Airbnb: Tools for Minimizing the Impact of COVID-19

ResNexus is a proud direct connection partner with Airbnb! As such, we wanted to share some of the latest information provided by Airbnb to help minimize the impact of COVID-19 on your business.

Below are some resources to help you adapt your Airbnb listings to help maximize your return, and navigate this disruptive market.

Frontline Stays: Open Your Spaces to COVID-19 Responders

Airbnb is launching a program to provide stays to 100,000 COVID-19 responders around the world. If you have one or more spaces that are entire places without any other guests present, you may be eligible to host healthcare staff and first responders.

For properties that wish to participate:

• You must commit to an extensive cleaning and disinfecting checklist for preventing the spread of COVID-19
• Opt in with individual listings via Manage Your Space, or select multiple properties via the Listings Page
• During the opt-in process, you'll be able to set your price at your full rate, at a discounted rate, or for free
• For deep cleaning purposes, a 72-hour gap will be required between any two consecutive reservations for all listings, which will be automatically applied to your calendar
• Airbnb fees will be waived for the first 100,000 stays through this program

Give guests the confidence to book your rooms by offering a flexible cancellation policy on your Airbnb listings. If you currently have a strict cancellation policy in place, consider switching to a flexible or moderate one—you can always go back to your strict cancellation policy as needed.

Things to keep in mind:

• Airbnb will highlight listings with flexible and moderate cancellation policies so guests can more easily find them
• Airbnb will be launching a new feature that will let you apply a temporary flexible cancellation policy to new reservations that take place within a specific timeframe
• This is becoming a popular option for hosts: The share of bookings with a flexible policy is 15% higher right now than it was before COVID-19

Many guests may be considering longer stays that are closer to home. You can easily add weekly or monthly discounts to some or all of your listings, which may encourage guests to book a longer stay at one of your properties. 

Things to keep in mind:

• Airbnb is noticing more guest searches for nearby stays for seven or more nights
• If your space offers things like fast WIFI, a comfortable workspace, and/or is suitable for children, it's a good idea to update your amenities accordingly
• You can now set weekly or monthly discounts directly on Airbnb
• Explore more ideas to update your listing here

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky recently announced new programs to support hosts, including $250 million USD that Airbnb has set aside to help share the cost of COVID-19 cancellations. This assistance can apply to reservations booked on or before March 14 with a check-in between March 14 and May 31, 2020. Airbnb also worked to secure support for hosts in the U.S. government's recent COVID-19 stimulus bill. For more information, read here.

Discover Helpful Cleaning Resources

Cleanliness is more critical than ever as we all aim to reduce the spread of infection. Airbnb has assembled what you need to know about cleaning and disinfecting in one place, including guidelines from the CDC, methods you can adopt to help guests maintain a higher standard of cleanliness and hygiene, how to encourage social distancing by offering self-check-in and checkout, and more.

Head To Airbnb.com/COVID When You Need Answers

Airbnb's new COVID-19 site answers many frequently asked questions, from what to do when guests cancel to how to find the help you need online.

You'll also find:

• Tips on how to minimize the impact on your hosting business
• Answers abouttravel advisories
• Guidelines about our extenuating circumstances policy
• How to get answers you need about COVID-19 and hosting