Encouraged to host longer stays?

Laura2592
Level 10
Frederick, MD

Encouraged to host longer stays?

I just got this message on my account "We have noticed that guests in your area are looking for longer stays close to home. Consider updating your length of stay. Help out your community. Get started here."

 

We use our cottage as a weekend place and have no interest in longer-term guests. It seems ironic if everyone is being told to stay put that Airbnb wants them to stay put in the place that realistically we would go to ourselves if one of us got sick and really needed to be away from others. I now have the option of approving longer stays than my 7 night limit. I won't be doing that. Not all of our guests have cancelled.  How is this helping out my community?

 

Is anyone else seeing this message or is this something just in my market?

44 Replies 44
Lisa723
Level 10
Quilcene, WA

@Laura2592 @Suzanne302 @Helen3 @Jennifer1421 @Ann783 

 

I do not see that message.

 

Regarding the importance of being supportive: it's not a good practise to be supportive of bad practises.

 

With reluctance we have canceled bookings from guests planning to drive a few hours or less and "hole up" in our places. Because neither they nor we can be sure they will not expose themselves or others with (possibly unplanned) stops or shopping, and because turnover requires our cleaners to be out and about in the community. We have canceled our own upcoming visit for the same reason.

 

These decisions weren't easy, but to me it's abundantly clear that governmental authorities were, and remain, way behind the curve on this thing and individual action beyond governmental requirements is in order.

 

We'd be happy to donate the use of our spaces for local first responders and healthcare workers needing to self-isolate. We can't live with the possibility of contributing to the looming overload of the systems those people support, and we all depend on, by enabling any nonessential travel.

 

I'd suggest all US citizens take a good look at this modeling tool:

 

https://covidactnow.org/

@Lisa723thanks for answering the question. Perhaps you can share your ideas in the new discussion group for COVID-19 that was just created. I am sure that the participants in that group would appreciate the resources you have to show with them. Best of luck!

Tom2592
Level 2
Long Beach, CA

If an existing guest that's been there for 2 weeks already, extends their initial reservation from 3 weeks without a discount, to a total of 5 weeks, do they automatically get the monthly discount we've set up, applied to their entire stay? 

@Tom2592  If the monthly discount doesn't apply automatically,  I think another option could be using the "send a special offer" function to charge them just the difference of what they owe you for the extension. Hope this helps~

Ann783
Level 10
New York, NY

I am in New York and we are the epicenter. I'm going to eat crow and say @Helen3 and @Lisa723 are correct. The locals flocking to Airbnbs, inns in the suburbs of NYC and upstate are spreading COVID inadvertently. I expect any stays booked will be canceled and I've blocked my calendar for the next few months.

@Ann783  Good for you. I'm sure, sadly, that you're going to have a lot of company in the "eating crow" department. Stay well and safe.

Thank you @Sarah977  It is really scary here. Hope you and yours are safe too.

Susan17
Level 10
Dublin, Ireland

One thing everybody seems to be forgetting - if every host closed their doors now and hunkered down until this thing is over (or actually even until April 14), Airbnb would be gone bankrupt and out of business in a hot minute. They're already on the skids as it is, and frantically trying to raise more money from new investors, who are valuing the company at a fraction of its last valuation. Starting to look very much like a replay of the We Work debacle..

 

Lots of reports circulating of Airbnb hosts evicting medical professionals, first responders etc too. This is not going to end well.

Dimitar27
Level 10
Sofia, Bulgaria

Got the same message. It's probably a regular advertising. There is no such a a tendency here. The virus outbreak is in the middle of nowhere-the virus is still spreading around. All our major cities are blocked. People can go outside only if they have special documents, allowing them to travel. Most of the real estate companies are closed. And apart from the virus, we are under heavy snow cover. It was snowing for the past 3 days and now there is 20+ cm snow outside. Parks, gardens and winter resorts are closed. The state of emergency will probably continue after April 14. Most of the flights are canceled. Near 80% of them. The accommodation market will not be able to avoid the stagnation. It's not sure, that there will be summer tourist season at all.

So, most of the hosts will be without choice and will go on the long-therm tenant market (when there is a long-therm market). The good news is, that for the most of the hosts, ABB is not the primary source of income. Many people are coming back from abroad-without money, without job, etc. The official statistics says, that there is 6000+ new unemployed for the last week. The biggest job search site says, that 13000 job postings are withdrawn for the same time.

