No local guest feature

[Jermain40]

It would be nice if Airbnb added a clear and easy to read "No Local Guest" option for hosts.  This is a big issue that has not been addressed. I feel this should encompass about a 50 mile radius of the host city. 

[Quincy]

Hi @Jermain40, thank you for sharing your suggestion.

The Airbnb community is committed to building a world where people from every background feel welcome and respected, no matter how far (or close) they have traveled from home.

As such, we have a comprehensive Nondiscrimination policy that protects Hosts and guests from any sort of discrimination, regardless of their origin, background or identity. We appreciate your feedback and understand that this is an important matter for you.

However we wanted to take this opportunity to remind everybody that, as members of the Airbnb community, these are values that we all have a responsibility to uphold and protect.

Quincy

[Mariann4]

Actually @Quincy Airbnb have this excact policy. If a local tries to book an entire listing for one night during weekend the booking is rejected. By Airbnb. So maybe Airbnb should get this warning? Since by the non-discriminatory policy Airbnb themselves are discriminating? 🤷‍

[Bhumika]

Hi @Mariann4 , 

Are you talking about the unauthorized party prevention initiative? If so there’re numerous factors involved, including timing of the booking, lack of reviews, etc.

Furthermore the guest will be given an alternative, specifically our boutique hotel offerings.

More information in this article here:

• To prevent unauthorized parties and maintain the safety of Host's property, this technology blocks certain last-minute bookings of entire homes, by taking into account risk factors about the listing, reservation, and guest. For example, a guest with no reviews that attempts to book an entire home, locally, on the same day that they wish to check in may be blocked.
• In most cases, a guest with many positive reviews would still be able to book a listing last-minute without restrictions.
• Guests impacted by this restriction would not be able to complete the requested entire-home booking and would instead be redirected to our boutique hotel offerings. 

I trust this information helps you better understand the unauthorized party prevention initiative.

[Mariann4]

You could have said all that in one word @Bhumika : discrimination

And when this happens, guests throw a party, the host calls it in, THE HOST GETS BANNED! That's borderline illegal...

So like I said: instead of new releases, fix the things that are already broken.

[Clara116]

@Mariann4 and you could say your approach in one word to the Community manager - Rude. 

I'd say unnecessary. 

Hosts that discover a party need to STOP the party, call police, sheriff or whatever is needed. Airbnb is a booking platform and they can not intervene with unruly guests throwing a party. So when the hosts calls them and says a party, sounds like the Host allowed it...well if you didn't stop it you did? Even when they didn't - stop it first -

I'd be surprised if you don't find the new release really helpful. Just saying...

Clara 

[Kia272]

With your process, how would AirBnB become aware that the guest is a problem @Clara116 ?

And I believe that the mods/community managers are very capable of managing feedback from other hosts without your input. I don't think @Mariann4 was rude at all. She makes some very valid points. There are many, many things that need to be fixed on this platform, including many policies that make no sense, yet affect hosts in significant ways. 

This post from AirBnB appears to be soliciting opinions from hosts, and she is simply sharing hers. 

[Mariann4]

Thank you @Kia272 

[Mariann4]

Well @Clara116 ... It's just a copy-past respond from the PR section of Airbnb. They hold the championship in using MANY words without saying anything. Were I come from we say cut the c*** and be consise. Maybe you're not used to it...

As for the parties. Holding a party is not allowed within the Airbnb rules due to tragic events, particularly in the US. A party doesn't need to have hundreds of guests. And calling the police on 15 people is a waste of police resources. But Airbnb needs to know about guests breaking houserules. Those guests need to be banned. So when hosts calls Airbnb to let them know, not to have them intervene, and maybe they call AFTER the incident is closed down, Airbnb systematically closes the host! Often they cancel future bookings as well. That's breach of contract from Airbnb and illegal.

[Jermain40]

Hi Quincy, there has been numerous meetings in my city regarding this issue. We as host always accomodate guests free of discrimination. However, we do have the option not to host guests if we feel uncomfortable or review the reason for a guest stay may be of concern. Many of the current issues arise mainly from local guests looking to take advantage of Airbnb rentals to take part in activities they would not normally do in their own homes which could be one or five miles away.  View attached....

https://youtu.be/bl_n9gDPebg?feature=shared

[Quincy]

Hi @Jermain40, thank you very much for sharing this with me and giving me more context.

Knowing that this is a very important topic for many Hosts is why my colleague Bhumika shared information about Airbnb promoting the Pilot Initiative To Prevent Unauthorized Parties.

In addition to Airbnb's Initiative To Prevent Unauthorized Parties, do you think that in relation to this subject there would be some kind of anti-party technology that could help?

Thank you,

Quincy 

[Robert9509]

I am going to bump this post from Jermain, as I am also from St. Louis.

AirBnB's non-discrimination policy does not state that City of Residence is a protected class. It's really critical that Community Managers are consistent, and I don't think that this answer from Quincy is consistent with AirBnB published policy, as City of Residence is not a protected characteristic on AirBnB.

In fact, Mariann is correct that AirBnB itself does prevent local guests from booking last minute stays, and thus AirBnB considers and rejects guests based in part on City of Residence in its own internal screening process.

Every hotel and bed and breakfast in St. Louis, and the rest of the USA, restricts local guests.  That's because it is not illegal in the USA to restrict local guests if you are a hotel.  There are no anti-discrimination laws that apply to local guests, because City of Residence is not the same thing as National Origin under U.S. law.

Hospitality industry knowledge is important.  This is basic knowledge for people in the hospitality industry.  Local guests are statistically far more likely to throw parties, commit illegal activities, and have a criminal history--that's why AirBnB banned local guests with few reviews in their internal algorithm from last minute bookings--but even then sometimes AirBnB misses local guests trying to circumvent the unauthorized party prevention initiative if they claim to live in another city.

Clearly, Jermain is still asking guests what city they are from in his bookings, as it's listed on his listing description, and 1000s of hosts do this because AirBnB support has determined it is an enforceable requirement.

It's high time AirBnB not send mixed messages with one staff member saying one thing and another saying something different on this critical issue for AirBnB's perception publically.

If AirBnB wants to be perceived as not a nuisance to the community or a hub for illicit activity and parties, as it is constantly criticized by in the media, AirBnB has to be vocal in supporting hosts who refuse local guests like every other hotel in the USA, as City of Residence is clearly not a protected class under AirBnB published policy or US law.

[Helen3]

I just weed out potential problem guests through vetting @Jermain40 

You don't need a blanket local ban

I regularly have locals stay when they are between homes/when building work is being carried out/when they've moved into the area and need temporary accommodation . 

what vetting procedures do you use to ensure guests are a good fit for your listings? 

[Jermain40]

@Helen3 In the U.S. particularly St. Louis, the city is very urban similar to Bristol with unfortunately a way higher level of violence and crime versus the statistics of your city and neighborhoods such as Bedminster, Kingsdown and Hartcliff. So we as hosts have to be very diligent in sorting out potential threats to our homes and business. I still do accept local guests as long as their purpose for staying doesn't sound dodgy. 

1. I always ask guests to answer a few short questions pertaining to their stay.

2. I look for positive past reviews.

3. I look at age and experience on the platform. 

4. If the purpose of their stay sounds odd, I generally ask for more information. 

5. Profile Photo