Brace yourself: The Airbnb Winter Release is Coming

[Huma0]

Not sure how many of you know, but Airbnb is about to announce its Winter Release. Yes, that's right. It's the follow up to the Summer Release that caused quite a stir.

I have heard a few things about this, including:

- It will be announced within hours as part of the Q3 Earnings Call.

- @Catherine-Powell will be doing interviews about it over the coming week.

- There may be revisions to the review process, including how Superhost is assessed.

Now, I don't know any of the above for a fact and that information came from more than one source. I was also sent this article below, which speculates about what might be coming. I have no idea if the publication has insider info, or is simply guessing based on what happened with the Summer Release, but some might find it an interesting read:

https://www.rentandrelaxus.com/2022/10/31/airbnb-2022-winter-release-rental-scale-up-2/

[Huma0]

Would love to hear everyone's thoughts on this and, just for fun, your predictions! 

[Mark116]

@Huma0  It looks like the Community Center is even harder to find, as predicted.  LOL.  

[Huma0]

@Mark116 

A little bird tells me that Airbnb are actually trying to phase out the CC, or at least move away from it, in order to promote a different community venture.

[Helen427]

@Huma0 @Gillian166 @Lenore22 @John5097 @Mark116 

Do Airbnb have a local office you can pop down the road to talk to a local and show your ID to become verified or to seek face to face Customer Services care?

We personally think it would be a great initiative if they did, it would also be great to help with providing locals with jobs and for Airbnb to show their faces in our communities - let's face it people are itching to have Humanities back in their lives and detoxing from a tough couple of years through been forced to do so much online

[Huma0]

@Helen427 

Airbnb don't even seem to have call centres anymore, at least not so many. Many of the CS reps are people triple sub-contracted and working from home who have no direct contact with the company, no authority and very limited training.

So, it couldn't be further from the 'face to face', more human interaction that many customers would prefer.

At the end of the day, Airbnb is about cutting costs to maximise profit, and that includes pushing hosts to drive down prices to attract more bookings. I predict there will be more of this in the 'new updates for hosts' tomorrow.

[John5097]

@Helen427 @Huma0 

These isn't any kind of local office. Most of Airbnb local focus seems to be lobbying and litigation to influence local zoning. 

Most of the meetings for host to input are on line Zoom meetings which I think are constructive for hosting. 

Although I think it would be a great idea to have some kind of local office. A lot of guest have the usual concerns that are fed by the extreme hysteria on the internet. Although some of the commercials where someone checks into a nightmare ABB are hilarious. But with mine any worries they might have had vanishes when they check in. I also do things like post a business licenses which is required that helps, but there are so many illegal ABB its driving down the rates and they don't pay the same taxes. i could go on about the policy that promotes that but no one else seems to care. 

[Helen427]

lol @Huma0 

I'm predicting he will be telling us all that with the winter Roll out that all Guests must wear hand knitted wool socks, gloves, jerseys (jumpers/ sweaters) scarfs when using Airbnb Hosts properties where it's cold, snowing and winter to help with Energy Savings.

Made with locally grown and produced wool of course from our own countries;)

@Brian 

[Mariann4]

They haven't fixed the mess after the summer release yet...

I'm not holding my breath on a new review process. It has been flawed since I started 7 years ago. It has not changed. 

We'll see!

[Huma0]

@Mariann4 

I was told a few months ago that Airbnb would be revising the review process to some extent (really not sure that it is anything radical) but that might include some change to the Superhost criteria. However, after that, I heard nothing about it.

Recently, someone told me those changes were going to be announced as part of the Winter Release, but it's not mentioned in that article I posted. I haven't yet read the full transcript of what was announced this evening, but when I do, if there is anything there relating to the review process, I will certainly post an update here.

[Mark116]

@Huma0  Another nightmare, that is what I predict.  

[Huma0]

@Mark116 

Yes, quite likely. I suspect it won't be pretty. I was trying to stay optimistic, but so far, Brian's comments have not reassured me.

When he was asked about hosts' reports of bookings dropping off the cliff after the Summer Release, he suggested that it was 'anecdotal' and not reflected in the booking figures.

[Sudsrung0]

@Huma0 @Mariann4 

Morning from Thailand,

Im not sure exactly what they did but it certainly worked here for us, that was the best low season we have ever had and surprising after the pandemic we just didnt know which way it was going to go.

We now enter our high season 1st November and we are pretty much full till February just a few days empty,

Going off a few local FB groups lots of people looking for properties here for rent 1 or 2 months at a time.

I keep reading in different places how Airbnb are going for longer term rents, but at what price? 

[Huma0]

@Sudsrung0 

Well, that kind of makes sense, I think, because your listing is quite high end, 'prime', 'luxe', etc. i.e, precisely the direction that Airbnb seems to want to go in, so it wouldn't surprise me if the Summer Release brought you more views and bookings. 

My views and bookings have picked up a bit, compared to the near annihilation of them following the Summer Release, but they are nothing close to pre-Summer Release levels. Plus, I seem to get a lot more enquiries from totally unsuitable guests who do not seem to understand what I am listing or where it is located. The latter, of course, could just be a coincidence.

It could be that my bookings have improved every so slightly because I host long term stays, something Airbnb keeps saying it is pushing...

[Sudsrung0]

@Huma0 

I had one yesterday wanting to book for 3 days and pay cash,