If you ever meet Larry Waight, you’ll quickly realize that he is passionate about marketing and Belize. Although he is currently living in Montreal, Canada, he is originally from Bullet Tree Village, Cayo in Western Belize and he has carved out a career promoting the country on the Internet as a unique travel destination. He is currently promoting a new guide book, one that he calls “The Travel Bible for Belize”, and I took some time to interview him so that I could learn more about his new venture.
See also: The top eco-adventures in Belize; The best beach destinations in Belize
LORENZO: How did you first get involved in the Belize tourism industry?
LARRY: I started working in the tourism industry when I was 16 years old. My siblings and I use to take travelers who visited our village to the different attractions in the area like El Pilar Archaeological Site, Xunantunich, Mountain Pine Ridge, and even went on inner tubing expeditions in the Mopan River. As I started to explore the surrounding attractions back then, I realized that Belize was a special and beautiful country. Since then, I fell in love with Belize and all of her unique attractions and made it a duty to promote it to the world using the Internet.
LORENZO: There are already several Belize guide books by prominent media houses on the market. Can you tell me why was another guide book necessary? In other words, what sets your book apart from the rest?
LARRY: This guidebook is coming from a local Belizean who grew up in the country all his life. Not only that, but there are many topics in the book that have not been highlighted by the guidebooks that are out there. My book was necessary because most of the travel guides out there contain outdated information about Belize and do not really give the reader interesting information from a local perspective. This guidebook is set apart from all other Belize guidebooks because it is easy to read and was written by a local Belizean who has been working in the travel and tourism industry all his life. The book took me 4 years to put together and was written to not only educate and inform Belizeans and international travelers about how stunning Belize is but also for them to appreciate the unique attractions that make Belize an amazing destination in the region.
LORENZO: Who exactly is this book for?
LARRY: The book is for both international and local travelers who want to discover and explore Belize from a local perspective.
LORENZO: Many believe that print media is dying and that people don’t read books anymore. What makes your book something that people need to read instead of just browsing online for recommendations on things to do in Belize?
LARRY: The book will be available in 40,000 book stores around the world in both print and online. The guidebook is easy to read and has a plethora of mesmerizing photos from award winning photographers on all the topics that I am highlighting including a bunch of local tips. It is like a ‘Travel Bible for Belize’ – a document that you will need if you really want to immerse yourself in the genuine and charming beauty of Belize.
LORENZO: Can you explain the process of writing this book? How did you go about choosing the top 101 tours, attractions and locations?
LARRY: The book took four years to put together and is based on topics that were trending online as well as interesting topics that nobody has written about in guidebooks or on the Internet. Finding the balance between sharing exclusive experiences versus popular things to do in Belize is what makes this book unique.
LORENZO: I’m curious, if you could shorten these recommendations, what would be on your list of the ultimate 10 things that someone should do when they visit Belize?
LARRY: My top 10 favorite things that I would recommend include: Xunantunich, ATM Cave, Mountain Pine Ridge, Ambergris Caye, Placencia, Caye Caulker, Snorkeling on the reef, Zip Lining, Cave Tubing, and Garifuna drumming.
LORENZO: I’d love to know what surprised you the most about writing this book? Also, who supported you during the process?
LARRY: I was surprised to discover that although Belize is a very small country, it is packed with so many beautiful attractions that many local Belizeans do not know about. This is something that is slowly changing and I’m happy for it. As for support, my family and friends supported me the most including some of my clients who have become very close friends with me. (If you are reading this, you know who you are.)
LORENZO: Finally, how will you celebrate the launch of your book? And what’s next for you?
LARRY: I am thinking about going on a book tour in Canada to promote this book. As for what’s next for me – my friend Ryan Holiday says that the best way to market a book is to start writing a second book. With that said, I have started working on my second book.
For more information on the book, visit: belizehub.com/belize-guide-book
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