@Robin4 and everyone else. Hi, and hope you're all well, and haven't (physically) been affected by this pernicious Covid-19 virus (mentally and financially however, we've all been affected to varying degrees!)
The following isn't directed at anyone in particular, unless your name is @BrianChesky but rather is highlighting what I believe the majority of SuperHosts' may well be feeling in the absence of any email advising that part of the SuperHost Grant is coming their way.
I too have been wondering when the desperately required Airbnb email will pop into my inbox, but with only 4 days left until the sort-of-promise thingamajig finishes, I can't really hold my breath any longer, so will probably not be around (as an Airbnb SuperHost host) for when UK Tourism businesses' will be allowed to reopen (which, here in Wales, UK, won't be until after 26September2020 at the earliest (that date being written in stone, even if it will be reviewed every 21 days!)
So whilst it may well be that in certain parts of the world Governments of those Countries might have relaxed restrictions on the Tourism Trade, allowing people once more to move around, and stay in all sorts of places, such "freedom" isn't available everywhere, and certainly isn't in any Country still being affected by the number of cases of infections/deaths.
Whatever one's opinions of Airbnb, one has to recognise that none of us are "owned" or "employed" by them. Furthermore, unless something happened in everyone else's Hosting lifetimes, I would imagine/believe that we ALL, as one, signed up to be part of the Airbnb phenomenon by agreeing to their Terms & Conditions - possibly with many who signed, not having read every single word, phrase, nor - in certain instances - understanding exactly what it was "we" were agreeing to!?!
Put another way, IF (and that is a very big IF) Airbnb DO decide to GIVE SuperHosts an amount of money, free from any ties or restrictions, I would imagine that (but have no proof that such would be the case) such financial assistance would only be made/paid to those SuperHosts whose long-term (ie post-Covid-19-pandemic) intentions are to remain with Airbnb and to greatly increase both their own, AND Airbnb's own, profits - as one without the other will most assuredly spell the end of the Company as we have known it!
That there inevitably will be SuperHosts' who did manage to make substantial profits, is to their credit (in all senses of the word) BUT in the world I have known since coming on board with Airbnb (February 2019) and with several SuperHost awards under my belt, part of that has been to my financial discredit, as for the last two years, my property had (in real terms) suffered a big financial loss, whilst from the beginning of March this year, right through to at least the end of September, not only aren't I receiving any Income, but I'm also still having to pay out all outgoings (wouldn't mind too much if part of Airbnb's financial help was coming my way, but with a weekly payout of £350 for all outgoings, whether I have any paying Guests or not, perhaps it can be seen that the future existence of my business is looking gloomier by the second of every minute/hour/day/week/month - and that's for a property I totally own, so I have every sympathy for anyone who has a mortgage or other financial call on the property they are letting for holidays or for any other reason!)
Will I receive any part or parts of Airbnb's SuperHost Grant? On the basis of not having heard anything to date, possibly not, altho' the saying "never say die til your dead" keeps me hopeful, and will do so right up to the nth second of the last moment of 15May (or whenever the Grant actually ceases to apply to SuperHosts).
If I said that there is one VITAL lesson we all HAVE TO take away from this situation, I wonder what others' would say it would be?
I made my views known to Airbnb in mid-March, and they were welcomed, and to a certain extent look as though they will be implemented once business returns to some form of "normality", and that is that Holiday Insurance, on which Guests' will have to make their own claims, will HAVE TO BE taken out by Holidaymakers, or included within the cost of Guests' payment, BEFORE any booking is accepted by Hosts.
That Airbnb have made "noises" about Holiday Insurance being "optional" and/or it being "suggested" that Guests' actually have an Insurance Policy on place, CANNOT be allowed to become or remain Airbnb's Policy, as otherwise we as both Hosts and SuperHosts will remain in the same position as we are now, should such a situation (or any other cancellation situation) ever raise its head again.
Apologies if my reply has gone "off-tack" at all, but for all of us Airbnb-ers who are so appreciative of our SuperHost award, and who so zealously "fight" to retain such, I most sincerely hope that Airbnb WON'T treat us as an algorithm within a faceless, nameless, uncaring computer, but rather WILL grant those SuperHosts' (who have sweated blood to help make & keep Airbnb as THE world's No.1 Online Tourism Agent). THEIR share of the SuperHost Grant.
Remember; Airbnb are as desperate for our support as we are for theirs, and we should also always be mindful of the saying "United we stand; divided we fall"
Airbnb - but more particularly, Brian Chesky - are you listening? 'cos if you are, the time for "jaw, jaw, jaw" has ended; now is the time to "put the money where your mouth is", and "pay, pay, pay"!
