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

[Airbnb]

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:

• Insurance options for you and your guests
• Programs to drive demand during the recovery period
• Airbnb housing for COVID-19 responders
• Cleaning guidelines and protocols informed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

 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. 

[Eva1919]

Completely agree!

My co-host and I have been suggesting this to our guests even before the travel bans were in place, when the first cancellations occurred, in hope that we would avoid further cancellations. Airlines have been offering this option and this way, with this strategy, it’s a win win situation for both parties. If we could implement this moving forward then us hosts wouldn’t have to take the full burden of the cancellation consequences. 

[Belinda55]

Yes, this is what airlines are doing.

[Bobbiecool0]

Careful, that's too much common sense in one sentence. 

[Julee7]

This is typical in hospitality, and I tried this with my guests but with airbnb offering full refunds they all just took their money!

[Jeff201]

   On first thought I agree with this and think it's a great idea. However, nobody knows when the next 'safe travel time' will be for guests or anyone to travel again. And because of that, like many other hosts, I am considering going back to long term rental instead of vacation rental. So, I personally cannot guarantee my rental will available to those guests cancelling.

[Stephanie1606]

Hey! When does this reflect in the app? I have a reservation that needs to be cancelled with a check-in after April 14th but before May 31. Reservation was made prior to March 14th. App is still reflecting the old policy.

[Belinda55]

Yep, same here, have a booking for May where guests are no doubt waiting on extending the dates for cancellation. I need to remove as I need to convert to long term rental for now. Still says April 14 cutoff on the Au website - perhaps it varies according to location?

[Brenna-And-Mark0]

Why March 14th? Why pick a date? My guests all cancelled due to Covid 19 but cancelled March 10, 11 or 12th. I hardly ever have cancellations and March has always been a lucrative month. Not the case and solely due to Covid 19!  

[Karen2410]

same, same here, early March, it was obvious travel getting disrupted on west coast in late Feb, actually

[Benjamin710]

I'm impressed with what the Airbnb team has offered. It's way more than a corps would do. Your hearts are in it. 

What I'd like to know as a host is guidance about the future. 

What do you expect to happen in the coming months. What has been the fallout--cancellation numbers, etc.--and what are you expecting. 

Your partners would love to know. It will help us plan and prepare to be even better hosts. 

Du courage!

[Bobbiecool0]

You're impressed? Airbnb know exactly what they're doing. They know full well there's a moderate percentage of hosts who have a flexible cancellation policy, which Airbnb actively promotes, so those hosts get NOTHING. Even hosts like myself who have a strict cancellation policy i won't see much because either if guests have cancelled with more than 14 days to go before their stay, so I'd get nothing, or it was in between 7 and 14 days, which means 25% of 50%. Hardly worth it tbh. Feels like they're pouring salt in my wound. If this carrys on I will message my upcoming guests and ask them not to cancel until at least 1 week before arrival, otherwise it's pointless for me, financially speaking. Also, Airbnb have taken WEEKS to get to this point. They're a mess. 

[Frank35]

AirBnB IS a "corp". What do you think they are????

[Belinda55]

I was heartened to hear of the new offer from Airbnb to partially reimburse hosts for Covid-19 cancellations. According to the host’s ‘regular cancellation policy’. So ... those who have followed Airbnb’s recommendation of having a moderate or flexible policy, will likely receive nothing. Those who, contrary to recommendations, have stuck with a strict policy, will be recompensed. Do I have it right?.

”Airbnb will pay the host 25% of what they would normally receive through their cancellation policy”

[Jude7]

@Belinda55 -  I had the same reaction immediately upon hearing those words. “According to a host existing cancellation policy.“ I’ve lost already over $3000 in bookings  due to cancellations because of the virus in New York. However, with my moderate policy, all guests canceled within the timeframe that would have allowed them to get a full refund anyway. They haven’t lost anything. I’ve lost a lot. However,  according to the caveat that payments will be made per a host’s existing cancellation policy, I suspect my $3000 loss will get me nothing.

I greatly appreciate the things that Brian shared during today’s recorded message. But he raised more questions than he answered, and gave no direction as to how we can apply for some of these programs. I feel like we’re sitting in limbo.  I’ve been waiting three days for a response from Airbnb through Twitter. With no one to contact, I’m wondering how we’re supposed to get information about how to proceed. I’m also not sure if the date has been extended beyond April 15, since somewhere the  end of May has been mentioned. 

 This entire community will be grateful for any information any hosts can post as they begin to muddle through the various processes. I know I will do the same. 

Jude

[JohnAndTeresa0]

We could not find the Brian feed.

Airbnb did not make any easier for us to even find the feed.

Just sent us down rabbit holes on line.

Can not believe they did hot provide links to his feed.

Frustrating, as Super Hosts we feel like outsiders.