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. 

[Donald28]

I hope you do better at VRBO than I did.

In over a year on ALL the other platforms, I got a total of 1 booking.... yes one! And that came from bookingdotcom. There's also homestays, allstays, misterbnb and so many more than you can waste your time listing on. 

Airbnb is the "brand" when travelers think of short term rentals. Just like ebay is the place buyers go when they want to buy something used or new. Although there's many other "wanna-bees" trying to be the next ebay, they're not getting the traffic. 

Airbnb has helped me keep my place at 55% occupancy annually... before this pandemic. 

[Cathy545]

On three listings I've more bookings at VRBO/HomeAway versus AIR.  Thank you God.  But the reservations that couldn't keep thru the end of April including March the renters were given same time next year on our calendars on VRBO because they didn't steal our money and we were able to assist our renters.  Air bnb stole it and their pat on the head of 25% is a joke (still waiting!!)  Even many friends and colleagues have opted to rent thru VRBO and HomeAway.  Their bookings have sky rocketed=)  All our booking nights thru websites that had our backs are getting exceptional discounts because I don't want nothing extra thru this website.  This will hurt them in the long run

[Cathy545]

VRBO/HomeAway saved us so we may make it to the end of the year.  Just our household food, insurance, and our personal utilities is screwed and goes on the credit card until Air makes good on the 25%!

[Vy6]

New email from Airbnb with some info below. Speechless!

Guests may need to cancel June reservations due to COVID-19

If travel continues to be disrupted, the Extenuating Circumstances policy may cover 3 of your June reservations that were booked before 15 March.

What that would mean for you. If a guest’s travel plans are impacted by COVID-19, they will have the option to reschedule. Ifthey need to cancel, they will receive a full refund or travel credit, and you won’t receive a payout. These reservations will not be eligible for any payment under our $250M USD support initiative, since the programme only covers check-in dates until 31 May.

[Huseyin2]

I have received the same email and I have 5 reservations that will be impacted by this. It’s unbelievable how again hosts are expected to cover damages caused by COVID-19 like we were an insurance company. It’s unbelievable!

[Ryan111]

Airbnb needs to start paying, at least what they have said they will pay.  We should start a very clear and targeted media campaign to shame them into following up on their (small) promises after financially ruining many of us.  

[Stephanie]

Hiya @Ryan111 and @Melissa178 ,

We originally planned to have the first batch of support payments sent in mid-April, which would cover eligible reservations through April 8. We’ve started to send payments, but unfortunately some of them have been delayed. We’re working as hard as we can to get back on track, and we hope to have the first batch sent by 5/1. 

So sorry for the wait on this but please expect any eligible payments within the next 7 days.

Many thanks,

Stephanie

[Ryan111]

@Stephanie I received an email today (maybe because of my activity here).  However it seems that the payments are 12.5% on average for each booking.  This is after discounting for the cleaning fee.  It is nice to have something coming but an accurate payment on the terms proposed by airbnb would have been nice.  Additionally a number of reservations weren't even included.

[Sarah977]

@Ryan111  Yes, the payments are 12.5%- the refunds to hosts are 25% of what you would have received had Airbnb upheld your cancellation policy. So if you should have received a 50% payout for a cancelled reservation, you are supposed to get back 25% of the 50%, which is 12.5% of the entire booking charge.. So it is accurate according to the terms proposed by Airbnb. Not saying I think it's fair, just explaining what the terms said, which a lot of hosts seem to have misread.

[Ryan111]

I am editing my earlier post.  I thought the strict cancellation was for 100% to be kept by the host, not 50%. However it is 50% so yes, 12.5% is accurate.  This is my mistake.    @Sarah977 

[Sarah977]

@Ryan111  It would be 100% retained by the host if the guest cancelled less than 7 days before check-in, but most guests cancelled before that on the COVID cancellations.

[Melissa178]

Why haven’t they made the pay out yet? I’m unclear what kind of compensation I’m going to get.

[Ryan111]

I received an email outlining the payment this morning.  

[Mark--Airbnb-Host-0]

Airbnb forgets that they need us more than we need them.  There are other platforms that will welcome our business.