在奧巴馬政府時期一位前美國醫務總監的指導下,愛彼迎正在為房東推出一套全新的清潔標準。
這項“強化清潔行動”可歸納為兩項預防措施,當取消因疫情實施的“就地避難令”和旅行業復蘇后,希望能讓房客安心入住,也為房東提供資源。
“我們從諸多跡象看到,新冠大流行將重塑消費者的需求和偏好,我們也聽到了房東群體的反饋,他們關心并需要更多資源,”愛彼迎的一位發言人告訴《財富》雜志。“我們相信,在愛彼迎提供的指導和資源支持下,參加‘強化清潔行動’將成為房東向房客展示他們重視清潔衛生的最佳方式。”
作為該行動的第一項措施,清潔規程概述了家中每個房間的清潔程序,提供了預防新冠病毒的具體信息。其中,針對新冠病毒的指引包括:設定出租等待期、使用個人防護裝備(口罩和手套)、在物體表面使用監管部門批準的消毒劑和擺放洗手液等。房客可在Airbnb的房源中搜索遵守規程的民宿。
第二個新功能被稱為“預訂緩沖期”,幫助房東在兩次出租之間留出房源空置期。房東可承諾,前后接待兩批房客之間必須相隔一段時間,除了打掃衛生,房間里不會有其他活動。該功能會自動拒絕在此期間的預訂,目前間隔時間設置為72小時。這一概念最初來自愛彼迎發起的“為前線人員提供住宿”計劃,通過該計劃,世界各地的房東已經為醫務人員和急救人員提供了超過20萬個住處。
雖然這一行動純屬自愿加入性質,但愛彼迎相信,即便僅僅是為了贏得房客的好評,大部分房東都會遵守行動政策和要求,因為在任何時候,評論對房東吸引房客都至關重要。
該公司的清潔規程參考了美國疾控中心公布的標準,以及前醫務總監維韋克·穆爾蒂博士的建議。穆爾蒂曾領導美國應對埃博拉病毒和寨卡疫情,他在一份聲明中表示:“作為一個社會,我們需要遵守公共衛生官員提出的社交距離建議,同時也要想辦法維持和加強人與人之間的聯系。”
在疫情大流行期間,愛彼迎只能算是勉強維持了財務健康。從各項商業預測和對公司高管的采訪可看出,公司前景將從形勢嚴峻進一步陷入“末日危機”。新冠病毒來襲之前,這家總部位于舊金山的公司的財務健康狀況就已經面臨著問題,雖然清潔規程似乎暗示著隧道盡頭的一絲曙光,但無論是商務出行還是休閑旅行,任何類型的旅行估計在2020年都不會出現反彈。
盡管如此,愛彼迎仍表示已經看到了回暖跡象,稱本地和長租預訂都在增加。該公司目前在220多個國家開展業務。“旅行中的風險永遠都不可能完全消除,人們對于新冠病毒的認識也在不斷加深,”公司發言人表示。“我們相信,一旦取消‘居家令’和允許安全外出,人們就會想要再次出行,只是大家的健康衛生意識會更強。”
除了清潔行動,愛彼迎還采取了其他措施保護房東利益。據報道,該公司的三名聯合創始人在今年3月與幾位國會議員進行了交談,至少會確保美國房東(通常以個人業主身份報稅)有資格申請小企業管理局的緊急貸款。(財富中文網)
譯者:Emily
在奧巴馬政府時期一位前美國醫務總監的指導下,愛彼迎正在為房東推出一套全新的清潔標準。
這項“強化清潔行動”可歸納為兩項預防措施,當取消因疫情實施的“就地避難令”和旅行業復蘇后,希望能讓房客安心入住,也為房東提供資源。
“我們從諸多跡象看到,新冠大流行將重塑消費者的需求和偏好,我們也聽到了房東群體的反饋,他們關心并需要更多資源,”愛彼迎的一位發言人告訴《財富》雜志。“我們相信,在愛彼迎提供的指導和資源支持下,參加‘強化清潔行動’將成為房東向房客展示他們重視清潔衛生的最佳方式。”
作為該行動的第一項措施,清潔規程概述了家中每個房間的清潔程序,提供了預防新冠病毒的具體信息。其中,針對新冠病毒的指引包括:設定出租等待期、使用個人防護裝備(口罩和手套)、在物體表面使用監管部門批準的消毒劑和擺放洗手液等。房客可在Airbnb的房源中搜索遵守規程的民宿。
第二個新功能被稱為“預訂緩沖期”,幫助房東在兩次出租之間留出房源空置期。房東可承諾,前后接待兩批房客之間必須相隔一段時間,除了打掃衛生,房間里不會有其他活動。該功能會自動拒絕在此期間的預訂,目前間隔時間設置為72小時。這一概念最初來自愛彼迎發起的“為前線人員提供住宿”計劃,通過該計劃,世界各地的房東已經為醫務人員和急救人員提供了超過20萬個住處。
雖然這一行動純屬自愿加入性質,但愛彼迎相信,即便僅僅是為了贏得房客的好評,大部分房東都會遵守行動政策和要求,因為在任何時候,評論對房東吸引房客都至關重要。
該公司的清潔規程參考了美國疾控中心公布的標準,以及前醫務總監維韋克·穆爾蒂博士的建議。穆爾蒂曾領導美國應對埃博拉病毒和寨卡疫情,他在一份聲明中表示:“作為一個社會,我們需要遵守公共衛生官員提出的社交距離建議,同時也要想辦法維持和加強人與人之間的聯系。”
在疫情大流行期間,愛彼迎只能算是勉強維持了財務健康。從各項商業預測和對公司高管的采訪可看出,公司前景將從形勢嚴峻進一步陷入“末日危機”。新冠病毒來襲之前,這家總部位于舊金山的公司的財務健康狀況就已經面臨著問題,雖然清潔規程似乎暗示著隧道盡頭的一絲曙光,但無論是商務出行還是休閑旅行,任何類型的旅行估計在2020年都不會出現反彈。
盡管如此,愛彼迎仍表示已經看到了回暖跡象,稱本地和長租預訂都在增加。該公司目前在220多個國家開展業務。“旅行中的風險永遠都不可能完全消除,人們對于新冠病毒的認識也在不斷加深,”公司發言人表示。“我們相信,一旦取消‘居家令’和允許安全外出,人們就會想要再次出行,只是大家的健康衛生意識會更強。”
除了清潔行動,愛彼迎還采取了其他措施保護房東利益。據報道,該公司的三名聯合創始人在今年3月與幾位國會議員進行了交談,至少會確保美國房東(通常以個人業主身份報稅)有資格申請小企業管理局的緊急貸款。(財富中文網)
譯者:Emily
Airbnb is pushing out a new set of cleanliness standards for hosts, developed with guidance from a former U.S. surgeon general in the Obama administration.
The Enhanced Cleaning Initiative boils down to two prevention measures, both of which are meant to provide assurance to guests and tools for hosts once shelter-in-place mandates owing to the spread of COVID-19 are lifted and travel can resume.
“We have seen signals that the COVID-19 pandemic will shape consumer needs and preferences and heard feedback from our host community that they care about and want more resources,” an Airbnb spokesperson tells Fortune. “We believe that enrolling in our Enhanced Cleaning Initiative, with guidance and resources provided by Airbnb, is the best way for hosts to show guests that they take cleanliness and sanitization seriously.”
