Partner updates on the Coronavirus (Covid-19)

June 5, 2020

• Please join health and safety experts Cristal International Standards as they guide you through tips for cleaning your properties and address frequently asked questions related to cleanliness. This webinar is free to you and your staff.

• In the coming weeks, travelers will be able to see key cleanliness and safety practices you have implemented at your properties. This is available to enter today in your dashboard and for your software provider to integrate. If you're using software and choose to add the information today in your dashboard, it will not be overwritten until you enter the information in your software. After you provide it either in your dashboard or in your software (if your software provider has completed the update needed), this information will be displayed on your listing.

May 25, 2020

• If you manage your properties in the owner dashboard, you can now show travelers which cleaning practices you have implemented by adding the information in your property editor. 

• If you use software to manage your properties, talk to your software provide about how to add key cleaning practices that you have implemented to your listing. You can enter this into the dashboard and it will not be overwritten by your feed. This is also available today for your software provider to integrate.

May 21, 2020

• Our Covid-19 emergency policy will continue but only for trips in June that must be canceled because local governments have enacted laws that prohibit stays in vacation homes for leisure. 

May 7, 2020

• With cleanliness being more important than ever, we know many of you are seeking out additional resources to enhance your cleaning methods. We not only want you to have industry guidelines to cleaning a vacation rental, we also want you to be able to share the extra precautions you're implementing. Today we're providing cleanliness and disinfection guidelines to help you protect your guests, yourself, and your staff. We're also rolling out ways for you to share cleanliness practices with future travelers.

April 21, 2020

• After April 30, 2020, our Covid-19 emergency policy will continue but only for trips in May that must be canceled because local governments have enacted laws that prohibit stays in vacation homes for leisure or in areas where there are travel restrictions. 

• For stays not impacted by the emergency policy, we're actively providing guidance to travelers with upcoming stays. Travelers are being encouraged to reach out directly to property owners or managers to reschedule existing bookings or to ask for a credit if needed. Travelers are also being provided with information regarding how to cancel a booking.

• During this time, we want to provide you with some ways to attract future travelers.  

• While we appreciate your desire to market what you do to clean and provide a safe environment, terms like "Covid-19 Free" or "Coronavirus free" should not be used on your listing. Instead, focus on your rigorous cleaning protocols to help travelers feel more secure when booking.

• With cleanliness being more important than ever, we know many of you are seeking out additional resources to enhance your cleaning methods. We not only want you to have industry guidelines for cleaning a vacation rental, we also want you to be able to share the extra precautions you're implementing.  Today we're providing cleanliness and disinfection guidelines to help you protect your guests, yourself, and your staff. We're also rolling out ways for you to share cleanliness practices with future travelers.

• We were also a part of the US Travel Association task force charged with developing travel industry guidelines and also collaborated on the Vacation Rental Managers Association (VRMA) guidelines for Covid-19.

April 16, 2020  

• We're creating content to help you through the COVID-19 crisis, ; you can find all COVID-19 related resources on this page going forward.  We' will continue to keep this partner updates page running  as- is.

• We' are actively providing guidance to travelers with upcoming stays. Travelers are being encouraged to reach out directly to property owners or managers to reschedule the existing booking or ask for a credit if needed. Travelers are also being provided with information regarding how to cancel a booking.

• To ensure you' are following the most up-to-date cleaning protocols for Covid-19, review the tips for cleaning your rental during Covid-19 article.

April 10, 2020 

• Because many areas have issued emergency public health orders limiting travel and lodging, you should avoid using language in your property descriptions that could be seen as encouraging guests to disregard health or travel advisories, e.g., “escape coronavirus,” “coronavirus hideaway,” “quarantine here!” We urge you to keep up to date with orders that apply to your region.

April 9, 2020

• In France, there were changes and compliance in your local jurisdiction. Certain departments decided to close tourist accommodation, including seasonal rentals. We recommend that you check with your town hall about the applicable exceptions in order to comply with the laws and regulations in force.

