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HOTREC ‘MEAL-SHARING’ PLATFORM POLICY PAPER – MAY 2018
HOTREC is helping tourism
professionals through
various projects aimed at
enhancing education and
spreading innovative ideas
in the hospitality industry
The digital revolution is shaping
every aspect of the dining experience
Technology aims at making our lives simpler: to search for
restaurants, read reviews, make reservations, use payment
technology, etc.
The same goes for communications and marketing in the food
service industry. If almost 4 in 5 US restaurateurs are investing
their marketing budget in social media, it is because they realize
that preferences vary significantly among different target groups
6
.
In Europe, HOTREC is helping tourism professionals to catch
up with these changing trends through various projects aimed
at enhancing education and spreading innovative ideas in the
hospitality industry
7
.
In the case of home restaurants, the platforms in question
have managed to plant a familiar notion - food and conviviality
- in something unfamiliar - a stranger’s house - by using new
technologies. They have also been effective in using global tools
to enhance interaction between service providers and users at
local levels, resulting in new affordable options for consumers
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.
Restaurants and cafes in Europe can learn from these practices
to improve their offers as long as they feel secure that they are
competing on a level playing field with these new providers.