Airbnb Winter Release 2022: more protection for hosts

Airbnb Winter Release 2022: what it is and why it is so important

The Airbnb Winter Release is the biannual event in which the company announces the platform’s most important news for the months to come; the aim is to simplify hosting and meet the new needs of travellers according to the latest trends in the tourism industry.

The new event, announced in November 2022, is particularly interesting for hosts and vacation rental managers because it is mainly dedicated to them.

The 10 key updates

Airbnb has listened to its hosts and launched 10 impactful updates to improve the business of property managers.

Here is the complete list:

1. AirCover for Hosts has been improved to provide even more protection for hosts, with a damage protection indemnity rising from $1 million to $3 million;
2. Simplified reimbursement process;
3. Introduction of guest identity verification;
4. Checking of reservations to avoid situations that contravene Ground Rules, such as unauthorised parties (the feature is for now only available in the US and Canada and will be introduced worldwide in Spring 2023);
5. The ground rules established by the hosts will be displayed prominently at the time of booking and will have new and more strict constraints.
6. Detailed guest reviews;
7. Simplified and improved procedure for challenging retaliatory and false reviews;
8. Faster payments to get paid in less than 30 minutes (US only);
9. 7 new categories to increase the visibility of the houses and to make it easier for travellers to discover them;
10. Checking categories for hosts to find out which type your home belongs to and simplify the system’s categorisation process.

AirCover for Hosts

The improvement of AirCover for Hosts – Airbnb’s host protection insurance that applies to every booking for free – is one of the critical aspects of the Airbnb Winter Release 2022.

As already said, the reimbursement rate for damage caused by ‘unfortunate’ stays is raised from USD 1 million to USD 3 million. It now also includes damage caused to works of art, valuables, cars and boats.

It will also be easier to submit a reimbursement request: selecting the type of damage, the object in question, its ‘age’ and value, thus reducing the steps required for this process from 14 to just 3!

Finally, the new guest identity verification allows owners to only accept bookings from travellers who can prove their identity; this tool is already active in more than 35 countries worldwide.

Ground rules for guests

The other big news of Airbnb’s winter release is the introduction of a new system of Ground Rules, which every traveller must accept before completing a reservation.

In addition to the points of the already existing rules concerning pets, events and smoking, it will be possible to regulate five new aspects:

• Vaping and e-cigarettes
• Hours during which noise must be limited
• Check-in and check-out times
• Maximum number of guests
• Commercial photography and filming

The Ground Rules are now more well-known and will help ensure your property is treated more respectfully.

A report, if confirmed, will result in an initial warning of the host, which may turn into his suspension and removal from the platform in the event of repeated fraudulent conduct.

New review system

Airbnb Reviews have also seen a significant evolution in the new release. The updates will cover two parallel aspects of reviews: the reviews for travellers and the system for contesting untruthful and retaliatory reviews.

Since we have already discussed this in the Airbnb Reviews article, it is possible to write reviews for the guests staying at your property.

Now can include more details in the reviews and provide an overall evaluation of the guest and a judgement for each different point of view, such as communication, cleanliness and basic rules. You will also be subjected to these details by the guests.

The possibility of writing guest reviews together with the enforcement process of ground rules contributes to Airbnb’s goal of creating successful matches between supply and demand, between travellers and hosts.

Finally, thanks to Winter Release 2022, you will also be protected against untruthful reviews. How? Reporting a fake review will be more accessible thanks to the introduction, in early 2023, of a dedicated chatbot without having to go through Airbnb Support.

Furthermore, it will be possible to request the removal of so-called retaliatory reviews, namely that feedback from guests like blackmail against hosts.

For example, have you informed your guest of rude behaviour or behaviour outside the house rules? The angry guest does not accept the report and, in retaliation, writes a negative review. Now, you can remove these comments, protecting your reputation and chances of becoming an Airbnb Superhost.

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