3 On Your Side: Travel Apps
By Jim Donovan
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- There used to be a time when you'd go to a new city, book a hotel and ask the concierge where the best place to eat or play was. Now, travel-related apps and services let tourists ask those who are really in the know - the locals themselves. 3 On Your Side Consumer Reporter Jim Donovan takes a look at this tech and travel trend.
She's prepping, plating and serving, but Raleigh Clemens isn't hosting old friends. This dinner was arranged through EatWith, a service that connects chefs, with local foodies or travelers looking for a more authentic experience for a meal shared in the cook's home. Clemens says, "It's a great way for people to meet someone who's local. If you're traveling to a country but you want a local experience."
The draw for out-of-towners Brigitte and Dennis Crossen? Brigette says, "A different perspective on the city than I've had before."
Rafat Ali, founder of Skift, a travel-industry trend tracker, says this shift in travel is for those who want to find the hidden secrets of a city. Many of the most popular tools are centered on shared meals but, others connect travelers with locals for socializing, concierge type services, even bike or car sharing. According to Ali, "The benefit of using these types of apps is that, one you get experiences beyond the manufactured experiences that are there. The tour bus, the museum tour. The specialized ones are still small. Everybody's trying to figure out what is that one thing that will make it grow."
Experts call this "experiential travel" because you get a hands-on experience of a city than you might not get otherwise. As they point out, no one knows a city like the people who live there.
EatWith:
Feastly:
Bookalokal:
Urban Buddy
Kamino: