Airbnb Demands Some Hosts Pay $350 CAD/ $260 USD for Photoshoots while others receive Photography for FREE

[Charlene4]

I just completed a phone call with Airbnb Customer Service and was informed of a photography promotion for a FREE photoshoot that was offered to "select" hosts and not to others. I had just booked a photoshoot for $269USD or over $350CAD and it was explained to me that I would have to pay and that this FREE promotion was not available to me but only to a select number of listings that the photography partners identified. Being an Airbnb host for nearly 20 years, I found this an affront to the high level of customer service Airbnb "proposes" they have for hosts. #BrianChesky this feels like fraud. Either offer all of your customers a promotion or none. @Brian 

[Ann72]

The free photo shoots are offered to hosts whose listings look like they need help @Charlene4.  Consider it a compliment to your listing if you didn't get that offer.  Meanwhile if I could find a professional photographer who only charges a few hundred dollars to photograph my listing I'd hire him or her in a New York minute.

[Charlene4]

Were you paid for this response?

[Fred13 · Accepted solution]

It is simply a gift.

[Charlene4]

I offered an idea to AirBnB. If Airbnb had offered this promotion for FREE photography in conjunction with asking hosts to take a cut on earnings in exchange aka lowering their nightly price in order to receive the photos I think that would be fair. Both would result in AirBnB earning more bookings and an owner uplifting their site. 

[Fred13]

I never heard of Airbnb charging for this offer. Photographs are indeed important, but mostly for the individual host, since if a guest doesn't  like your place (largely due to its photography) they will book someone else's place, is  not like they are not going to book at all with Airbnb.

[Kia272]

@Charlene4  How is AirBnB "demanding" that you pay for a photo shoot? You can take pictures with your iPhone. 

Better pictures make your property look better and likely help you get more bookings and earn more money. Having professional pics taken is your own decision. 

[Charlene4]

This company is built on the backs of owners/hosts and I hope to make the point that  equity matters to you and I.