The emergence of social dining â€" the phenomenon where strangers come together to enjoy a meal â€" is allowing travelers to immersive themselves in their new surroundings and get to know locals via unique, secure experiences, said Jean-Michel Petit, the co-founder of VizEat, a dining app for travelers.Â
Petit said the idea for VizEat, which puts tourists in contact with local chefs and restaurants for immersive food experiences like cooking classes, stemmed from a realization that tourists are now craving unique and more in-depth opportunities to interact with locals in cities they were visiting. Â
"The original social network isn't Facebook â€" it's the table," said Petit at the ITB Convention in Berlin. "And sharing food is the most immersive experience when traveling."
Originally, VizEat connected tourists with local or amateur chefs, who would invite travelers over for a private dinner in their home. Thus far, VizEat boasts 22,000 hosts in 100 countries, and the app was selected as one of the best overall in the Apple store in 2016, he added.
"We created a revolutionary, easy and secure way to enjoy unique moments with local that revolve around food," said Petit.Â
Petit said that users of the app are often quick to share their social dining on social media as well.Â
"There's a strong virality to these experiences," said Petit. "They only last a few hours, but they can easily become a highlight of someone's trip."
The app has since expanded its range of activities to include events like cooking classes, tours of food markets or rooftop parties.Â
As a result, VizEat now partners with conventional players in the tourism and hotel industries, said Petit.Â
But those operators need to be committed to providing a uniquely curated experience to users, he added.Â
"When we engage in professional operators in tourist industry, it cannot be done in conventional way" said Petit.
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