Key takeaways from CEO Brian Chesky’s message to our hosts

[Airbnb]

Over the past three weeks, we've held more than 50 online listening sessions with hosts from around the world, tracking every suggestion to learn where you’re hurting the most and how Airbnb can support you. 

Speaking from his home in San Francisco on Monday, CEO Brian Chesky announced three key initiatives and programs aimed specifically at helping our hosts:

1. We’re investing $250 million USD to share in the cost of COVID-19 cancellations.

We’re providing updated coverage under our extenuating circumstances policy for accommodation reservations booked on or before March 14 and with a check-in between March 14 and May 31, 2020. If a guest cancels an eligible reservation in this window, we’ll pay you 25% of what you would normally receive through your cancellation policy. For example, if you would’ve received $400 USD for a normal cancellation, we'll pay you 25% of that—or $100 USD. This cost will be covered entirely by Airbnb, with no impact to the guest. We view this as an investment in our future together.

Reservations booked after March 14 will not qualify for the COVID-19-related extenuating circumstances cancellations. Learn more at Airbnb.com/250MSupport.

2. We’re creating a $10 million USD relief fund for Superhosts and Airbnb Experiences hosts.

We know some of you are facing serious financial hardships, and we want to help. This fund will offer grants to Superhosts and Experiences hosts who need money to stay in the homes they live in. 

Our employees started the fund by raising the first $1 million USD, and our founders contributed the additional $9 million USD. Learn more about who is eligible at Airbnb.com/superhostrelief.

3. We’re making it easy for your previous guests to add contributions that go to you directly.

Just a few weeks ago, our global community was bringing more than 2 million people together every day. Collectively, you've made many millions of people feel at home. And thousands of them have told us how grateful they are for your flexibility—so we’re making it easy for them to help. We'll reach out to guests who’ve stayed with you recently and left 5-star reviews to ask if they want to send a note and a contribution in connection with a previous reservation. You will receive 100% of any guest contributions. 

This is just a start

We know many of you want—or need—to host right now, whether on the front lines or for people who live nearby. To help further support you, we’re also working on the following:

• Insurance options for you and your guests
• Programs to drive demand during the recovery period
• Airbnb housing for COVID-19 responders
• Cleaning guidelines and protocols informed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

 We will get through this together

Airbnb and our community are facing this challenging time together. We’ll continue working day and night toward solutions, and we’ll communicate regularly and transparently on the steps we’re taking to help you. We’re adapting in real time to the changing situation, but what doesn’t change is that when travel returns, your homes are the places where people want to stay.

At the core of our business is what is core to the human experience—that fundamental desire to connect and explore. It will take time to bounce back, but we will bounce back together. As always, thank you for being part of the Airbnb community, and thank you for all that you do to help us create a world where anyone can belong anywhere. 

[Maria481]

So first they take the money away and now we should go back to the guests and beg for some handout out of the goodness of their hearts

W T F

[Maria481]

Being a professional host with many properties it's almost impossible to maintain Superhost status because representing other people's homes one cannot always control the standards that owners keep their property at. We have numerous properties that make Airbnb tons of money and have hosted over 1000 happy guests, yet I don't qualify for this token gesture. It feels like nothing more than a media stunt. It only honors hosts that have a couple of properties, ie. not professional, and completely abandons the rest, who probably make up the bulk of their income. Airbnb provides several professional hosting tools, encouraging professional hosting, yet now they disregard that segment completely. 

[Leslie----Tony0]

Same here

And now I cannot pre-emptively cancel my summer guests.

As a high risk host - this is probably a great idea!

[Cloud-Nine0]

@Maria481 . Yes i totally agree. Setting u this amazing grant and only limiting it to hosts with 2 listings?? Do the hosts with 2 listings need more assistance? What about the hosts with 10 or more listings and sharing tons of profits with Airbnb?? They are the ones suffering a larger loss and financial burden. It just doesnt make sense!

[Maria481]

@Cloud-Nine0 

Well clearly it's a publicity stunt for Airbnb to make themselves look good to the media while a mere token effort for hosts . Most people aren't going to read the fine print and Airbnb will walk away with a good headline and more customers. It is not a genuine effort to assist the hosts that trusted them with their livelihood  and comprise the bulk of their income.

[HOST-Palm-Springs0]

Agreed! Airbnb does not now nor has it ever really understood where it's livelyhood comes from. Hosts, hosts with multiple properties and professional hosting companies. And the silly super host program has never made any sense. We have had the badge on and off for 6 years. In the beginning, when we had 20+ properties, we still were only allowed 2 cancellations per year just like a host with 1 property. We could never keep the badge, it never made any sense, but you can never find anyone to discuss these things with. But that's just one example of the utter incompetence of this company. This is just the latest in a long line of the disregard they have for the host (their bread and butter). Now this program to refund 25% is just a publicity stunt. An attempt to cover their asses in the media. And we were supposed to hear more about it in early April? It's now mid April and we've heard nothing new. No surprise. After over a million dollars plus in revenues via Airbnb reservations in 2019 and near that for each of the 4 years prior (you're welcome Airbnb), I want out. I just wish some capable company would buy this one and reorganize it with a more balanced and equitable treatment of hosts/guests. Or start a new competitor up. Please! That's the only way things will change.

[Colin434]

Have I missed some type of correspondence from Air BNB explaining how and when you can actually apply for these programs?

This is a huge source of my income and it's devastating me financially

[Colin434]

How do you apply for these programs??? I can't find information anywhere

[Tom2609]

Chesky's net worth is $4.1 BILLION and he gives us 25% of what we signed up for? SHAMEFUL

[Mandrake-And-Karen0]

Yes and he asks employees to contribute to a superhost fund.  Sounds like someone else who I know.  He owns Amazon...

[Jon2671]

Its only on paper. They're actually in debt.

[Jon2671]

Airbnb bubble

[Aleksandra101]

What about a credit option?. Instead of refunding guests in full, giving them credit for the amount they paid for a year would have been tremendously helpful. Can it be implemented going forward??

[Leslie582]

I think that is a great idea Aleksandra.  I wondered about that too.  I've been responding to my guests who've cancelled.  All have said they hope to re-book.  

[Maria12494]

A credit coupon /voucher  is the best option . Can someone from Airbnb give feedback on whether this is being considered ?  

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/TIME-TO-BE-A-REAL-COMMUNITY-HOST-SUGGESTION-COVID-19/m-p...