Host questions answered: Airbnb’s Summer Release

Stephanie
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Host questions answered: Airbnb’s Summer Release

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Updated Jun 19, 2022

 

Just to share a quick update that we have created the promised Resource Center guidelines for listing descriptions has been published and you can read it here.

 

Hi Hosting Community, 

 

A month ago, we introduced the Airbnb 2022 Summer Release with a new way to search designed around Airbnb Categories

 

Since then, we’ve gathered feedback from thousands of Hosts through our Community Center, Host Clubs, emails, and in workshops with the Host Advisory Board and Host leaders. Thank you for your valuable comments and suggestions. 

 

Today, we want to share an update on some of the important feedback you’ve shared.  More updates will follow. 

 

You can read about them here.

 

Please continue to share your ideas and feedback as it directly assists in how we evolve our platform. 

 

Your continued support, feedback and constructive thoughts on this and many of our release features is incredibly valuable and I encourage you to continue sharing here.

 

Thanks,

Stephanie

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Please follow the Community Guidelines 

258 Replies 258

when are they referring to making up 25% based on after the release or before the release I reckon thats crapmand 33% increases from when ? 

Anyway they will not admit they stuffed their business but I bet the long term figures are way down ?

 

Norm 

Emanuela105
Level 3
Bran, Romania

I’ve been running a quite successful STR  business for nearly 10 years, constantly growing. I own 2 spectacular chalets in the most visited touristic area in Romania. I’m not lacking in modesty when I say I have inspired tens of local antrepreneurs to start a business in STR. The story of my business has been featured on the Romanian business press. I’ve dedicated the last 10 years of my life to this. I’ve always had my properties listed on most big STR platforms, plus I have a solid base of return clients, so my calendars have been always pretty full, from one source or another. 
However, AirBnB has always been my favorite. I would have the best prices on this platform. I believed in AirBnB, booked all of my trips through it and signed up many many new hosts. 

My airbnb bookings have gone to 0 ever since the big changes in May. Views have dropped to nearly 0. 
I’ve spent countless hours every day in the past 3 weeks trying to figure out how to adapt and adjust to the changes. No luck. I finally got a booking yesterday, a group from Romania. I suspect they’ve been wise enough and booked here only because it was the best price. 

My listings show up randomly in the search engine. Sometimes they do show up when I search for my region, other times they don’t, even though some of my neighbours do show up! 

Yesterday I tried to look for a 10 days stay in Croatia, I’ve been there every year for the past 8 years. I kinda know the different islands and where I’m heading. The search results were very very few, compared to what I know from experience and other booking platforms. The results were also misleading. I would search accommodation on one island and the search engine sent me on the next one, or even further. 
I’ll book through another platform. 

I don’t deny the fact that the actual slowdown in bookings is not only the result of AirBnB’s changes. I used to be fully booked for the weekends at least 6-8 months in advance. That’s not happening anymore. People are calling more for last minute stays. However, AirBnB’s changes are definitely a huge problem. I’m getting calls from foreign tourists, looking up my rentals on google. I’ve been told they didn’t see my listings on AirBnB. 

Sorry for my super long vent. I just wanted you to know we’re affected here too. 

Ema

Why are Airbnb not listening to host ?

Rob9234
Level 1
Stanton-on-the-Wolds, United Kingdom

Just adding to this as I'm experiencing the same issues. Bookings and views seem to be down from the update and my categories seem completely wrong. We are a vineyard retreat which is mentioned in the title, description, reviews and photos yet we are not in the vineyard category. This is very frustrating as it is English Wine Week and there are a lot of articles promoting the vineyard category on-line. AirBnB seems to really be letting hosts down with this update.

Bee149
Level 3
Little Faringdon, United Kingdom

I have not received any bookings at all for months. What is going on with air b&b??

Lorna170
Level 10
Swannanoa, NC

@Stephanie   So I am trying to find and rent the Airbnb that is next door to my daughter so we can have a lovely week together. I know the Airbnb name of the house, the street address etc.  can’t find it for the life of me.  Fortunately my daughter knows the owner’s name and has his phone number. But I can’t find the listing since the summer update.  No matter how I search. I know it’s there…. The map doesn’t show it either…. Massive fail. I will have to contact the host directly and have him send me a link or a special offer so I can book with my desired dates.  Nice job Airbnb.  Sarcasm. 

