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Stay Alfred to close its properties for eight weeks
Reading Time: 2 minutesUS: Travel apartment hospitality startup Stay Alfred is to close its properties across the United States for eight weeks from 1 April in order to limit the spread of COVID-19, according to Spokane-based newspaper The Spokesman. Speaking through a company spokesperson, Allen would not be drawn on commenting on whether Stay Alfred would refund its […]
Indian e-commerce tax set to affect online platforms
Reading Time: 2 minutesIndia: An amended finance bill, passed in parliament on Monday, may increase prices for Indian users of major e-commerce platforms. The bill, which comes into effect on 1 April, adds a two per cent equalisation levy on any foreign companies making digital sales. Notable firms which will be hit include Netflix, Booking.com and Airbnb. The […]
Airbnb’s IOC / IPC partnership debut delayed until 2021
Reading Time: 3 minutesJapan: The debut of Airbnb’s partnership with the International Olympic and Paralympic Committees [IOC and IPC] is being delayed until 2021 after it was agreed earlier today [24 March] that Tokyo 2020 would be postponed until next summer. The decision was reached after talks were held between Japan’s prime minister Shinzo Abe and the IOC […]
Airbnb weighs up distressed asset acquisitions
Reading Time: 2 minutesUS: After news emerged last week that Airbnb had received “significant” interest from private investors ahead of going public, sources have also revealed that the company may look to purchase struggling short-term rental providers who have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. Airbnb’s board convened last week to discuss a wide range of options, […]
Hungarian hospitality industry mobilises to fight coronavirus
Reading Time: 2 minutesHungary: With Budapest’s streets empty due to the impact of coronavirus, the Hungarian hospitality industry has responded by mobilised its services to support healthcare workers, the sick and the elderly. In the capital city, a group of Airbnb operators have joined together on Facebook to provide accommodation to medical workers. The capital has around 10,000 Airbnb […]
Airbnb fields “significant” investor interest
Reading Time: 2 minutesUS: Sources close to Airbnb have revealed that the company is receiving “significant” interest in terms of pitches from investors, despite the outbreak of the coronavirus hitting the hospitality and travel industries hard. According to American broadcaster CNBC, two sources privy to the matter said that Airbnb was in “listen mode” as it weighs up […]
Airbnb launches service for Italian medics fighting COVID-19
Reading Time: < 1 minuteItaly: In its ongoing effort to support the fight against COVID-19 coronavirus, Airbnb has introduced a new programme to house medics. “Airbnb for Doctors and Nurses” will provide accommodation to those engaged in medical care for the virus, with costs covered by the company. The company has partnered with Milanese host organisation OspitaMi, accessing the […]
Airbnb faces copyright infringement lawsuit from IBM
Reading Time: < 1 minuteUS: Airbnb is facing down a copyright infringement lawsuit from multinational technology company IBM [The International Business Machines Corporation]. IBM filed the suit in Delaware this past week, seeking to bar Airbnb from using technology it had patented, as well as to triple damages for past infringement. The patents in question involve how web services can […]
Airbnb extends full refund policy for bookings worldwide
Reading Time: 2 minutesWorldwide: In the face of mounting criticism, Airbnb has extended its full refund policy for bookings around the world that are being cancelled due to the growing coronavirus pandemic. The updated cancellation policy will apply to every country in the world in which Airbnbs operate, meaning hosts and guests who have stopped reservations will now not […]
Guests seeking refunds for COVID-19 cancellations
Reading Time: 2 minutesWorldwide: South by Southwest [SXSW] and Coachella, two large-scale entertainment events in the United States, are among those to have announced delays due to COVID-19. As a result, many guests who have booked for these events are searching for refunds, to mixed results. While Airbnb has modified its cancellation policy to add a new category […]