@David2905
I also responded to you about this on another thread. The basic problem here is that Airbnb is not requiring guests to provide evidence of COVID-19 extenuating circumstances (e.g. that they are either unable to travel due to COVID-19 or are themselves ill from it) if they accept a travel coupon instead of a monetary refund. To get the former, all they have to do is 'attest' that they qualify and no evidence will be required. You have no way of knowing if they did this or not as Airbnb will not share this 'confidential' information with the host.
This is, of course, totally unfair to hosts but a great way for Airbnb to not only minimise their losses, but actually potentially make more money from these cancellations than they would have should the guest not have cancelled. Here is why:
1. Guest cancels under host's normal policy, let's say Strict. Host gets paid 50%, guest gets refunded 50%. Airbnb gets its fees and keeps any interest they made on the guest's payments to date. Guest may be angry and trash Airbnb on social media/to their friends.
2. Guest cancels under COVID-19 EC and provides evidence. Host gets 0%, guest gests refunded 100% (presumably including Airbnb fees), Airbnb only keeps the interest they have made on guest payment to date. Guest is appeased, doesn't trash Airbnb and is more likely to use it again.
3. Guest cancels under COVID-19 EC without evidence and only 'attests' to qualifying. Host gets 0%, guest gets 100% in the form of a coupon for future travel which they can use on other listings, Airbnb in the meantime gets to keep 100% and make further interest. Should the guest use the coupon, Airbnb also gets to keep its fees. Guest is appeased, doesn't trash Airbnb and is more likely to use it again.
4. Same scenario as 3. BUT guest never gets round to using the coupon by the expiration date. Host gets 0%, guest gets 0%, Airbnb gests to keep 100% of its fees + 100% of the accommodation fees the guest had already paid and has made even more interest on it. Yep, Airbnb get to keep all of the accommodation fees that should have at least partly been paid to the host. Guest can't complain, doesn't trash Airbnb and might use it again.
Given that many guests who don't really qualify for the EC would rather have a 100% coupon instead of a 50% refund and that statistics show that the vast majority of people never get around to using coupons/credit, scenario 4. is likely to happen in MANY cases.
This is the best case scenario for Airbnb because they will actually make a lot more than if the guest had actually fulfilled the booking. Host gets nothing, guest gets nothing, but neither has the right to complain.