Airbnb knows you might be reluctant to book a stay as the COVID-19 pandemic makes travel risky, so it plans to offer some protection of its own. The rental service has revealed he will introduce personalized travel insurance for guests sometime this spring. While terms are not available, Airbnb will team up with a “reputable” insurer to provide coverage.
The company has also launched a COVID Guest Support Program that partially compensates travelers if border closures, quarantine periods or other government policies make existing reservations impractical. If a host does not provide a full refund, Airbnb will offer a travel coupon worth 50% of the amount that has not yet been refunded. The program applies to all stays with a check-in date of December 1, 2021 or later, so you may want to speak to Airbnb if your vacation plans fall apart.
There is no mystery behind the strategy. Airbnb’s business has been hit hard by the pandemic as a whole, and the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is only adding to the concern of hosts and guests who expected the worst to be over. First-party insurance and coupons can persuade some would-be adventurers to book stays when they would have otherwise stayed home.
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