WOW

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

I have a question (apologies if it's already been answered but it's a long thread). I just did a search again for dates for which I knew a couple of my listings were available and they showed high on the results. I'll obviously have to try this from someone else's device as my views are still dire (getting lower every day) and still no bookings.

 

What I noticed was in the first search (dates in October) one listing showed up but there was no Superhost label on it, yet other listings on that page did have the label. I searched again (for dates in November) and again, no Superhost label, but now one was labelled 'rare find', which doesn't make much sense when the availability is further away.

 

My question is, why is the Superhost label not showing on my listings? I can understand that it can be replaced with 'rare find' as others have mentioned this, but why is it not showing when 'rare find' is also not displayed? I've been a Superhost now for 5.5. years straight so don't my listings deserve that badge?

 

It's really not fair. You can't display it on some listings and not others as that makes it look like none of the others are hosted by Superhosts when many are!

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

Actually, I just figured this out for myself. The listings coming top of the search are having the tops of the images chopped off, so you can't see either the Superhost or rare find labels. Not a big deal, but something that Airbnb should probably fix as you a guest probably wouldn't notice that and just assume the host was not a Superhost.

I find the new layout confusing looking at it as a traveler. Why is it now so difficult to find a simple apartment, townhouse or house? There is no silly niche "category" for basic shelter. Ok, now what... it then took me some seconds to figure out to click on the balloons that do not appear clickable  -  'Anywhere' and 'Any Week' - at first glance, what does that even mean? Ok, another two clicks and I might get consistent search results, and I might not. I usually have a hard time even finding my own listings, although they are all labelled Rare Finds and we have Superhost status. Good thing we focus on those longer terms....but this platform is certainly limiting our exposure.

 

I have also heard a rumor that the guest now has 72 hours (previously 24 hours) to make a claim for unsatisfactory conditions and dispute payment? If true, this is not acceptable (just as 72 hours is too long for guests to respond to requests for extra fees, such as unannounced guests). 

Thank you for your time.

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Z-And-G15 

 

I find it really confusing too. I have a Superhost credit to use and I'm running out of time before it expires because every time I do a search on the site, I get frustrated and go away.

 

For guests to find categories such as apartments, town houses or houses, they would need to do a traditional search with dates and location, then click on the filters which allow them to choose house, flat, guesthouse or hotel, but most guests aren't going to know to do this. They are unlikely to know they can find these categories by clicking on filters, when Airbnb is showing them a long list of categories at the top of the page. They are going to assume those are the only categories to choose from. They'll like only find them if they click on filters for another reason.

 

RE the guests raising a travel issue, yes that is correct, it has been changed to 72 hours. There are threads here on the CC where you can read more about that.

Thank you Z,

I have been complaining about this and I genuinely think hosts do not know now how the changes are effecting their bookings , the ridiculous category booking needs to go , I worked out that if you put in the actual date you wish to stay it will bring up nightly prices instead of a weekly price months away 😞 

but if you bare just searching as most most people do then it gives you categories and if I was travelling I would look elsewhere as it is totally confusing.

 

James2743
Level 9
Norfolk, United Kingdom

Any updated information about the categories yet? How to get the right ones on a property in particular, but also how to flag categories that are incorrect?

 

Is there a date for when it will be updated and corrected?

@James2743 Airbnb haven't even accepted there is a problem yet so the concept of a date to fix them isn't going to happen I am afraid

Lisa34
Level 10
Murphysboro, IL

Categories were removed from everything but the home page. If you enter a location it disappears, so to use categories right now you have to move the map to where you are interested in traveling. I have heard a new update will roll out on July 6, so they might be back.

 

Either way, @Stephanie has Airbnb identified that the default to a random weeklong stay anytime is confusing? Guests think that is all I have open. (I recently searched and it showed me February 2-5 and May 23-27, 2023! I have months available before those dates.

 

What’s worse, it auto fills those dates and makes it look like you are booking the dates. I am not sure everyone understands they can then change the dates instead of book. It would be so much better if it just allowed guests to explore like they used to and check dates on the property’s calendar instead of assuming weird, off off peak dates instead. 

 

To be clear, we are in the mountains, but we are a few hours away from a ski town, so showing these winter dates just results in frustration and no bookings.

 

It has been almost 2 month since I got anything resembling normal bookings. I am getting bad, one night, last minute bookings that feel risky and are at a rock bottom price off peak price. So depressing when you read VRBO and hotels are having a block buster summer where people are “splurging to travel again.”