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Locals are commonly a poor source of good information. I definitely wouldn't use them as an exclusive source. I make it a habit when going to the other side o
by pfranz 10y ago
Locals are commonly a poor source of good information. I definitely wouldn't use them as an exclusive source. I make it a habit when going to the other side of town when running an errand to ask the teller where's a good place to grab lunch. More often than not they'll point to something like a Subway or KFC across the street. Their priorities are generally something quick and cheap.
It's just too easy to live some place and not seek out the unique, locally available things. Many times when visiting other countries the people working there have never done the main thing people visit that area to do. Also tastes vary greatly. These apps offer an aggregate or editorial filter for something instead of a sample size of 1.
- mattnumbe 10y agoI agree. I find that if I'm in a place where it's easy to pick out expats (Asia), you can get some really good information about the uniqueness of the place you're visiting.
- ethanbond 10y agoI don't think "ask the locals" resolves to "ask one local and listen to his opinion even if it is plainly bad." Just like your app can offer a decent list, a single local will be able to as well. Ask 5 locals and you'll often find all of them name at least 1 or 2 of the same places. Also, asking questions in order to receive helpful answers is a skill that takes practice. Other factors can also seriously affect the response you get, such as asking the question in English versus at least attempting to ask in the native tongue.