Require a proper profile of guests

[Peter0]

Guests should be required to have a profile. Maybe a 50 word obligation could work.

[Andrea9]

Besides a text profile there should be a proper portrait photo in which the guest is recognizable. So many guests either have an animal, a group picture or a landscape which does not foster the trust&safety idea at all.

[Andrea9]

.

[Christine1]

I have been hosting for years, long before facial pictures were a requirement. I have always relied on a combination of the Airbnb ID verifications and my own pre - approval conversations and I am very direct in my requests for information. A picture or image of the guest never came into the equation for the first few years as they weren't available. They foster stereotyping and & make guests and hosts vulnerable to having their image  misappropriated online. 

[Leslie41]

I completely agree with a written description about the guests!!!!  It is a common occurrence for our guests to be brand new to Airbnb.  I don't need a photograph but enjoy having one. 

[Anne22]

My four musts for an inquiry to be accepted :

- Picture

- Confirmed ID

- A text in the profile

-  A small message along with the inquiry (I do not use instabook)

I feel its basic to do those few things when asking to stay at someone's house. It's a nice way for me and my husband to filter guests. Maybe Airbnb shouldn't change this feature so we can still have this kind of filter 😛 

But I do agree, before being able to make a request, guests should have a minimum in their profile. Maybe Airbnb could approve pictures and filter the group/landscape/blurry ones ?

[Ange2]

As long as they have uploaded a verified photo ID it makes no difference to me. Many guests do not want their information or photo plastered over the internet and I respect their right to privacy in this. I have had no problems with this approach.

[John282]

Here in Portland, I get a lot of guests who just signed up for Airbnb and have blank profiles. Within the short 24-hour period to respond, I have to request this information, explaining that I ask everyone to meet minimum profile standards. They they have to do it. Then I return to the profile to check. I usually end up thanking them and accepting the reservation request. It's a lot of extra work, and being on the timer makes it more stressful than it needs to be.

[Jeff70]

I agree! It's very frustrating having to ask guests to tell me more about themselves.  I don't like to book to groups of college aged kids because they tend to be the worst guests.  I'd like to know their age and profession.  A blurry photo with sunglasses with a one sentence bio is not a proper profile. 

[Wyatt]

The status of this Idea has been changed to Popular. Ideas that receive 20 or more Thumbs up from the community within the first 7 days of being published become Popular. The Popular Ideas with the most Thumbs Up are reviewed closely by the Airbnb product team. In reviewing these Ideas, the original post and comments from the community will be considered. Thank you for taking the time to submit a thoughtful Idea that resonates with the community.

[Pam70]

I just went through trying to get some information out of a prospective guest who only has a photo and the Airbnb requirements - no text profile. It is stressful and uncomfortable for me to have to ask questions about them and I would like Airbnb to encourage or require guests to tell about themselves before they are able to request.  

[Pam70]

By the way, after asking a guest about himself as he has no profile text and didn't explain his fellow guests at all, he hasn't replied...

airbnb should really require a text and photo profile if some sort

[Beth142]

I AGREE!

I'm a seasoned Airbnb guest but completely new as a host. I have 2 issues... First, my original Airbnb account was set up years ago but with my husband as the primary so all of thay history stayed with his account. I am the host of our guest cottage, so no reviews yet, but I have a complete bio and detailed listing (no surprises). Each inquiry or reservation request so far has come from somebody who is either new to Airbnb and/or has no references (which I can live with because we all begin somewhere). However, not taking the time to write anything in a bio I just don't understand. There should be a basic template offered by Airbnb for those who are unsure of what basic info a host would like to know. A GUEST BIO SHOULD BE MANDATORY!

[Emilia42]

I agree! Just reading that XYZ "loves yoga, is addicted to coffee, and has a coon cat named Tabbie" gives me comfort in thinking that they are an actual human being and capitable of completing a sentence.

[Deborah1]

I have been getting instant booking lately with no profile photo at all. (not even a cat, a back or a bird - lol) Nothing. How can this be?