Listing category

[Rita2979]

Three months ago, I listed my Riverfront Ritz campsite.  Upon checking the listing, I noticed it was in the skiing category. Odd, as I am not even open during ski season.  After quite some time, I was out of the skiing category, but listed in the countryside category for reasons I cannot explain. 

After much discussion with at least 10 customer no service representatives, my campsite is not in ANY category. 

They tell me to take better photos, these are the same photos I used for five years when I was listed through Tentrr and they were just fine then.  They told me to change my description, despite having campsite in my name, and camping mentioned innumerable times throughout my listing.  I am beyond exasperated at this situation.  

This is my site that earned 94 five-star reviews on Tentrr with the exact same pictures!!

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1051491531730639550?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=921adce8-105...

[Joan2709]

Hi @Rita2979 

Send customer support a message and tell them you need to be in the Camping Category. Don't try to call them, as you never seem to get a straight answer these days. I would take a screen shot of your listing description that says "Campsite" and attach image to the message:

[Rita2979]

One would think that would work; ..........however, I have called repeatedly, shared my screen several times so they can see first-hand my pictures and descriptions.  I have sent repeated messages and received messages back that are just robo answers.  One response said I would be put in the camping category within 72 hours, but two sentences later, said sorry, you do not qualify for the camping category.  I never dreamt that I would have so much trouble with AirBNB!!!

[Joan2709]

Hi @Rita2979 

Sorry! Yes, I have figured out that calling doesn't work. You need to send a message to Customer Support. They have to forward it to a "Specialized Team" to resolve. Otherwise you will keep getting the same wrong answer when you call. 

Perhaps one of the moderators @Paula , @Rebecca would kindly forward this issue to the correct Team at Airbnb? Your listing is very clearly a campsite and should be in the campsite category.

[Rita2979]

I did get it send to a "specialist", his response was he was sorry he couldn't contact me due to "time zones" and please follow the suggestions-which were the same robo responses every other customer no service representative had sent me.  Someone must have looked at my listing though, as they took me from the countryside category and put me in NO CATEGORY.  I cannot understand how they let a robot run their business without a real brain looking things over. That is surely ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

[Joan2709]

Sigh 😔

Hopefully one of our kind moderators will help you out? It's important for listings that are Campsites be in the Camping category. Most guests will definitely choose that filter when searching for campsites, as they don't want to wade through a bunch of other listing types. They know they want a campsite and not a 3Bdr house. 

Have you also tried listing on Hipcamp?

[Rita2979]

While I had my hopes set on AirBNB, I did list on Hipcamp.  They were very happy with my photos, and as they are all camping, I had no issues with being in the right category.  It is so surprising that AirBNB is so deficient in their category profiles.  They won't let you pick your own category until you have proven yourself to be worthy of the category, yet they put your listing in a category that is incorrect or no category at all,  that makes it so difficult to ever meet their standards.  If they only had a brain.

[Rebecca]

Hey there @Joan2709 & @Rita2979, 

The lovely @Sophia has escalated this. We may not get a reply, nor are we able to help any further as we don't have access to their systems, but please be on the lookout for communications from the Airbnb Support Team. 

We really hope this helps. 😊

[Rita2979]

I have been on the lookout for three months without a positive result....but hope springs eternal

[Bettye6]

Hi @Rita2979,

I’m not sure you need to be concerned about the category. I incognito Googled AirBnb Camping in Lake Luzerne, AirBnB NY, Camping & your listing was the first to pop up. I was assisted doing this with a friend so Google did not recognize it was the same searcher.

What I found sad as when I went to traveler mode in the app it did not showed me your site first. Using Camping in NewYork State I was shown apartments in New York City & same for multiple other cities. Just apartments 🥹

So much for AirBnb AI. 🤷‍♀️

I Google through exactly where I need to go traveling & Google is 100% accurate. AirBnB needs major improvements in Its search mode. 
Bettye6

[Rita2979]

So far, no matter how many times I have asked for my campsite to be in the camping category, it has never happened.  One escalator told me he couldn't call me due to time zones, gave me the robo answer.  Another escalator told me they would be out of the office for two days so don't expect any response, and again gave me the robo answer.  Every one I have spoken too just gives me the robo answer, and the only result has been that I have gone from incorrect categories to NO category at all.  

I have done searches and if I type in the exact address my site often comes up.  Someone just searching for a more general area and just for camping mine does not come up.  They have to wade through 14 pages of listings to find my site.  

Don't understand how such a long running business can now care so little about their hosts, the ones that make them money.