@Dimitar27  its really fascinating how different jurisdictions are handling this and hearing what is in place in different states and countries is quite an eye opener. Thanks for posting this info!

 

We are still very much in compliance in our state, but if the mandates change, we will too. We have turned down requests-- a couple from NYC who wanted to get away from their apartment and wanted to visit friends, a retired couple who were leery about staying because of a health condition but just going stir crazy, etc. We are still honoring stays that have not canceled and are hosting law enforcement who have been called to the area to help. We do our diligence with cleaning and informing guests about the situation in the area. I see a lot of other hosts who are decrying this situation in the CC but listings are up and bookings are available/stays still happening. I think people are trying to manage the best they can and we all come from a variety of perspectives.  I think its important to understand that, approach with caution and follow your local guidelines. I certainly would not judge anyone who took their listing down, nor would I be upset anyone who kept theirs up (unless they were involved with shaming others for the same thing!)

 

It will be very interesting to see what this does to the long term rental market. We have no plans to make our cottage available to tenants long term but others may have to think about that. We would probably turn to using our space for events and photos instead as we already have some of that business. 

My listing is also alive, but it will be a science fiction to expect new bookings for the next 2 months or even to the end of the year. The good news is, that we don't have so many people infected. 242-total, 3 dead and less then 10 in serious condition for the past 2 weeks.

On the other side, the long-therm market depends on the economic situation.

Rolands1
Level 2
Jūrmala, Latvia

From Airbnb side it is logical step to try to promote longer stays:

1) Many large cities in the past complained that short term tourism are pushing prices up and pushing residents out of the city center. One whom they blamed for it was Airbnb, as well as other short term renting platforms. From that point of view I believe virus created advantage for Airbnb because now those cities can try to survive without tourism and realize how "easy" it is.  

2) Diversification of business. In such cases as now, it is very obvious that longer term rents would be more sustainable practice because during lock down long term rents will not disappear so fast as short term rents. 

 

However, i currently do not like one thing regarding long term offer. I will not look at legal factors because they are probably very different from country to country. But one thing I believe is common for all hosts. Commissions! Airbnb states that hosts will benefit from longer term rents because less work must be done. Somewhere true. But income also is smaller, right? So it is not only benefit for hosts. If Airbnb thinks that we must cut on our revenue then i would suggest to do them also.  Cut host commission for longer stays  to 5% because Airbnb also will have less work regarding longer stays. Make the step from your side as well toward hosts and longer stays and I believe more hosts will consider such an option. But with a commission as high as now ... we also want to earn something. If we sacrifice something then Airbnb also can do it.

 

PS It is not offense toward anyone, just my opinion and suggestion.

Roxanne77
Level 4
Grand Junction, CO

I got that message but our state governor just extended the stay-at-home order until April 26th. We are going to have to block it out because all the scammers trying to book for 30 days knowing evictions aren't being enforced. We have one booking mid-May that was for a graduation that will probably get canceled. Have had a couple rude folks trying to negotiate super cheap rates thinking we are desperate and even arguing with me. If they are going to break the travel ban rules then they certainly aren't going to follow my house rules.

@Roxanne77 I agree with you.  I've been getting a lot of weird requests too!  A lot of last minute/same day booking requests from locals in my area at 8-11pm asking for "getaway" or "house under construction" and some requests for longer stays trying to negotiate rate down.  What do you think they are trying to do?  I don't understand what is going on.  

@Laura2592 

 

"We have noticed that guests in your area are looking for longer stays close to home. Consider updating your length of stay. Help out your community. Get started here."

 

Airbnb is automated and ...illogic.

 

I am on the opposite side but it is the same non sense.

For legal reasons, I rent from 1 month up to 3 years on Airbnb.
The setting is 30 days minimum.
And Airbnb "suggests" to turn on intant booking!

 

Knowing that tenants don't visit the place before they arrive, it would be risky for a tenant to rent many months without checking with the host that the place is suitable for his needs and activities.  

 

 

If Airbnb did not want to have upset travellers and hosts, Airbnb should not push hosts to turn IB on for long term stay.