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. 

[Fabio460]

Good afternoon my name is Fábio and I'm in Brazil in the state of São Paulo close to the capital, in the city of São Sebastião, right on Camburi beach.
My wife and I are the ones who take care of our little inn.

When I said on the beach it is a reference, I am in the middle of the Atlantic forest at 2.6 kilometers or 1.6 miles from the sand, and at 1.2 kilometers or 0.7 miles from a beautiful waterfall.

I have had a good result with weekend reservations since September 4th when I returned to host after Covid 19, but during the week it is zero.

I know of some places that are hosting people who work at home office for long periods and I have this possibility here since I have 100GB fiber internet.

I had a guest from New York who stayed for 15 days, but it came from my daughter and I am currently with a guest from Arizona (US) wh 

[Fabio460]

Good afternoon my name is Fábio and I'm in Brazil in the state of São Paulo close to the capital, in the city of São Sebastião, right on Camburi beach.

My wife and I are the ones who take care of our little inn.

When I said on the beach it is a reference, I am in the middle of the Atlantic forest at 2.6 kilometers or 1.6 miles from the sand, and at 1.2 kilometers or 0.7 miles from a beautiful waterfall.

I have had a good result with weekend reservations since September 4th when I returned to host after Covid 19, but during the week it is zero.

I know of some places that are hosting people who work at home office for long periods and I have this possibility here since I have 100GB fiber internet.

I had a guest from New York who stayed for 15 days, but it came from my daughter and I am currently with a guest from Arizona (US) who is visiting Brazil.

Some questions....

Can you tell me if there are any Airbnb advertising or incentive programs for this type of hosting?

And why doesn't it exist?

How do I publicize this condition inside and outside Brazil?

Do you have any doubts that people are no longer putting up with the arrest of their apartments?

Think about it this is a winning opportunity for Hostes and for Airbnb too.

This assistance policy that Arbnb proposes is very beautiful and necessary, however your Marketing department can think of something that will make us achieve results together!

Looking forward to your response,

Thank you,

Fábio.

[Sacha81]

honestly it's too little too late

[Aleksandra101]

We already listed our 2 places for rent, complete with our unique vintage furniture, our friends' artwork, personal touches that we loved sharing with others. A little too late-that's what it feels like to me. Airbnb's response made me really scared of hosting for the first time- after several years of enjoying it.. We've had great trustworthy guests but it's hard to trust Airbnb. Over the years they really leaned on accommodating guests at hosts' expense in so many other different ways, that we never felt appreciated. 

[John-And-Miriam0]

The last sentence nailed it.

[HOST-Palm-Springs0]

I agree with that last line as well. Sums up our experience completely. We have been with Airbnb since 2013 and haven't felt appreciated since 2015. Airbnb has leaned to heavily on accommodating guests at the expense of hosts since then. I wish there were more options, I think there may be in the future.

[Susan17]

11:00 pm IST • March 30, 2020

Airbnb  is committing $250 million to put toward hosts who have been impacted by COVID-19. That means if a guest cancels a reservation for check-in between March 14 and May 31 due to a COVID-19 related reason, Airbnb will pay the host 25% of what they would normally receive through their cancellation policy. Airbnb says this policy will apply retroactively to all cancellations during that period.

This is Airbnb’s way of making amends to its hosts — who may have felt blindsided by Airbnb’s policy that would enable guests to cancel reservations and receive a full refund. That policy, which is still active, lets guests who booked reservations on or before March 14 that begin anytime on or before May 31 to cancel and receive a standard refund or travel credit.

“We determined that we had to allow your guests to cancel and receive a full refund—including all our fees,” Chesky wrote in a letter to hosts today. “Please know this decision was not a business decision, but based on protecting public health. However, while I believe we did the right thing in prioritizing health and safety, I’m sorry that we communicated this decision to guests without consulting you—like partners should. We have heard from you and we know we could have been better partners.”

Beyond that, Airbnb is creating a $10 million fund for its superhosts and experience hosts. Employees contributed the first $1 million and Airbnb co-founders Joe Gebbia, Brian Chesky and Nate Blecharczyk are personally providing the other $9 million. Beginning in April, hosts can apply for grants up to $5,000. And for guests who want to show hosts their support during this time, they will soon be able to make payments directly to hosts.

https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/30/airbnb-commits-250-million-to-helping-hosts-cover-cancellations-du...

[Belinda55]

”Airbnb will pay the host 25% of what they would normally receive through their cancellation policy” - anyone with the recommended flexible or moderate policy likely to receive nothing ...

[Jack180]

Sounds like that is the case, flexible cancellation policy sorry about you luck

[Susan1188]

@Belinda55 you choose to have flexible or moderate policy, instead of "strict".

Your flexible policy was a competitive advantage over hosts with strict policy.  Having that policy let you attract more guests.  

Then when guests want to cancel, you want to switch your policy?

It is not the same as a host who choose "strict", perhaps because they are fully booked years ahead and/or have planned improvements or investments in their property, and then get the rug pulled out from under them.

[Belinda55]

@Susan1188 I take your point. However we hosts were strongly encouraged by Airbnb to choose a moderate or flexible policy, and now feel we should not have followed that advice. We are all hurting because of Covid19,  I have gone from usually fully booked to no bookings. But only hosts with strict policies are now receiving compensation.

Personally, I feel that Airbnb is a platform we hosts use and they have no obligation to compensate us for circumstances out of their control. But if they do offer compensation I would like to see it applied fairly.

[Susan1188]

@Belinda55 

I hear you and fully agree!  We have all been devastated and I wish everyone the best.

Airbnb has always strongly encouraged hosts to do many things that were against their interest, such as offering self check-in,  not having a security deposit, not getting ID from guests, not having security cameras, allowing petss, constantly lowering prices, making long term discounts, renting long term on a short term platform, etc etc etc.

If you chose to apply those suggestions, that was your choice, in order to boost your listing.

I understand your frustration, but really, you chose flexible cancellation, the terms were clear, I don't see how you can honestly ask for compensation or be upset at Airbnb. 

What you can do is read the terms up front next time and adapt your parameters to better fit your needs.

[Gail50]

In other words, Airbnb takes no responsibility for incentivizing hosts to choose options that generate more revenue for Airbnb. I lost a $4,000+ booking for the month of March due to my governor declaring a state of emergency and cancelling the course the guests would have attended. Since I opted for the recommended flexible cancellation policy and the guests cancelled 5 days prior to check in I will receive no income for the entire month. Nice try Brian and company but I'm not feeling the warm and fuzzy here.

[Gloria663]

Gail I agree.  We are new Airbnb hosts that just opened to listing in September.  We made a sizable investment to open and were just getting geared up to help cover the investment we made.  We were more in the mode of covering the cost first before even showing any profit and now the rug has been pulled out from under us.  We were beginning to get geared up and March was on track to be one of our better months.  Now we have no reservations for April, May or even June.  This is a huge hardship for us.  We had a flexible cancellation so nothing from the cancellations.  We have lost and will lose thousands of dollars with no foreseen help.  Even with a Superhost the grants mentioned are only for a Superhost of 1 year or more.  Unless I'm missing something I see no help from Airbnb for us.