Time flies so fast, and now October is here, with 2024 al...
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Time flies so fast, and now October is here, with 2024 already three-quarters gone. Looking back on September, I can hones...
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Hi everyone,
As 2022 draws to a close, and with the Month of Celebration in full swing, we really want this month to be all about spreading some joy in the Community Center, making connections and learning about one another no matter where we are in the world. With that in mind, we’d love you to join us for one last Spotlight this year!
Thank you, Daniel, for giving us some of your time to learn more about you and the work of the Host Advisory Board!
How did you find out about Airbnb, and what motivated you to start hosting guests?
In 2012, in the middle of the economic crisis and without a job, my husband showed me a newspaper article about Airbnb. Something like "hosting strangers in your home"?
I must honestly say that I rejected the idea immediately: I wasn't in the mood for hosting strangers over the internet!
Fortunately (and out of necessity, of course), my reluctance was short-lived. Eduardo created my profile and a few days later we received Ivano and Marlene, a lovely couple that perfectly reflected what would become my next Airbnb hosting experiences.
Thus began my adventure as a host that has brought me more than a thousand positive ratings on the platform and hundreds of anecdotes and beautiful experiences.
You are undoubtedly a successful host, what aspect of hosting do you think everyone should be aware of when starting out and what do you think needs to be done consistently?
To be a host is to open the doors of your home to people you don't know and to whom you are committed to give the best of yourself and the spaces you offer.
Undoubtedly, the vocation of service and the spirit of hospitality is what every passionate host must possess to be successful.
I have been a Superhost for 8 consecutive years, and that means a lot of effort and work. It means being responsible for important and happy moments in our guests' lives, and it is really worth the effort to create a positive and unforgettable experience.
I believe in putting ourselves in their shoes and offering an experience that transcends our spaces: I am talking about hospitality, but also about the continuous improvement of our properties through a constant investment that reflects what we would like to find when we are the ones who travel.
When Airbnb asked you to be part of the Host Advisory Board, what motivated you to accept?
As a host who has been with Airbnb for ten years, I always thought that the great challenge of the company was to grow while maintaining its origins, values and philosophy.
Therefore, when I had the opportunity to join the Host Advisory Board, I didn't hesitate for a second just as I did when I started collaborating as an Ambassador, helping other members to take their first steps on the platform.
In short, the possibility of sharing my experience in the world of hosting and participating in the growth of the community is a great responsibility that I assume with pride and commitment. I am convinced that a better world is possible if we are able to respect each other and grow in our differences.
Explain to us what the task of the members of the Host Advisory Board consists of
The Host Advisory Board is made up of 24 members of different nationalities and with more than 129 years of accumulated experience in the world of hospitality. Our job is to provide advice and recommendations to Airbnb on key opportunities and issues that require our unique perspectives.
Host Advisory Board Meetings are planned on a regular basis, and we work by, providing opinions suggestions when necessary that best reflect the needs of our community
In doing so, we take into account not only our wide range of experiences from different cultural backgrounds, but also the feelings of the host community as expressed through the various communication channels such as this Community Center, the Local Host Clubs or the Workshops held on specific topics.
What have you been focusing on in recent months?
The Advisory Board's agenda comprises different areas in which we are constantly active. Topics such as sustainability or the accessibility of our homes are at the heart of the suggestions and recommendations we are often involved in.
Another important chapter is the commitment to create ever safer spaces and an example of this is the "Guide on how to be (even) more inclusive hosts", which was recently launched in the Resource Center with the collaboration of the Board members.
Our work also includes contributing to Airbnb.org, a non-profit organisation that focuses on helping people share their spaces in difficult times, in particular with the current humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. I must stress that the response from the hosts has been incredible and is one of the many signs of solidarity and empathy that characterises this community.
In terms of launches and new products, we constantly contribute suggestions and recommendations that express the community's feelings and allow us to propose improvements in their current and future implementation.
You have a big responsibility as a member of the Host Advisory Board, how do you see the Airbnb Host community and how do you think you can help them from your position?
The Airbnb Host community is one of the strongest parts of Airbnb, and the feedback they report on a daily basis is invaluable to the company. Only Hosts can make Airbnb continue to be what it is, and that's why it's so important that we all continue to contribute to its growth. Not only in the vocation of service to our guests, but also in the critical construction of our future as hosts.
From my position, I hope and wish to help achieve the goals of a wider, more diverse and respectful community, where hosts and guests recognise the value of the encounter with the other, thus reclaiming Airbnb's roots and making us all feel at home wherever we go.
Likewise, right now and as an example, I am focused on studying and investing in facilities and infrastructure to reduce the environmental impact of tourist accommodation activity. I try to transfer that learning and share it with other members of the community whenever it arises.
Finally, to be clear, our role as members of the Host Advisory Board is to give clear, honest and constructive opinions, a task I am very proud of and committed to.
And finally, how has your life changed since you started hosting?
I always say that I had a life before Airbnb (indeed it was, as a tax lawyer) and that my work as a host even changed the way I see the world.
We are used to receiving negative news about human behaviour, and we are not always aware that we are surrounded by wonderful people who are worth getting to know. That is the biggest lesson my guests have taught me.
I learned that as long as you give trust, you also receive it. Everything you give comes back in the form of endearing anecdotes and friendships that grow day by day.
My guests can arrive as complete strangers and leave as true friends. The chats, the coffees (not to mention the occasional beer) and the little dinners in the typical "guachinches" of my island always help to generate some very special encounters and so, I have been to Ana and Marnix's wedding in Germany, I have dined at Ronny and Katrin's in Ireland, I have spent holidays at Carlo and Maria's in Italy, just to mention a few of so many unforgettable anecdotes....
I could go on, naming hundreds of wonderful experiences with my guest friends around the world!
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And that was it, we hope you found it enjoyable and interesting to read. Thank you, @Daniel1651, for giving us some of your time to find out more about you and the work of the Hosts Advisory Board!
