SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Airbnb has changed its policy on bookings to prevent wild New Year's Eve parties.
"We're not trying to say that nobody should be partying on New Year's Eve," said Ben Breit, Head of Trust and Safety Communications at Airbnb.
"What we are trying to say is that if you're going to do it, do not do it in an Airbnb listing."
Breit says New Year's Eve tends to attract a higher risk of guests throwing wild parties without permission.
"It can lead to property damage. It can be disruptive to neighbors."
The company will block people lacking a history of positive reviews from booking one-night stays in entire home listings over New Year's Eve weekend.
Airbnb will also restrict two-night reservations as we get closer to the holiday by banning local and last-minute bookings from those guests.
The initiative was piloted last NYE and it proved to be effective.
"Around 243,000 guests globally encountered these defenses during booking attempts ahead of NYE 2020," according to a press release.
In San Diego, over 2,300 guests were deterred from booking entire home listings over NYE 2020.
"We found that it worked, that it's well-received by our hosts," said Brett.
Breit says someone without positive reviews does not mean they are a bad guest or a partyer, but that they just have not earned that trust yet. He also says it is a trade-off in their commitment to safe and responsible travel.
"It is about finding that needle in a haystack because one part can be disruptive and we understand that and we want to do right by neighbors, we want to right by our hosts."
Airbnb implemented similar policies over Fourth of July and Halloween weekends in 2021.
