Airbnb 2022 Summer Release: What you need to know

[Airbnb]

Our 2022 Summer Release represents the biggest change to Airbnb in a decade. We’re introducing:

• Airbnb Categories: A new way to search that makes it easy for guests to discover millions of homes they never knew existed

• Split Stays: An innovative feature that pairs two listings when a guest searches for a longer stay

• AirCover: The most comprehensive protection in travel, included for free with every stay

Get all the details on the Resource Center, and tell us: Will you be updating your listing for Airbnb Categories and Split Stays? How will you update it?

[Lisa34]

My listing showed up with this photo as our lead. It is of the utility wall on the back of our house. It is not in my listing. It is not a selected photo and it is not assigned to any room. It seems the system chose it at random to represent my property because it might better reflect a cabin???

No wonder my views and bookings have fallen off a cliff after this release! I guess they kept my headline “Majestic Views…” though.

I called CS and was sent instructions on how to change my pictures for an Experience listing.  🙄I have emailed several times now explaining this is a Plus listing and this photo is not associated with any room and I cannot change it. I have received no response back.

I am very frustrated! 

We have Airbnb Plus properties that were vetted personally by Airbnb for design, an amazing view and chef’s kitchen. Yet, if you filter for those things as a guest Airbnb takes you to listings 3.5 hours away in Gatlinburg! Why weren’t Plus properties included?

I am sorry, but I am very frustrated. We are coming up on the last page of searches where for 9 years we have led our region in sales and service and still have 5 stars overall. Why is Airbnb directing people away from our listings?!?

[Lisa34]

[Annie1372]

@Lisa34 

Ho noooo … such a beautiful house, wasted by this terrible picture of the back of the house.

i just looked at your house and it is a truly wounderfull place to stay and agree with you, with a majestic view.

i want to come to your place, it feel so peaceful 

If that picture is not on your house profile, how did AirBNB could add it to your listing ??

[Lisa34]

Thank you. We’d love to have you. 🙂

I have no idea. When you looked at the listing did it still have that picture? I ask because CS tried to fix it about 20 minutes ago. 

[Lisa34]

CS seems to imply that the picture was chosen for the cabins category even though it’s not an active photo or assigned to a room because it felt it was the most cabin-like. It had to be deleted is what I was told.

[Kristina46]

OMG. I guess I would just remove that photo, but Lordy. To be listed under Majestic Views... with the views being of the electric meter box and AC unit. If it weren't so sad and terrible it would be comical. (Not laughing AT you, but with you!)  

[Lisa34]

Agreed 

[Solveig0]

I'd love to see more of a focus on sustainability from Airbnb. Maybe adding a section if your power sources is renewable, if you recycle garbage, if you have local produce available from a local gardening plot (when in season obviously), etc etc. 

I think that would be a valuable next step. 

[Emilie]

@Solveig0 Thanks for the suggestion! I've read similar comments lately and have shared your ideas with the team as well. 🙂

[Kevin129]

@Emilie Do you have any channel through to AirBnb to find out answers? I think hosts would like to understand why some of these changes were made. 

Some that seem to me quite hard to understand are: 

1. Why have our titles been removed on the initial search screen? 

2. Why can't guests see how many reviews we have on the initial search screen?

3. Why is my superhost status not visible on initial search screen (there is a "rare find" tag instead)?

4. Why are my most recent reviews pages and pages back behind reviews from 2015 etc..?

Are these just bugs that weren't picked up in testing the new release or deliberate changes? If they are deliberate, then what is the logic?

I'm sure it would help everyone to understand this better. 

Best wishes, 

Kevin

[Aj119]

Looks like the admins are radio silent, as is airbnbhelp on twitter. I'm guessing some big news is about to come out.

[Emilie]

@Kevin129 My team and myself have answered questions as much as possible with the information we have earlier in this discussion, while we continue collecting and highlighting all your feedback to the Product team.

I'm afraid I do not have any more details at this time, however I'll share all of your points of concern with them, and will let you know if I obtain any further clarification - thanks for your comment!

Thanks, 

Emilie

[Lisa34]

I agree with all these points but especially the number of reviews. Reviews help travelers reduce the volume of choices and find experienced hosts and tried and true properties.

[Natasha-and-John0]

As the longest running Airbnb in our region, I deserve to have the amount of reviews displayed. I’ve survived lol

[Aj119]

Any update on this and when these changes will be reversed. You're causing 1000's of $ in damages at this point (and that's just for me), I'm assuming across the platform this number would be in the millions by now.