No more parties at Airbnbs: The company makes its party ban permanent

Airbnb will permanently ban parties in rental homes listed across the globe, according to a company announcement today. First instituted in August 2020, the party ban was designed to curtail large social gatherings during the pandemic, particularly when bars and restaurants were off-limits due to public-health restrictions.   

According to Airbnb, the August 2020 ban had a direct correlation with a 44 percent year-over-year drop in party reports at hosting sites. In 2021 alone, over 6,600 guests were suspended from listing their homes on Airbnb after violating the company’s strict party ban.  

“Over time, the party ban became much more than a public health measure,” the company said in its announcement today. “It developed into a bedrock community policy to support our Hosts and their neighbors.” 

The newly permanent policy includes a ban on disruptive events, open-invite gatherings, and “party house” property listings. Following multiple previous safety concerns, including a 2019 shooting that took place at a property listed as a “party house” on Airbnb’s site, the company prohibited similar properties and rolled out a new listing verification procedure to ensure guest safety.

Unlike the original 2020 policy. Airbnb is set to lift the 16-person occupancy cap specifically designed to combat concerns regarding the spread of Covid-19 among large groups of guests. Going forward, hosts with properties that can house more than 16 residents will once again be allowed to rent to their full capacity.  

This official ban comes following the company’s recent summer announcement of Airbnb Categories, a new way to search for renters by subgroups like “tent,” “surfing,” or “cabin,” and Split Stays, a feature that now allows guests to split their trip between multiple homes. The company is even taking submissions for what are known as “OMG” homes, experiential stays in structures ranging from homes that look like UFOs to giant boots.  

Removing the 16-guest capacity limit while still curtailing disruptive socializing will allow travelers to explore these expanding options, according to the company. “Amazing properties like these thrive on hosting multi-generational family trips and larger groups, and removing this cap is meant to allow those Hosts to responsibly utilize the space in their homes while still complying with our ban on disruptive parties,” the company said.  

https://www.fastcompany.com/90765165/airbnb-permanent-ban-on-parties-events?partner=rss&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss+fastcompany&utm_content=rss