Airbnb to stop offering refunds to hosts or guests that contract COVID-19

Source: Airbnb

Airbnb bookings made on or after May 31 will no longer be eligible for refunds related to COVID-19 issues. Instead, the standard cancellation policy will apply to cases where a host or guest gets COVID-19. According to that policy, nearly two-thirds of active offer policies allow guests to cancel up to five days (under the moderate policy) or up to 24 hours before check-in (under the flexible policy). Those who reserve before that date may still be eligible for the COVID-19-linked refund if they meet Airbnb's terms.

The only exceptions for domestic reservations are in South Korea and mainland China. The company said it will still offer refunds for some COVID-19-related circumstances for the foreseeable future. The pandemic isn't over, but it's unsurprising for Airbnb to make this move. The company and others in the travel industry have been heavily impacted by the pandemic. Airbnb laid off 25% of its workforce, and it looks like it wants to get back to business as usual.

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You can rent the 'Home Alone' house on Airbnb this month

If you want to find out what it's like to live in Kevin McCallister, you can do just that this month. The original Home Alone is available for a one-night stay through Airbnb. Those interested in staying can request to book this stay starting Tuesday, December 7 at 1 PM CT at this link. The house will be available on December 12. 

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Airbnb reveals summer travel trends for 2021 and over 100 upgrades

As we quickly approach the summer months many of us are wondering about travel plans. Sticking close to home has always been a great option pandemic or not. When to go, where to stay, and what health and safety protocols are in place are important factors now more than ever. Airbnb has just announced 100+ upgrades across their entire service to meet a new era in travel. Inspired by the Arbnb Report on Travel & Living–a comprehensive analysis of Airbnb booking data and consumer research–revealing how guests are going from travelling at all the same times to all the same places, to living anywhere at any time, and for however long. The trend report also reveals how people are travelling this summer and where they are going. 

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Jony Ive enters into multi-year partnership with Airbnb

Roughly one year after he left Apple Inc. Sir Jony Ive is back in the tech limelight, not for a revolutionary new product or innovation but because of a multi-year partnership with Airbnb. Ive retired last year to form his own LoveFrom design firm which was supposedly still open to collaborate with Apple. We've had a slew of product releases from Apple that seemed to have no direct involvement with Jony Ive. 

News has it that Ive's firm LoveFrom will help design the next generation of Airbnb products and services. This might seem confusing since Airbnb's service is hinged on technology that enables individuals to rent out their homes or apartments (something that has fallen out of favour lately, because of COVID-19). Collaborating with a design luminary like Ive seems strange, but if you consider Ive's final masterwork for Apple was his involvement in the Apple Park mothership, it makes sense to leverage his substantial knowledge of architecture, interior design, and innovation. Of course, the joke Ive watchers will make is that Airbnb is gearing up to create a series of white rooms like the one Ive used to do his Apple keynote voice overs from. This partnership could see Ive move on to his next phase as a designer and will likely yield some surprising new products for Airbnb.

Source: 9to5Mac