How Airbnb aims to crack down on New Year's Eve parties
Over 12K guests in US were blocked or redirected from booking during New Year's Eve in 2021
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Airbnb announced Thursday that it's tightening rules and enhancing technology aimed at preventing unauthorized New Year's Eve parties in nearly a dozen countries.
This year, the home-sharing platform will implement tighter restrictions on certain types of bookings in 11 countries, including the U.S., throughout New Year's Eve weekend. Last year, the company implemented restrictions on certain bookings in eight countries.
This includes a ban on one-night bookings for entire homes for guests who don't have a "positive account history" or who don't have any previous bookings, according to Airbnb. There are also heightened restrictions for the aforementioned guests who try and book two- or three-night reservations, especially locally, the company said.
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"We are committed to reducing instances of unauthorized parties and helping hosts protect against neighborhood disruption, and certain times of year, like New Year’s Eve, can attract a higher risk of unauthorized or disruptive parties," Airbnb said in a blog post.
The company has been piloting restrictions for the holiday since 2020 in an effort to ward off disruptive parties and any nuisance to neighbors following complaints.
The Airbnb app seen displayed on a smartphone screen with the Airbnb website displayed on a laptop in the background. (Thiago Prudencio/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Since implementing restrictions, the company has seen a drop in incidents globally. The company estimated that there has been a 56% year-over-year decrease in incidents during the New Year's Eve holiday since 2020.
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Roughly 340,000 guests globally were blocked or redirected from attempting to book, including more than 120,000 guests in the U.S., during the New Year's Eve holiday weekend last year.
Earlier this summer, the company codified its temporary ban on unauthorized house parties.
A woman browses the site of US home sharing giant Airbnb on a tablet in Berlin on April 28, 2016. (OHN MACDOUGALL/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Although "the overwhelming majority of guests and hosts" are respectful, "these proactive defenses will help to promote responsible travel and help to prevent rare instances of unwelcome behavior," according to Naba Banerjee, Airbnb's director of trust product and operations.
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They will also allow "hosts, guests and communities to enjoy their end of year celebrations with added reassurance," Banerjee added.
The launch of Airbnb's reservation screening technology in 2021 is just one way the company is working to prevent disruptive parties or property damage.
Previously, Airbnb announced that any guest who violates Airbnb's rules will face serious consequences ranging from getting an account suspension or being removed from the platform.