Just in time for Memorial Day weekend, Airbnb is cracking down on partying at their rental homes. This week, the company started rolling out their “proprietary anti-party technology” for listings nationwide, to send a message that no one’s getting into trouble at their properties.
It’s the fourth year that Airbnb has used this high-tech defense system to block certain bookings during summer holidays, including Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. The goal is to “reduce the risk of disruptive parties,” which are banned on the platform, and “to promote responsible and safe stays.”
So, how do these Airbnb “anti-party defenses” work?
- The technology identifies and flags “certain (booking) attempts” based on factors like the type of listing being booked, length of stay, distance to the listing from the guest’s primary location and whether the reservation was made at the last minute.
- Trying to book a one-to-two night stay in an entire home could be considered higher risk for a disruptive party.
- Anyone who’s “blocked” from booking an entire home will have the option to book “alternative accommodations” on Airbnb.
- Last year, the anti-party defenses stopped around 51-thousand people in the U.S. from booking a home on the platform for both summer holiday weekends.
"Although incidents of disruptive parties on Airbnb are rare, we are committed to working to reduce the risk and helping hosts promote positive experiences in their homes and local neighborhood," Airbnb explains.
Source: USA Today