I have read many opinions in this community and I thought I should left my opnion here on this matter.
If by any chance the Airbnb founders and owners read this, maybe they can take it into consideration.
Other hosts that would like to give their opinion are welcome.
The Future of Airbnb Considering 2 Scenarios
1-The future looks bright ahead for home-sharing.
2- Not the same for Multiple Listing if Airbnb does not change its course regarding strict cancelation policy options. Airbnb must restore the control of the properties to its owners.
1- I think that the great majority of host that offer home-stay type accommodation (shared space in the same roof) will continue to trust in Airbnb.
It seems that most of them are happy and also praising airbnb.
So I think that the reputation as platform to offer home-stay is ok with the hosts that offer this type of accommodation.
It is very clear that a considerable number of home-stay hosts do not feel empathy with Hosts that has more than 1 listings!
What C-virus crises has reveals is an uneaseness that has been latent since a long time
Some hosts feel that they are not in the same boat.
2- As for the ones who offer entire space, that has 1 or more than one listings, I think that Airbnbn has destroyed their reputation to them.
I may continue using Airbnb in the future, but I do not trust in the company to fill completely my calendar. I will have to diversify by using some other platform, mainly to fill the most important dates and high season.
The biggest mistake Airbnb has done!
Airbnb made a great mistake. They think that they can keep their guests by having them happy cos they did not have to share any loss.
What will happen when things returns to normal?
Maybe Airbnb will have lots of guest willing to book.
Is it good? Depends on some factors....!
Let us compare with hotels.
Imagine a hotel that has lots of previous guests wanting to book... however the hotel did not cared for its assets... half of the rooms are in ruins and the staff is new and not well prepared...
Imagine another hotel that has lots of good rooms and good staff offering good accommodation and less guests to book in the begining..... who is the one you think will have more chances to succeed in a mid or long run?
It is no use to have lots of clients if you can not deliver what they want...!
Too many clients and bad service is the perfect combination to destroy at once the reputation of some company.
Based on my thoughts I left above, I tend to think that, Airbnb will survive and will have success with their base of home-stay hosts.
As for holiday lettings/rental sector, I think that if another bold and good company appears in the market, Airbnb may have hard times.
To reconquest their base of off-site hosts, Airbnb will have to better and enforce the strict cancellation policy options to restore the confidence in the company that has been badly shaken.
Holiday lettings(rental) depends on strict cancellation policies. Once the renter has paid for some stay in the future, the renter must accomplish. It does not matter what may happen. The future is uncertain for the renter and for the owner. It is not only the owner who have to have losses in case by any chance the renter can not come to stay in the property.
PS - Post Script and Disclaimer text
I also have to say that I am a host that have multiple listing and I like earning money. I think there is nothing wrong with this if I offer a good stay. I have had tons of happy guests and it makes me happy as well.
As what I have said before, in the above lines, everybody has notice that there is an uneaseness that has been latent since a long time! The home-stay hosts would like to have a platform dedicated only to offer home stay or shared accommodation.
I also would like to say that, we the hosts that have multiple listings do not compete with you that offer home-stay. We offer a different experience of stay that existed since a long time. Long before Airbnb existed.
If we list our properties in Airbnb it is cos Airbnb became one of the best options of the holiday lettings(rental in US) sector to get bookings. It was not us the hosts who created Airbnb. We just list our properties here because Airbnb offer this service and invite us.
I also have to say that, this community is very useful for both type of hosts. To me it is good to read opinions of both type of guests. We have lots of things in common when it comes to reviews and how to deal with guests and etc.