On March 13, we announced our Covid-19 emergency policy and refund expectations, including our goal to recognize partners who went above and beyond for travelers during an incredibly difficult time. We aimed to strike the best balance of serving travelers, the public, and you, our partners.
The majority of our partners offered travelers refunds or credits under these extreme circumstances. To recognize the great experiences you provided and goodwill you created with travelers, we'll be issuing benefits to help your eligible listings stand out to travelers. Learn more below.
You can find the status of your benefits under each listing in the ranking metrics section of your dashboard, under Your Covid-19 policy status. Here’s what to expect based on each listing’s status:
You went above and beyond our Covid-19 policy expectations!
Ranking increase equivalent to a 5-star review
New icon and recognition on your property page
Thank you for following our Covid-19 policy expectations!
Ranking increase
This listing did not meet our Covid -19 policy expectations.*
Ranking decrease equivalent to a 1-star review
Review of Premier Host eligibility, and potential removal from or ineligibility for the program for up to one year
Your ranking was not impacted by our COVID-19 policy expectations.
Either the refund amounts that you provided didn’t exceed our COVID-19 policy expectations, or we don’t have enough information about the actions you took
Overall, the more you refunded travelers, the more we’ll increase your listing’s ranking and provide other benefits. If you offered 100% refunds or credits or provided flexible rebooking options, you’ll receive the maximum benefit.
Note: If you don’t see this status section in your Ranking Metrics, you did not have any reservations that were impacted in the date ranges that we’ve specified. Our COVID-19 emergency policy went into effect on March 13, 2020, and we expected at least 50% refunds for bookings that were made prior to March 13, 2020, with stay dates between March 13, 2020, through June 30, 2020.
*This only applies to reservations with stay dates between March 13, 2020, and April 30, 2020, that were canceled after March 13, 2020.
Is there a difference in benefits for giving a full refund, rebooking, or giving full credit for amounts already paid by the traveler?
No, you'll receive the same benefits for providing full refunds or credits or providing flexible rebooking options.
I gave a 50% refund to the traveler. Will I get benefits?
If you refund 50%, you'll receive an increase in ranking; however, it will be less than if you had offered full refunds, credits, or rebooking options.
If I refunded 50% and gave a credit for 50%, will I get the full benefits?
Yes, if you honored the full amount of the booking, whether through refunds or credits, and we have a record of these refunds and credits, then your listing will qualify for the full benefits.
I had a traveler-initiated cancellation due to COVID-19 and didn’t refund at least 50% due to my cancellation policy. Will I be penalized?
Yes, you may be subject to marketplace penalties if you refund less than 50% for cancellations during the COVID-19 crisis, regardless of which party canceled the booking. This only applies to reservations with stay dates between March 13, 2020, and April 30, 2020, that were cancelled after March 13, 2020.
How will you know whether I’ve offered a refund, credit, or rebooking options?
We’ll be taking several signals into account, including information captured through our platform and from surveys sent to travelers regarding the outcome of their booking. If we’re not able to gather sufficient information about the booking, then your listing will not be impacted either way.
Are fees included in the refund amount?
Yes. Fees, excluding credit card fees and the traveler service fee, are taken into consideration for the refund amount.
I didn’t give a refund because the traveler had travel insurance. Will I still be penalized?
Under our COVID-19 policy, partners were expected to refund whatever is greater between what is contractually owed to the traveler or at least 50% or more of the entire rental cost (including cleaning fees, etc.) for stay dates between March 13, 2020, and June 30, 2020. Partners who refunded less than 50% of the total rental amount for bookings with stay dates between March 13, 2020, and April 30, 2020, may be penalized in our marketplace, regardless of whether or not the traveler had or used traveler insurance.
What happens if I had multiple reservations with different outcomes?
We're analyzing and aggregating the outcomes of each reservation to determine if the listing is eligible for a ranking increase and recognition on its property page.
How will I know if my listing received benefits?
If you gave full refunds and credits or provided flexible rebooking options to travelers during the dates specified for this program, you’ll receive a notification via email and a feed card in your dashboard to notify you that these benefits have gone into effect. You’ll also be able to check your Ranking Metrics page to see if your listing’s ranking was impacted either positively or negatively.
I’m a Premier Host. What happens if I refunded less than 50%?
If you're a Premier Host and refunded travelers less than 50% for bookings with stay dates between March 13, 2020, and April 30, 2020, that listing may be ineligible for Premier Host status moving forward. If this is the case, you’ll be notified and removed from the program. Your listing may be ineligible for Premier Host status for 12 months following your removal from the program.
How long will my ranking be increased (or decreased) for? How long will the icon and messaging be on my property page?
Exact time frames are still being determined and will be based on relevancy to the traveler, which we'll continue to monitor. It’s likely that these ranking changes, icons, and recognition on your property page will remain in place for the remainder of the year.
Why did I get ranking increases or recognition for some of my listings but not others?
We're analyzing and aggregating the outcomes of each reservation to determine eligibility at the listing level. If the outcome of the cancellation for the traveler was different for different listings, then some listings may be eligible for ranking increases, and some may not. Additionally, we may have sufficient information about one listing in order to determine eligibility but insufficient information about another listing.
If I provided full refunds for multiple cancellations, will I get more of a ranking increase than someone who only provided a full refund for one cancellation?
No, we're analyzing and aggregating the outcomes of each reservation to determine eligibility at the listing level. There are no advantages or disadvantages if you processed more or less cancellations than someone else. If you refunded multiple cancellations at 100%, your listing will not receive a higher ranking increase than a listing that only refunded one cancellation at 100%.
