Key takeaways from CEO Brian Chesky’s message to our hosts

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Key takeaways from CEO Brian Chesky’s message to our hosts

Over the past three weeks, we've held more than 50 online listening sessions with hosts from around the world, tracking every suggestion to learn where you’re hurting the most and how Airbnb can support you. 

 

Speaking from his home in San Francisco on Monday, CEO Brian Chesky announced three key initiatives and programs aimed specifically at helping our hosts:

 

1. We’re investing $250 million USD to share in the cost of COVID-19 cancellations.

 

We’re providing updated coverage under our extenuating circumstances policy for accommodation reservations booked on or before March 14 and with a check-in between March 14 and May 31, 2020. If a guest cancels an eligible reservation in this window, we’ll pay you 25% of what you would normally receive through your cancellation policy. For example, if you would’ve received $400 USD for a normal cancellation, we'll pay you 25% of that—or $100 USD. This cost will be covered entirely by Airbnb, with no impact to the guest. We view this as an investment in our future together.

 

Reservations booked after March 14 will not qualify for the COVID-19-related extenuating circumstances cancellations. Learn more at Airbnb.com/250MSupport.

 

2. We’re creating a $10 million USD relief fund for Superhosts and Airbnb Experiences hosts.

 

We know some of you are facing serious financial hardships, and we want to help. This fund will offer grants to Superhosts and Experiences hosts who need money to stay in the homes they live in. 

 

Our employees started the fund by raising the first $1 million USD, and our founders contributed the additional $9 million USD. Learn more about who is eligible at Airbnb.com/superhostrelief.

 

3. We’re making it easy for your previous guests to add contributions that go to you directly.

 

Just a few weeks ago, our global community was bringing more than 2 million people together every day. Collectively, you've made many millions of people feel at home. And thousands of them have told us how grateful they are for your flexibility—so we’re making it easy for them to help. We'll reach out to guests who’ve stayed with you recently and left 5-star reviews to ask if they want to send a note and a contribution in connection with a previous reservation. You will receive 100% of any guest contributions. 

 

This is just a start

 

We know many of you want—or need—to host right now, whether on the front lines or for people who live nearby. To help further support you, we’re also working on the following:

 

 

 We will get through this together

 

Airbnb and our community are facing this challenging time together. We’ll continue working day and night toward solutions, and we’ll communicate regularly and transparently on the steps we’re taking to help you. We’re adapting in real time to the changing situation, but what doesn’t change is that when travel returns, your homes are the places where people want to stay.

 

At the core of our business is what is core to the human experience—that fundamental desire to connect and explore. It will take time to bounce back, but we will bounce back together. As always, thank you for being part of the Airbnb community, and thank you for all that you do to help us create a world where anyone can belong anywhere. 

448 Replies 448
Lola41
Level 3
New York, NY

This  is unbelievable. I’ve been a host for over five years and this is what I get ? The agreement Airbnb makes is basically one sided. Your service and loyalty here means noting to Airbnb. Your strict settings mean nothing. I’ve already had a guest right before COVID19 began who came sick with a nasty flu and didn’t make me aware. She infected me and after calling her out in it she left a negative review. It took me two months to recover plus three doctors visits. Airbnb did nothing and instead allowed  this disgusting guest to lie and impact my listing with her negative review. Airbnb will be forever cursed for taking advantage of thousands of hosts. I’m not sure that I want to chance my health and life in hosting  When Airbnb can take my potential earnings in the blink of an eye. Airbnb could of offered credit to guests like everyone else. You hurt the hosts you hurt you. This will come back to haunt Airbnb. 

Michelle1429
Level 2
St Catharines, Canada

Very unfair for hosts who have taken Airbnb’s suggestion and chosen a moderate cancellation policy. It’s now coming back to hurt us in this scenario. I had a fully booked calendar (not a single night free for March & April) and was counting on the income. With today’s announcement I was very excited that I would be compensated in some way. Now I am just upset with Airbnb for making it seem like they are doing all this good, when really they aren’t. False advertising. 

