A day doesn’t go by that I’m not asked about Paris: What should I see? Where should I eat? What’s a cool bar? Oddly, I do want everyone to have a wonderful experience in Paris and love it like I do. At dinner just this week, I explained to a Frenchman that I’m personally offended when people speak badly about ‘my city.’ Rationally, I know that not everyone will be infected with the same Paris passion as I, but I certainly don’t want it to because they’ve chosen poorly or been sucked into tourist traps. Currently, I’m not in the travel planning business, but that doesn’t keep me from sharing my Parisian pearls of wisdom when asked.
There’s no substituting destination knowledge held by locals. If I’m going to Florence then Georgette is my Tuscan guru. And if London calls, I’m pouring through Julie’s site. Not everyone has a stable of go-to travel experts like I do, and sifting through the entire Internet is ridiculously time consuming. And unless you’re perusing a blog, there’s no telling who wrote the articles. How long has the person penning the piece spent in the destination? Maybe they just read through a bunch of press releases and put something together without even visiting the place. It happens, believe me.
About a month ago, I was introduced to Pearlshare, a free iPhone app and Website that share recommendations from trusted people, whose tastes are likely similar to yours. Since launching in 2014, Pearlshare has been working with acclaimed travel writers and bloggers who’ve created in-depth guides for areas they know well. In addition, hundreds of Airbnb hosts are creating personalized local travel guides for their guests, taking some of the trepidation away from staying in apartments vs. hotels. Pearlshare is a valuable resource for those wanting to have locals’ experiences, in addition to visiting the quintessential tourist destinations.
Pearlshare users can save their favorite attractions, restaurants, hotels, and bars, as well as tips, photos, and comments. These Pearls create a Guide, which could be based on a specific destination or theme, such as places to drink in Europe. These Pearls and Collections can then be shared with friends or the Pearlshare community, or kept private. Not simply a place for trip planning, users can also create their own content. Happen on a cute café in the Montmartre? Add it to the Pearlshare community so other travelers know about it, too.
Michael Liebreich, former Olympic skier, member of London’s Board of Transport, and founder of New Energy Finance {which he then sold to Bloomberg}, is the chairman of the London-based Pearlshare. With such experience at the helm and investors who also were early backers of tech giants, LinkedIn and PeerIndex, Pearlshare has the possibility of becoming the next big thing in travel.
There’s no way that I can be an expert on all 20 arrondissements in Paris, but I love learning more the city, whether that’s by wandering or by recommendations from other locals. Since I started using Pearlshare, I’ve discovered some spots throughout the city, whether it’s a good falafel in the Marais or a gastronomic restaurant in the 8th. It’s like having a friend in each part of Paris, but in the palm of my hand.
I see how Pearlshare can be a valuable benefit to the occasional traveler, road warrior, or armchair dreamer. The peer-to-peer reviews, ability to save and cultivate information, and provide tips for others creates a new kind of community for travel enthusiasts.
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