• Read the most up-to-date cleaning and disinfecting information  and get insights on how to share how you' are adhering to these guidelines with potential guests. 

• Available to partners with properties in North America, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act allocated more than $350 billion to help Americans recover from the devastating economic impact of Covid-19. From a recorded session with Paul Seago, Government Affairs Manager at Expedia Group, you'll learn more about the programs available to vacation rental property owners and managers. Topics include:  program coverages, eligibility requirements, tips for applying, and where to find additional resources. 

April 6, 2020

• Travel Insurance Information: We encourage you to issue a full credit or refund as part of our Covid-19 emergency policy, whether travel insurance was purchased or not. Travelers can refer to Generali’s COVID-19 FAQs for more information. Not all travel insurance policies cover Covid-19– related claims. Coverage and eligibility for a claim can vary significantly. Most insurance companies have updated their policies to clarify what specific cases are covered, and we encourage travelers to reach out to their insurance provider directly to understand what their policy covers. Claims do not impact your performance. Insurance claims are evaluated after the owner or property manager has processed the cancellation and refund. Partners will be rewarded based on what they do for travelers, independently of insurance claims. 

• Due to Covid-19, we have disabled pricing opportunities within MarketMaker™ while we gather data to provide you with actionable insights during this unprecedented time.  Stay tuned for more updates as we work to make pricing opportunities available to you again.

April 3, 2020

• If you or your traveler needs to cancel a booking due to the coronavirus, we're offering rewards for helping out. If you refund 100%, give a credit, or reschedule, your property will receive a ranking increase equivalent to a 5-star review. Your reviews section will indicate the degree to which a partner was able to accommodate the Covid-19 emergency policy. Owners who fail to refund at least 50%, give a credit, or reschedule will receive a ranking penalty equivalent to a 1-star review. Their eligibility for programs like Premier Host may be affected, and their reviews section will indicate the degree to which a partner was able to show flexibility. While your property's search ranking will be affected, its overall star rating will stay the same. Thank you for being a part of our community and supporting travelers during this time.

April 2, 2020

• If you manage your properties through the owner dashboard, and you or your guest cannot honor a booking due to concerns around the coronavirus (Covid-19), you have several options. We've created a resource to help partners understand how to issue credits or cancel a booking affected by coronavirus.

• If you use software to manage your properties, and you or your guest cannot honor a booking due to concerns around the coronavirus (Covid-19), it’s important to understand your options. Visit our Help Center to help you understand how to issue credits or cancel a booking affected by COVID-19.

March 31, 2020

• On March 23, 2020, the UK government stepped up measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus and save lives. Holiday rentals (with certain exceptions), along with other businesses outlined, must now close. We recommend that partners follow their local jurisdiction for updates to stay in compliance and to learn more. 

• For France, in accordance with Ordinance No. 2020-315 of March 25, 2020 relating to the financial conditions for the resolution of certain tourist travel and holiday contracts in the event of exceptional and unavoidable circumstances or force majeure, the owner or property manager may propose, to instead of reimbursement of all payments made by the holidaymaker, a credit note. The holidaymaker will have 18 months to use his credit. If the holidaymaker does not use the credit during the eighteen-month period, the owner or property manager must reimburse in full the payments made by the holidaymaker in respect of the canceled reservation, or where applicable, to reimburse the remaining credit balance.

March 27, 2020

• If you or your guest cannot honor a booking due to concerns around the coronavirus (Covid-19), you have several options. We've created this resource to help partners understand how to issue credits or cancel a booking affected by Covid-19. 

• If you’re still legally allowed to host (check your local government guidelines), you can set yourself up to earn travelers' bookings by making it clear that their safety, comfort, and well-being are your top priorities.

March 26, 2020 

• The effects of the economic downturn due to Covid-19 are far-reaching. If you' are experiencing significant financial hardship, you may be eligible to take part in an economic relief program.

