Since the ban on parties came into effect in August 2020, Airbnb has seen a 55% year-over-year reduction in bookings worldwide, according to a company statement that also outlines a series of measures taken to strengthen security ahead of the summer season, when bookings typically increase.
The world's most popular short-term rental company announced a series of measures last week to strengthen its security and community support ahead of summer. These include the implementation of innovative technology to detect suspicious bookings, aiming to reduce the risk of parties occurring at accommodations even before the reservation is confirmed.
“Parties are prohibited on Airbnb. The company has implemented innovative technology to detect suspicious bookings in order to reduce the risk of parties taking place in a property even before the booking is confirmed. Since the party ban went into effect in August 2020, Airbnb has seen a 55 percent year-over-year reduction globally,” highlights the company, founded in 2007 and currently boasting more than 5 million hosts worldwide.
It highlights the ban on the use of indoor security cameras in all listings worldwide. “Historically, Airbnb allowed the use of indoor security cameras in common areas, such as hallways and living rooms, as long as their presence was described on the listing page before booking, they were clearly visible, and they were not located in spaces such as sleeping areas and bathrooms.”.
It adds that updating this policy simplifies the approach and makes it clear that security cameras are not permitted inside accommodations, regardless of their location, purpose, or prior disclosure.
Airbnb emphasizes its commitment to promoting responsible tourism and harmonious coexistence between travelers and locals. In Spain, the company reports that to reinforce this commitment, it has launched a comprehensive support plan for hosts, neighbors, and local communities.
“As summer 2024 approaches, hundreds of thousands of guests from around the world will book a stay with a host in Spain. The overwhelming majority of Airbnb hosts and guests are neighbors and respectful travelers,” he says.
The plan for the European country includes a series of partnerships with local associations and institutions to prevent disturbances and improve coexistence, recommendations for hosts with announcements in areas that could be affected by water restrictions during the summer.
It states that WeRespect, an alliance of several service companies and host associations in the short-term rental ecosystem in Spain, of which Airbnb is a member, presented a series of initiatives to improve coexistence in the neighborhood.
“Airbnb is committed to the continuous development of services and measures to promote more sustainable tourism. The latest initiatives presented within the WeRespect alliance, of which we are a member, are another step in our efforts to increase trust and safety for travelers and hosts on our platform,” said Sara Rodríguez, Director of Public Policy and Campaigns at Airbnb Marketing Services SL.
The statement highlights that WeRespect will distribute a "Best Practices Manual" to more than 3,000 hosts in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Cádiz, and Valencia, providing tips and strategies for responsible hosting. WeRespect has also launched a complaints hotline to collect and analyze issues arising from tourist accommodations, enabling them to address problems related to coexistence.
“Finally, WeRespect has launched a mediation program for hosts and neighbors, which promotes understanding and information sharing between the two parties when a problem arises. This mediation program will be conducted by conflict resolution experts, and its effectiveness was tested by WeRespect in 2021 in Barcelona, in collaboration with the city council.”.
It adds that through the "Neighbor Support Line," people who share a building with an Airbnb host can contact a company representative directly in Spanish to express their concerns about a listing. "After their request, Airbnb will contact them within an hour to address the issue. While emergencies and security incidents should be reported to local authorities, this Neighbor Support Line aims to address both immediate disturbances, such as an unauthorized party taking place right now, and potential long-term or recurring problems.".
For some regions of Spain affected by severe drought, some plans include measures such as prohibiting the filling of swimming pools in municipalities under a state of emergency. “Airbnb is proactively contacting hosts with pools and guiding them on how to report this situation in their listings to avoid unexpected problems and potential cancellations.”.
The short-stay platform argues that it is important for guests and hosts on Airbnb to be able to trust that the people on the platform are who they say they are, and that identity verification is therefore an important part of generating that trust, which is why, it says, it is required that all guests who book accommodations and hosts complete the verification process.
Among its pre-summer measures, Airbnb also cites improvements to its quality measurement system, designed to help travelers book with greater confidence. “In addition to guest reviews, the improved system analyzes a wide range of factors, such as host cancellations and customer service issues, to provide a comprehensive picture of listing quality. As part of this effort, more than 1,000 listings that failed to meet reliability and quality standards have been removed in Spain since April 2023,” the company states.
Cover photo: Airbnb
