@Helen3 @Rich30 @Rich30
Helen's question is coming up again and again on all the STR-related groups and forums, and many, many private room hosts have contacted Airbnb in their attempts to get clarification - but as yet, no straight answers (or any answers, for that matter) have been forthcoming. Rather disconcerting that Airbnb should be so tardy in their responses to hosts' very simple "Yes, or no?" questions on this issue, considering the lightning speed with which they're churning out all these hastily cobbled-together pre-IPO Press Releases/PR stunts for the global media to obediently regurgitate. (Tip for all you journalists and reporters out there that are obediently trotting out every word that Airbnb spoon-feeds you - do your job, start asking questions and do some investigation into the truth behind Airbnb's fanciful claims)
On May 5th 2020, in his Open Letter (ie Press Release) addressing the 1900 employees that he'd just sacked while assuring them "I have a deep love for you all" - no mention of the thousands of contract workers (mainly customer support) who had just unceremoniously been booted out the door just a couple of weeks previously - Mr Chesky eulogised..
Travel in this new world will look different, and we need to evolve Airbnb accordingly. People will want options that are closer to home, safer, and more affordable. But people will also yearn for something that feels like it’s been taken away from them — human connection. When we started Airbnb, it was about belonging and connection. This crisis has sharpened our focus to get back to our roots, back to the basics, back to what is truly special about Airbnb — everyday people who host their homes and offer experiences.
The cynics amongst us - particularly the countless thousands of small independent, local entire home hosts whose hosting businesses have already been decimated (or obliterated altogether) by Airbnb's relentless swamping of our markets with 'professional' and commercial 'mega-host' operators - just rolled our eyes and thought "Yeah, yeah - play it again, Sam"
But for many homesharing and small local hosts out there, Emperor Bri's promises were music to their ears.. a beacon of hope for a brighter future - a future where the wonderful, warm hospitality they provide for their guests and the invaluable, tireless work they've been doing for years - work that has been the cornerstone in building Airbnb's reputation, brand image and fortunes from the ground up - might once again be recognised, and valued, by this company to which they've devoted so much of themselves, and their lives.
So my questions to @Airbnb and @Catherine-Powell are these..
Why then - if "getting back to your roots" really is the main priority you claim it to be - are you apparently introducing ridiculous, onerous new rules and protocols, such as forcing hosts who share their homes to wear masks, when it's crystal clear that this would cause extreme discomfort - and worse - for innumerable thousands of your loyal and hardworking homesharing hosts, like @Helen3 above, and in doing so, making sharing their homes with Airbnb guests an untenable prospect for them? And why did nobody in your organisation appear to give these hosts - or their potential health issues - a moment's consideration before pushing out your latest publicity wheeze to the world's media? Furthermore, why are their very reasonable and straightforward questions now being ignored, instead of providing them with the timely answers they deserve?
Could it be possible that - despite all their fuzzy-warm, airy-fairy 'importance of human connection' claims - Airbnb is stealthily doing the same surreptitious hatchet-job on homesharers as they've already being doing for a long time now, on so many small independent entire home hosts around the world, while behind the scenes, quietly paving the way for a glittering mega-host and hotel-led future for their sugar-daddy investors? Because it's sure looking that way.
If it's not the case, Airbnb needs to put their minds at rest and let these hosts know now, that no, they will not be forced to compromise their own well-being by being compelled to wear masks in their own homes.
Penelope