Did an experiment to test the 'procedures' suggested to allow my listing to be found since the 'roll out'....

[Deb75]

Have seen a dramatic loss (enough to put me out of business prematurely) in bookings since the roll out.  Old news I know for many. But...wanted to see if anything had changed (since they said they had gotten feedback and were 'working on it')...a bit of background...

In over five years, my tiny cabin in the Tennessee Cumberland Mountains was always booked out 3-4 months in advance. So much so I had to block weekdays after May 1st in order to keep up (I live on the farm and I do all the work myself, summer is way busier for me maintenance wise) .  I always got at least 1 booking a week. I have a 5 day maximum stay and 2 day minimum. Always have.  My view graph was always over 200 per day. I always 'tweaked' my listing every few weeks to keep it fresh, and was always on the front page of my area for a search for my type of property.

Since the roll out.....Not ONE booking since.     View graph shows from the time after this I went from over 200/day to less than 20/day.   And you can no longer find my listing unless you choose specific dates that I have open (which, after being booked for three months , thank GOD, before the roll out, I have plenty of open dates) you cannot find me.  My guests had told me prior that they often found me by 'browsing' my area. For a 'cabin in the mountains with a view'.  Bingo. There I was. They did not enter specific dates.  Many didn't have that in mind. Now, no deal.  Oddly tho, if you stay flexible, the same group of cabins appear on the first and second pages (mine is unfindable after 15 pages, and after 3-4 pages it sends you over an hour or MORE out of the area) . This group has always been in my area, but now no matter how you search, they are there. 'Superhosts'  and them being on the first pages, according to the new program info, is because they have a ton of dates available.  But. if you go to their listing, they do not. 

Additionally, Airbnb has been playing around with my pricing noted on my listing.  I'm $105/night.  Sometimes it shows up as $144/night. Insane.   So now they have added that insult to injury. Pricing me out of the area market.  And it's not 'inclusive' pricing. My cleaning fee is $20. AND  it is not the 'total' number that you get IF you find my listing thumbnail on the group. THAT is correct.  if you are brave enough to click the 'reservation' button after opening my listing, it will then show up correctly as $105/night.  Insane again.  I cannot get them to fix this altho they admit it's a 'problem'.  Uh...yeah!  

So lots of ideas as to how to 'fix this'.  I've tried blocking off ALL my available dates for a couple of days, I've tried 'snoozing' the listing, changing photos, rewording the description (by the way they did away with the titles, then said they put them back, but they didn't mine) .  My photos are professional and depict my 'amazing views' up front. And my 'title' they gave me included the words 'amazing views' and the description repeatedly says that. Am I in category 'amazing views' for my area? Nope...So although planning to retire by the first of the year, I am now faced with shutting down NOW.  Really ticks me off.  So all I can attribute this to, is an effort to  'eliminate' STR owners with small, unusual properties who have stay limits. Seems Airbnb wants you to offer 'longer stays' (they always have that ticker on my listing suggesting I should do that) and/or allow one night stands.  I never have, and I never will. Neither my property OR my temperament is suitable for this. 

I own ONE property. I am not an Airbnb guru. And it was wildly popular (just read the reviews which I am sure THEY do) and much loved.  I have been a Superhost (whoopie) since the first quarter I opened over 5 years ago.  I really liked what I was doing. I was just planning on retiring in 6-8 months because I am 67 years old, been in  the people business for myself all of my adult life, and I was getting tired.  But I hate that someone ELSE is forcing it early on me, and I don't like the implications of why.  Has anyone else seen ANY improvement? If so, would love to get input on what your thoughts are as to why/how this happened.  I know I am not alone in this mess. 

[Pat271]

There are a few conditions that may be affecting bookings concurrently with the rollout:

1) Inflation, interest rates, the stock market, predictions of a recession, and especially gas prices curtailing travel.

2) Decreased views from the rollout itself. A shift in the type of properties being found on searches.

3) Many posts on social media trashing Airbnb’s cleaning fees, house rules, etc., even though these have existed in the short-term rental world for decades. Personally, I think the hotel industry is behind much of it.

4) Direct booking platforms starting to gather momentum. It’s possible more people have found the other avenues to book short-term rentals that are more cost-effective for them.

5) A sharp increase in the number of short-term rentals opening since the pandemic. In the US, somewhere around 85,000 new rentals have opened up in the past couple of years, with 27,000 quitting, for a net gain of ~58,000 new rentals. Unfortunately, many of these new rentals are in remote, rural locations, which worked out great when people did not want to travel by plane but still wanted to get away, along with the newly-gained ability to work remotely. Now that those reasons have all waned, hosts are faced with increased supply and decreased demand.

Hopefully, some of the above will get ironed out over time. The inventory will normalize back to the level it was in 2019, economics will begin an up-cycle, Airbnb will improve the new interface and search algorithms, etc. Until then, there may be some pain. Many will knuckle-down and ride out the storm, while doubling down on their efforts to market their properties.

[Deb75]

Well, much of what you said is all well and good. However...it really doesn't apply to me, OR my area.  And these things that were stated as factors, do not cause the OVERNIGHT, and this is accurate.  The next day my views fell to below 20 per day. From that DAY I got no more bookings or inquiries.  I (and thousands of others)have experienced this. All of what you state is valid under normal circumstances, but it doesn't affect us overnight. And they have admitted, on occasion only, that there IS a problem.  And if you cannot find my listing, all of the above is a mute point.  I just spoke to Airbnb AGAIN...and was told that my listing doesn't appear on the page it used to because they now factor in  1. quality (??)  with no explanation as to what that entails.  I explained I had over 200 five star reviews, professional photos (their suggestion and I've always had that) and super host status.  Then 2.  size and type of listing (again???) as if everyone wants the same thing. She could not elaborate on what those criteria were.  Only that 'bigger' books better.  so are featured first.  She could not explain why the same 6-7 listings appear repeatedly for over 6 weeks and are varied in size and type.  3.  Price - cheaper is better she says...I am at the low end of the cabin prices in my area. Many are much larger, but some are also tiny cabins like mine.  4. then 'guest' popularity.  I would assume that over 200 5 star reviews would qualify, but no...it's how many 'save' your listing, how many book beyond viewing, etc etc.  So complicated as to defy true explanation.  So it's basically hopeless. She would not 'escalate' or provide me with any other options to discuss this.  

[Fred13]

^^^ I think you missed #2:  "Decreased views from the rollout itself. A shift in the type of properties being found on searches."

@Pat271 "5) A sharp increase in the number of short-term rentals opening since the pandemic. In the US, somewhere around 85,000 new rentals have opened up in the past couple of years, with 27,000 quitting, for a net gain of ~58,000 new rentals. Unfortunately, many of these new rentals are in remote, rural locations, which worked out great when people did not want to travel by plane but still wanted to get away, along with the newly-gained ability to work remotely. Now that those reasons have all waned, hosts are faced with increased supply and decreased demand."

    I could see you do understand economics. Remember 2006 and what happened by 2008? This year (2022) - same forces at play. Oh boy.

[Pat271]

@Fred13  “Oh, boy” indeed. “Fasten your seatbelts; it’s going to be a bumpy night”.