Eurovision Tripled Our Sales in Israel, Says EatWith Executive

May's Eurovision song contest, which was held in Tel Aviv, was an excellent way for local companies to reach a global audience, according to Hilla Bronhaim, general manager at social dining startup EatWith. Bronhaim spoke on Tuesday at Calcalist's Travel&Tech conference held in collaboration with Israel's Bank Leumi at Labs TLV, a coworking and events space in central Tel Aviv.

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"We wanted tourists who came to Israel to have an authentic local experience, and not to eat like tourists," Bronhaim said. "We used Israel as a showcase to our product."

Back in May, EatWith set up a platform that connected tourists with some 200 people who wanted to host them in their homes for Shabbat dinner, Bronhaim said. The project was a collaboration with the City of Tel Aviv. During the weeks-long Eurovision celebration, the company tripled its sales in Israel, Bronhaim said. "It was our golden opportunity," she said.

Founded in 2012 in Tel Aviv, EatWith connects people for joint culinary experiences, including private meals in chefs' homes, cooking classes, and culinary tours. The company was bought by Paris-based social eating startup VizEat in 2017. It operates in more than 200 cities worldwide and has offices in Paris, London, San Francisco, Rome, and Tel Aviv.