Officially introducing the members of Airbnb’s Host Advisory Board

[Airbnb]

*Posted live: December 16th

Today, we’re excited to share a video officially introducing the members of Airbnb’s Host Advisory Board.

As we recently announced, Airbnb is launching a formal program to give hosts a seat at the table. The Host Advisory Board is a group of selected hosts that will not only keep the community informed, but share your feedback directly with Airbnb leadership.  The board will also help inform how  the Airbnb Host Endowment is invested in the community, and influence policies, programs, and new products.

These 17 selected hosts were chosen for their passion, their contributions to the hosting community, and their desire to create a better future for all hosts—among other criteria. Together, they’ve hosted more than 15,000 guests with a combined total of 86 years of hosting experience and an average star rating of 4.9!

*To add or change subtitles to the video, hover over the video and click on the little 'Settings' wheel in the bottom right corner. Then click 'Subtitle/CC' and select your language. 

Watch the video above to meet the community members serving on the board and learn about their individual passions and experience. To find out more about how the board will work together to advocate for the community, check out the latest Host Update article featuring our Head of Hosting, Catherine Powell.

Do keep your eyes peeled here in the Community Center as we will be introducing the board members in the new year. There will be regular opportunities for our new board members to respond to your questions and address important topics.

[Bez8]

Hello  everyone! 

I am so excited to be part of this board. Looking forward to serving the Airbnb host community! 

[Katie]

Hi @Bez8, welcome to the Community Center - it's fantastic to have you here 🙌   I'm Katie, one of the Community Managers here in the CC. We're really excited to see you here and hear about the Board's progress 😊

Feel free to send me a DM if you have any questions on how things work at all

[S14]

I'm confused. How exactly are hosts able to communicate our concerns and requests for improvement to this new board? I mean, they can't represent us if we cannot message them. Please tell me how to do that. (Sorry if it's in the video -- I am old school -- I prefer literacy to videos. Sorry.)

It has long been utterly frustrating that it's been impossible to get anything changed for the better at Airbnb. Supposedly this board was going to help fix that. So, I've been waiting to get a contact link, but have not seen it.

On the positive side, just today, some long requested improvements popped up in the Message System. Hooray! So, how to ask about any systemic problems that remain?

Thanks so much,

Shosh

[Bez8]

Hi Shosh!

@S14 

Thank you for asking this very important question. 

The details on an effective streamlined communication link are being worked out. I don't know what the communication link will be but I'm fairly certain we will utilize and leverage the community center. There are so many passionate and experienced hosts here. Stay tuned for updates on this. 

have a wonderful day 

[Barry43]

When accepting bookings from young unattached people either directly or via Stayz/Homeaway/VRBO, I levy a security bond to cover any damage or additional cleaning or other charges. However, Airbnb don't do this, but instead say it's not necessary because of their 'Owners guarantee'. 

I learned the hard way that their Owners guarantee is useless when tenants [a group of young guys] engaged in pure drunken stupidity, twisting artworks out of shape, damaging the oven and washing machine, punching a number of holes in the walls, breaking a chair, smashing a glass table top, plus the carpet needed cleaning because of the amount of beer spilled on it and a locked cupboard was broken into and property was stolen. I provided quotes of more than $1000 which was cheap because I wasn't assured I would get paid, and Airbnb only offered about $160 to replace the $235 table top and when I queried 'What about the other items?' and ‘Why didn't you pay the full replacement cost?’, they withdrew their offer, 'finalised' my claim and wouldn't enter into any further correspondence on the matter.

Their approach was atrocious, and if they were an insurer I would have referred them to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal or the Financial and Insurance Ombudsman, where they would have been severely castigated.

Stayz/Homeaway/VRBO, as Airbnb's  major competitor in Australia, offers to handle a security bond - as owner, I decide on an amount [say $1000] and the tenant doesn't get charged anything unless I lodge a claim within 14 days of moving out. No fees are charged either to the renter or the owner, and it gives owners piece of mind when renting to young unattached people.

