Airbnb has permanently banned at-home parties and events on its platform after a temporary measure during the pandemic proved popular among hosts. The firm says the rule has become “much more than a public health measure” since it was introduced in August 2020.
“It evolved into a foundational community policy to support our hosts and their neighbours,” the San Francisco-headquartered firm said.
However, it also removed the limit on how many people can stay at home. Airbnb said in a statement that the number of complaints about parties has dropped by 44% since the measure was first introduced.
Airbnb also said it would remove the limit on the number of people whose listings are allowed to accommodate at any time.
It had earlier imposed a 16-person limit on occupants due to concerns over the spread of Covid-19.
The firm said, “several types of larger homes can comfortably and safely house more than 16 people – from castles in Europe to vineyards in the US to large beachfront villas in the Caribbean”.
More than 6,600 guests had also been suspended from using the platform last year for breaking the rules.
“This new and long-term policy was enacted to help encourage and support community safety,” Airbnb said.
“We look forward to sharing updates in the coming weeks and months on our efforts to complement our community policies on parties,” it added.
