Record sales for AirBnB in recent weeks

[Niklas24]

According to the below Axios article, AirBnB has hit record sales in recent weeks. As I am a host in Finland that sounds incredible since no sales surge is visible here, or at least not in the capital area. We have one of the most strict travel restrictions in the world, so that might explain it. Still, I wonder, if others here have noticed the business rebounding back or surpassing pre-pandemic levels?

https://www.axios.com/airbnb-hotels-pandemic-d036411e-bd39-49ce-911f-484212110d4e.html

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Niklas24 We have been back-back with guests since Mid July (a week after lockdown ended in the UK). Who knows if it will continue but I think our property is attractive as we are in the countryside and its 3 beds so families and friends can meet up according to the 2 households being allowable rule.

I think those in cities who would normally be very full are not faring as well.

[Anna9170]

@Niklas24  I'm in Spain, and that explains a lot. no splash, complete silence. 😏

[Pat271]

I have 2 condos in 2 different US states.  One is on the East coast with few restrictions, and one is in Maui where visitors have to quarantine for 14 days.  The East coast property is fully booked for next month.  Zero bookings for Maui (it is usually at ~90% occupancy).  So for me, travel restrictions have made a HUGE difference in the performance of the two condos.  People on the US mainland are wanting to get away on road trips after a prolonged shutdowns were lifted, and people who would normally go to Maui are similarly traveling locally.  So I would say business is even better than normal for properties that have few restrictions and are easily accessible by car.

[Ian_Janice0]

We have a cottage in Colorado - which we voluntarily shut down in April to regroup. When we opened back up our out of country guests cancelled (Italy, Brazil) due to travel restrictions. However we have been going great guns with our bordering states and now people are flying in from the coasts. We are getting lots of hits for one and two week bookings and now require a 3 day minimum stay. We do have a very low risk cancellation policy and pretty much allow cancels  until the day before. I do not know if this helps PS we have had only one cancellation since early in the pandemic. 

[Ann783]

We have seen an increase in inquiries and bookings- mostly from New York City, Connecticut and New Jersey - areas within 2-3 hours of driving range. New York State has a quarantine order for travelers from 35+ states where the pandemic is still out of control. I’ve hard to decline a few guests.

[Flavia202]

@Niklas24 I started getting bookings again in July (Jamaica reopened to international travellers on June 15th).  

[Maia29]

I'm in Alaska, and we have just as many bookings this year as last year (after I opened it back up in April). Lots of locals from the same state though.

[Huma0]

@Niklas24 

It's too early to say, but after months of next to no interest, let alone bookings, suddenly things seem to be getting back to 'normal' again and I have guests, plus lots of enquiries. If things continue like this, then yes, I expect to be fully booked (which I always was before COVID-19), but let's see.

Unlike @Mike-And-Jane0 (also in the UK), I didn't start getting lots of bookings from mid-July onwards. It's been a bit later for me, but I don't think that's because I have a city location rather than a rural one, rather that I host long-term guests. In most cases, they book a fair bit in advance and often take quite a bit of time between enquiring and making the booking.

I think that if I still hosted short-term guests, I may have had full occupancy since mid-July also. I wasn't ready for that anyway though... I am a live-in host and so veering on the side of caution here.