Why don't Airbnb do this? I've suggested it to them but they think their Owners guarantee makes it unnecessary. Obviously their Claims Department runs by different rules.

[Catherine-Powell]

Hi @Barry43

Thanks for your comment, and I'm so sorry to hear about the damage your guests caused.

In terms of the claim, I checked this with the Support team and unfortunately it looks like it was submitted outside of the timeframe specified by the Host Guarantee, but there might also be some confusion around the reservations you were claiming under. If you need more information on this then please review the information provided in the link I've shared here, or reach out to the Support team for further clarification.

With regards to your suggestions on the security bond, I have heard similar feedback from several hosts, and we are working to find ways to improve this system. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts, and I hope you will continue to come to the Community and let us know what you think about any changes or systems already in place.

Best,
Catherine

[Clarance0]

Thanks for the support !

[Bez8]

@Clarance0 

Thank you for believing in us!

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Bez8 (and others). This thread is now 2 months old. Nothing public has come out of the Host Advisory Board. You only have 10 months left......

Perhaps it is time to either hit the accelerator or accept that the board is no more than a sop to hosts who feel mistreated.

[Bez8]

@Mike-And-Jane0  

I agree 

I am hoping there will be an announcement soon for the work we've in January. Give it a bit more time. I understand your frustration. 

The only thing I can say is that we're literally building this from the ground up and working with 17 hosts from so many different time zones. The logistics and coordination has been challenging. 

I really do believe that everything will be much smoother for the next advisory board. 

[Jeremy-And-Rachel0]

thant sounds like a full time job in its self!

[Till-and-Jutta0]

There you will find a short intro to my person.

[Susan1635]

I have been hosting for two years and love it.  I live in a mountain area that is seeing tremendous influx of people as a result of the pandemic and people fleeing large cities, as vacationers and to become permanent residents.  My first year of hosting was to people willing to take a chance on my place without many reviews, the second year, although the COVID year, was exponentially better.  One of the issues I would like to present is the public conception or stereo-type that exists that VRBO is for older people and Airbnb is for younger people.  I have a friend in my area who rents on VRBO, I am blown away by what she receives in rents.  My unscientific evaluation is that the older retired people have more money to spend on VRBO or they might be afraid that places younger people rent are more "party" type places.  I do think more older adults (60+) are discovery/learning about Airbnb, but perhaps some advertising to this age group my help direct them to Airbnb.  They are a group that have time and money to travel.  I have had quite a few older individuals, I'm one myself, but as a community we need to target this group more aggressively and convert them to Airbnb.   Another issue I've also wondered about is having a financial incentive for Superhosts or whatever other criteria might be established to reward Hosts that excel on a continual basis (such as all 5 stars for 6-12 continuous months, or so many continuous five star reviews) because this is what creates Airbnb's reputation.  I work very hard to have a spotlessly clean apartment, and provide extra touches like wildflowers in the summer, packages of cards of pictures I have taken, fresh local organic eggs, an offer to borrow snowshoes, games for children, etc.  Hosts sustain growth for Airbnb, so the better the reputation of Airbnb locations, the greater the growth!   What Airbnb wouldn't want a piece of the 123B, ha ha! 

[Jytte0]

Great new initiative with the Airbnb hosting advisory board. Great versatility and input from different parts of the world. Keep up the good work! Cheers Jytte R, Superhost, Phillip Is.

[Carlos-P5]

Hi, this is a great opportunity to be sharing ideas in the Airbnb community. My problem has been the covid test that our building admin requires. I have no problem with the booking inquiry. Inquiries regularly comes about 2-3 every month. However, the guests do not push thru with their booking since the admin imposed a strict health protocol. Hence I am now finding ways to attract long term booking but don't know how I can modify my listing ads. Please help me out. Thank you and looking forward to the new board.