The first is a cleaning protocol, outlining procedures on how to clean every room in a home, with specific information on COVID-19 prevention. Coronavirus-specific guidance includes instituting a waiting period before entering the home, use of personal protective equipment (masks and gloves), and the use of disinfectants on surfaces and hand sanitizers that are approved by regulatory authorities. Guests will be able to search for Airbnb listings that subscribe to the regulations.
The second is a new feature called Booking Buffer, enabling hosts to establish a vacancy period between stays. Hosts can commit to keeping their residences empty for a set period in between stays, with no activity other than cleaning. Reservations will be automatically blocked during that time frame, currently set at 72 hours. This concept was first conceived for Airbnb’s Frontline Stays project, through which hosts have offered over 200,000 places for medical workers and first responders around the world.
The initiative is entirely optional, but Airbnb believes most of its hosts will comply with the policies and requirements of the program—if only to stand out among the robust guest reviews that are crucial for hosts to attract guests at any point in time.
The homestay company’s cleaning standards were informed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s published standards as well as counsel from former surgeon general Dr. Vivek Murthy, who previously led U.S. responses to the Ebola and Zika outbreaks. “As a society, we need to observe the physical distancing recommendations made by public health officials while finding ways to preserve and strengthen human connection,” Murthy said in a statement.
Airbnb’s financial health during the pandemic has been touch and go at best, with business forecasts and interviews with company executives projecting an outlook from grim to apocalyptic. The San Francisco–based company’s bottom line had already been hurting before COVID-19 struck, and while the cleaner standards protocol suggests a hint of light at the end of the tunnel, travel of any kind—business or pleasure—is not expected to rebound in 2020.
Nevertheless, Airbnb, which operates in more than 220 countries, says it has already seen signs of upticks, including increases in local and long-term stays. “Risk in travel can never be fully eliminated, and the knowledge around COVID-19 is still evolving,” says the company spokesperson. “We’re confident that once stay-at-home orders are lifted and it is safe to travel again, people will want to travel again, but with greater awareness for health and cleanliness considerations.”
Beyond cleanliness, Airbnb has taken other steps to protect its hosts. In March, the company’s three cofounders reportedly spoke with several members of Congress to ensure at least U.S. hosts—who often file their taxes as sole proprietors—would be eligible to apply for Small Business Administration emergency loans.