Party’s over: Airbnb makes its party ban permanent

29 Jun 2022

Image: © Diego/Stock.adobe.com

Airbnb said there has been a 44pc annual drop in party reports globally since the ban was introduced, with more than 6,600 guests suspended last year for violating the policy.

Airbnb has made its ban on parties permanent, noting a significant drop in reports of unauthorised parties globally since the measure was introduced in 2020.

It said it has seen a 49pc annual drop in Ireland in the rate of party reports since implementing the policy, along with a 63pc drop in the UK.

The platform first began cracking down on listings that created “persistent neighbourhood nuisance” in 2019, with stricter occupancy limits and a ban on what it called “chronic party houses”.

In August 2020, Airbnb then introduced the party ban as a temporary measure to adhere to public health guidelines amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Airbnb said the policy was well received and became “more than a public health measure”, with a 44pc annual drop in party reports globally. The company added that it has received positive feedback from community leaders and elected officials.

Airbnb’s general manager for Northern Europe, Amanda Cupples, said making the ban permanent “makes clear that there is no place for disruptive parties on Airbnb”.

“Since being introduced, the ban has led to a reduction in reported incidents and helped minimise the impact of noise and nuisance issues on communities,” Cupples added.

Based on feedback, Airbnb has made changes to its now-permanent ban, such as an end to the 16-person limit to allow larger homes to be booked to full capacity.

Airbnb said there will continue to be serious consequences for guests who attempt to violate these rules, from account suspension to full removal from the platform. More than 6,600 guests were suspended from Airbnb in 2021 for attempting to violate the ban.

When the ban was first introduced, the company said it was looking into a potential exception process for “speciality and traditional hospitality venues” such as boutique hotels. Airbnb said those plans are still under construction.

“This new and long-term policy was enacted to help encourage and support community safety,” Airbnb said in a statement. “We look forward to sharing updates in the coming weeks and months on our efforts to complement our community policies on parties.”

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Leigh Mc Gowran is a journalist with Silicon Republic

editorial@siliconrepublic.com