Sometimes an idea seems so obvious you wonder why it took so long. And sometimes when we’re searching for interesting travel news, it pops up right in the front yard. Both fit PurpleDinner, a sort of Airbnb for booking and hosting dinners for travelers, and which Gumbo first heard of when the founders posted HERE on TravelGumbo!
With nearly 700 members in about 90 countries so far, it’s at a startup stage, and is looking for money (via a Kickstarter campaign) to spread the word. But it is already working at matching hosts and guests. (editor note: I’ve joined and contributed.) Hosts can offer meals for free or for payment. A sign-up questionnaire helps match preferences for food and interests.
The two partners, one American and one Norwegian, live in Tromso, Norway, where they have already hosted dinners, including for Syrian refugees—who responded by hosting a return dinner at their refugee center. You can see them, and their guests, on video:
