Airbnb extenuating circumstances

[April161]

Airbnb keeps changing the extenuating circumstances. yesterday it was cancelations until March 31st. Which I thought was reasonable and I could live with today it’s april 14, which now is an entire month of bookings. Is anyone else unsure of how long this is going to go for I had a cancellation already for July. Are they going to extend it into then? We have a home in the Caribbean and it’s costly. I understand the severity but how are hosts going to survive this? And so many people cancelling just out of pure panic? 

[Sarah977]

@April161  Obviously no one knows how long this is going to go on.  And all hosts are in the same boat. I don't agree that people are cancelling out of pure panic. If we want this virus to stop spreading, people need to stay put, not travel, not sit in planes full of people. This is what the medical and scientific community are telling everyone. It makes total sense. If everyone did that for the next few weeks, it would be over.

You are among the most fortunate people on this planet to be able to afford to have a vacation home apart from your primary residence. That it's costly to maintain isn't anyone else's problem. The hosts I really feel sorry for right now are those who host in their own home and depend on the str income to pay their mortage and put food on the table for themselves and their families. Most of those people not only rent out rooms in their home but also work one or two other jobs to make ends meet.

I'm not unsympathetic to the fact that your rental income, and that of others, has dried up, but if the only way people can afford to own a vacation home is to rent it out when they aren't using it, then I guess they will just have to start living within their means and only own the home they live in. Personally I don't consider that to be a crisis situation.

[April161]

I think you’ve missed the point. I’m trying to help people in this situation as well as get insight share and exchange ideas for everyone’s benefit and success. Your judging me and my situation which you know absolutely nothing about. I am a self employed entrepreneur that has worked extremely hard. I was asking for idea sharing but the negative spin you’ve put on this post will only contribute to the economic downturn. Looking for solutions and ways to help each other is what everyone needs to be doing helping each other was my intent. Again all the hotels will be able to survive but the smaller hosts who have homes like mine and are the reason for the Airbnb experience and the Airbnb plus the creatives out there that have helped take Airbnb to next level it’s people like us that will have to come up with solutions..

[Sarah977]

@April161  I'm sorry, but I didn't read anything in your post that related to idea sharing or trying to help others. Perhaps that was your intent, but why didn't you share any ideas then? You just asked questions that no one knows the answer to. And there are already about 30 threads currently running on all this.

 How hosts are going to survive is quite individual. We're obviously going to have to find other ways to make money, if we have become dependent on STRs.

[Keith6]

Anyone know when we will receive the 25% refunds from Airbnb for the cancellations which Airbnb let the guest cancel with 100% refund during the March14-April 15th dates?