Donovan Hervig talks about writing a travel guidebook

Have you ever wondered what it takes to write a travel guidebook? Donovan Hervig lets us in on a few writer’s secrets.

After some years working in tourism in Peru and Ecuador, Donovan Hervig started his own business – Ideal South America – offering trips to that fun and mysterious continent. Originally from the USA, he now lives in Manchester, England and leads the Travel Massive Manchester chapter.

How did you get connected with Travel Massive?

I discovered Travel Massive by chance at an event in Manchester and haven’t looked back since.

I was excited for the opportunity to join a like-minded community of travel professionals, spanning the globe. In addition to the local, regular events at home, I’ve attended fantastic get-togethers attached to larger events, such as the World Travel Market in London and ITB in Berlin.

You get to meet so many interesting people from a wide variety of personal and professional backgrounds.

What inspired you to create your business – Ideal South America?

I thoroughly enjoyed working in the South America tourism business, in all the various capacities – reservations, sales, marketing, and operations. I was able to put my native English and fluent Spanish language and general communication skills to the test every day.

Although I enjoyed working with and for others, and learned a great deal, I saw many ways in which processes could be improved. Eventually, the time came for me to strike out on my own.

Although the first couple years were quite challenging, the eventual freedom of managing my own business and making the top decisions made it all worth it.

What motivated you to develop a guide for Machu Picchu and Galapagos?

These are two amazing destinations and to be able to visit them both, relatively easily, in two weeks or less, is a blessing. That said, there are so many factors to consider – when to go, how many days in each place … and so many misconceptions.

I just started putting my thoughts and suggestions on paper and the pages continued multiplying. With some assistance and inspiration from friends and professional writers, I realized this could indeed become an actual book.

What are the top tips you have for anyone thinking about writing a guidebook?

Just do it.
You can.
Get started.
Get help.
Be patient.
Keep going.
Finish it.

What does the future of tourism in South America look like? What trends are you seeing?

Tourism in South America continues to grow and increase, which can be good for international tourism businesses, like ours, as well as for local economies and people working there. We just hope that this growth happens in a sustainable way. Not only should the economic gains filter down to those on the ground, but also the tourist sites and destinations themselves should not be overrun. And they should be maintained in a healthy way, from an environmental perspective.

Although some people have visited nearly every corner of this continent, many places are hidden secrets to the wider world.

These secrets continue to be unveiled to the public, to those who keep their eyes peeled for that next “new” place to visit. Or new way to do it. People traveling on a more thematic basis, such as gastronomic (foodie trip) or agritourism, seems to be on the rise. And many travelers seem to be putting greater emphasis on more “real” experiences – interacting with locals in their normal environments.

Follow Donovan on Travel Massive to connect with him and learn more about all things South America