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Airbnb  The blah blah about Airbnb trying to get govt. grants and assistance for their hosts worldwide is a total joke. Does Mr. Chesky honestly believe this is even a remote possibility, or did he just throw this in becuse his talk of asking Congress to help Airbnb hosts only would help US hosts and he thought this would stem another outcry?  As if the Mexican govt, or the Balinese govt, or the Thai givt, or the Indian govt is going to listen to some some pitch to help bail out Airbnb hosts. That's the most absurd thing I've heard in awhile.

Kemi6
Level 10
Johannesburg, South Africa

@Sarah977

But why not? Airbnb does bring in revenue to governments around the world. It does not mean they will be successful, but there's no harm in trying. 

Lola41
Level 3
New York, NY

I’m wondering if unemployment insurance will consider us since they’ve extended it to 1099 workers and contractors people who normally would not get unemployment. 

@Lola41 I’m planning to explore this today. I’m also in NY. According to daily government bulletins I’ve been receiving, I think this may be covered. All my income, in addition to Airbnb, is self employment income. I’m wondering if it will make a difference if you filed your Airbnb income as Schedule C - sole proprietor, or as rental income. 

rather than wasting my time blasting Airbnb, I’m planning on spending the day researching options available to me - things like SBA loans and grants, mortgage and insurance forbearance, unemployment insurance. 

I wish everyone well-being as we all navigate uncertain and devastating circumstances. This is a time for resource sharing.l and information gathering. It’s a better use of  my energy. 

Ruba18
Level 1
Amman, JO

You guys are immature, learning at our expense, and treating us like peasants.  This is our properties and we have clear agreements that you betrayed

Piotr48
Level 10
Wrocław, Poland

You can take your 25%, Brian.

Jenna238
Level 1
Cork, IE

Thanks

Alex---Michael0
Level 6
Berlin, Germany

TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE

 

25% of the cancellation fee means a maximum of 12.5% of the actual sales. 12.5%! 12.5%! 12.5!

 

On other platforms it is 50%, which also causes extreme difficulties. Now guests can cancel free of charge until May 31st, so all pre-bookings for this year are gone realistically.

 

March 12.5%, April 12.5%, May 12.5% and the months June to October will go for a maximum of 50%. Monthly loss of sales average 66% and these are the good months that usually cushion the bad ones.

 

AIRBNB IS DEAD!

 

I will bring my four apartments back to the market and rent them out regularly. My cleaning lady is now unemployed and I cannot help her.

Nigel174
Level 2
England, United Kingdom

Hmm, some positives here. The main messages for me though were that Airbnb are  extending the 100% cancellation period by 6 weeks. I’ll get 12.5% refund rather than the 50% in my terms. I’m still baffled why Airbnb say giving a 100% refund will stop people travelling and putting themselves and others in danger. They’re not allowed to travel - and guess what, this is where their TRAVEL INSURANCE kicks in. The insurance industry must be ecstatic on your decision to ask hosts to pay for their guest’s loss. 

Travel insurance?

I pointedly asked one guest who cancelled if he had travel insurance. Oh no, he said, didn't bother with that as we were sure we were going to come!

Duh.

Grant192
Level 2
Chamonix, FR

Total and utter [expletive]. Too little too late. Airbnb you have completely trashed any kind of relationship you had with hosts. 

Paul60
Level 10
Dublin, Ireland

QUESTION- for cancellations that already occurred in this period and where we received or are due to receive 50% payout. Are these to be reduced to 12.5%?

Airbnb are Snakes.

The hosts are what keeps this business running. For Brian Chesky to make the 4.1 Billion he is worth today. We have lost about 30k in bookings over the past week or so even extending into July due to COVID-19. Airbnb has always been 100% for the guest ... ALWAYS!! We are in more dyer straights than the guests at this point. If we lose our homes due to no income (esp over spring break and summer months) then there will be no houses for guests to rent. As I do appreciate that you have finally decided to give something back to the hosts it will not help in the scheme of things. You all need to go back to the drawing board and think about not having hosts to provide the homes for you. How will that affect AIRBNB? I’ve seen multiple hosts state that they are done with AIRBNB. Including me if this isn’t made 100% right for both sides.