latest version.

GuideGecko seeks authors and publishers

GuideGecko invites all writers, aspiring authors and publishers to upload and sell their guides on any travel, lifestyle and entertainment topic. GuideGecko accepts guides of any length, from a few pages to hundreds. Guides are published instantly and listed on GuideGecko’s front page, where they receive maximum visibility. Customers can then order the guides immediately.

Publishing is free and authors/publishers set the retail price themselves. They earn 50 to 75% on every sale, whilst retaining full control over their content and copyrights. Users only need to write and upload their guides, since everything else from secure payment collection to printing and shipping is handled by GuideGecko.

“Every food lover has his favorite restaurants; every student knows the best places to party. We provide the perfect platform to turn this insider knowledge into money – in a fun and easy way. You can publish on GuideGecko no matter if you are a publishing greenhorn or an expert writer,” says Daniel Quadt, Founder and Managing Director of GuideGecko.

More information on publishing can be found on www.GuideGecko.com/publish.

GuideGecko currently offers more than 1600 guides on 167 countries and 227 cities and regions around the world. Guides are classified into 68 categories from diving to dining, shopping to sightseeing, trekking to traveling with children; all quickly accessible using tailor-made and easy to use search functionalities.

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About GuideGecko

GuideGecko is your platform for Travel, Lifestyle & Entertainment Guides. Find and buy exactly the guides you need, or become an author and sell your own.

GuideGecko offers the best guides – from independent authors to acclaimed publishers, from diving to dining, from download to print. Read reviews, get detailed information and compare guides. Or publish your own guides and turn your insider knowledge into money. It’s free, fun & easy – and you earn on every guide sold.

All guides on one site, all at very low prices. That’s GuideGecko!
GuideGecko is developed and operated by Net Gecko Pte Ltd, a Singapore registered company, and managed by a team of eager travelers with a strong background in the web development and publishing industries. GuideGecko is located in Singapore, a leading travel, lifestyle and entertainment hub in Southeast Asia and a gateway between Asia and the world – hence, a perfect location for GuideGecko. For more information, please visit www.GuideGecko.com. For photos, logos and screenshots, please visit www.GuideGecko.com/media.

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For media enquiries and user support, please contact:

Daniel Quadt
Email: media_[at]_guidegecko.com

Umar Farooq
Email: support_[at]_guidegecko.com

Telephone: +65 94555974

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