March 25, 2020

• As a result of partner’s cancellation policies, some travelers may have received a refund of less than 100%. We expect partners to provide at least a 50% refund if a traveler cancels due to Covid-19. During this unprecedented time, our intent is to reward partners who offer flexibility to travelers. The more you refund, the more you' will be rewarded with incentives like additional visibility in traveler searches. 

• Communications were sent to travelers with bookings after April 30, 2020, to ensure travelers understand cancellation policies for upcoming stays. In this communication, it' is recommended that travelers review their booking's cancellation policies and work directly with partners if they need to reschedule the booking for a mutually agreed upon future date.

March 24, 2020

• The Government of Spain declares the suspension of opening to the public of tourist accommodation establishments until the end of the declaration of the period of the state of alarm with some exceptions.

• We've been hard at work telling North American lawmakers about the devastating impacts that Covid-19 is having on the entire travel ecosystem, including vacation rental owners and managers. Now you can help! Contact your legislators and urge them to support relief for the vacation rental ecosystem. 

March 23, 2020

• The UK Government has new advisories on avoiding non-essential travel throughout the UK.

March 20, 2020 

• Communications were sent to travelers globally regarding the new emergency Covid-19 policy that was rolled out on March 18th, 2020. For the updated policy and FAQs, please visit the partner and traveler Covid-19 help center, which are being updated with all of the latest information.

• Due to unprecedented volumes of travel disruptions, payouts may take a few weeks to be processed. The payment schedule for each reservation will show the most updated disbursement date. Thank you for your patience during this time.

March 19, 2020

• While we appreciate partners' need and desire to market what they do to clean and provide a safe environment, partners should avoid terms like "Covid Free" or other language that may result in a traveler viewing it as any kind of guarantee or official status for a property. If a partner can accurately state that no known guests with confirmed cases have stayed at the premises and that the CDC cleaning guidance is being followed, it would be fair to describe the relative safety of the home in that manner.

March 18, 2020

• Today, we' are introducing our Covid-19 Emergency Policy, a series of measures designed to help navigate these extraordinary circumstances. If a traveler reaches out to cancel or delay travel, we ask that you offer a full (or expanded) credit for stay dates within the next year (at no additional cost) for travelers who can’t take trips now due to Covid-19. If the travelers are unwilling to accept a credit, we strongly encourage you to offer a full refund of their stay. We expect you to provide at least a 50% refund on cancellations for all stays with a night that falls between March 13, 2020, and April 30, 2020, including trips that are outside the set cancellation policy. We' will refund our Traveler Service Fee in full for all cancellations. 

March 17, 2020

• We will waive all cancellations related to Covid-19 so they do not affect your ranking metrics or Premier Host status and you can focus on what is important.

• We’re grateful for the loyalty of our partners and thank you for your patience during this time. We know you may have questions regarding your Premier Host status and want to share more information related to cancellations. Cancellations waived due to Covid-19 will not impact your Premier Host status. Right now, we' are focused on helping our customers with immediate travel concerns. We' will continue to share updates and information and thank you for your patience and support.

March 16, 2020

• As of today, if you use your dashboard to manage your properties, you no longer need to call into Customer Support to get a cancellation waived. If you need to cancel a reservation due to the coronavirus (Covid-19), please refund the reservation in full through the reservation manager.

• As of today, if you use software, you no longer need to call into Customer Support to get a cancellation waived. If you need to cancel a reservation due to the coronavirus (Covid-19), we recommend you refund the reservation in full through your software.

• Review guidance from local health officials for cleaning and sanitation standards to make sure you and your travelers are safe during upcoming stays.

March 13, 2020

• Travelers are feeling uncertain about future travel due to the coronavirus (Covid-19). This is a good time to review your cancellation policy and consider adopting a flexible or moderate policy. You can always change your cancellation policy as the situation changes.