Suddenly no bookings 2024

[Michele511]

I have 7 years of 5 star ratings in Santa Monica, California. Suddenly I had hardly anything in December ‘23, only one booking in January, one booking in March, then nothing at all. I’ve always been fully booked. I dont’ understand.

Is anyone else having this problem?

I would appreciate any insights!

[Jessica134]

You are booked because you fixed your algorithm. Once you get booked, the system thinks, "Oh, guest like this one" Let push him to the front." Some of us can't even get the bookings to boost the listing and have dropped prices and completed all other requests.

[Michele511]

If I fixed the algorithm, I have no idea how! But I’ll take it!

[Clare568]

@John5097 I have been a super host for over 5 years with a 4.98 rating. My listing is put together professionally including excellent pictures. I have hundreds of reviews and I've never had this problem. Similar to other hosts, there is this company named Evolve that now has taken over several listings in my area and dropped the pricing by 75% of what I charge. Even when I tried to compete and matched the pricing, unfortunately because not only are they cheaper but also much larger than my Listing, I am still left without bucking. So I would have to go even lower which in turn would not be even worth it for me to allow guests to stay. So, no, I do not think is the fault of individual hosts

[Michele511]

@Clare568  I have professional photos as well. In fact, they were taken as part of the AirbnbPlus program, which sadly they ended. It’s doesn’t make sense at all. I’ll have to see what this “Evolve” company is. But Airbnb can’t do anything about competing companies.  

[John5097]

@Clare568 

You may want to contact customer support as your profile has a 4.93 not a 4.98. 

Kindly reread my first post where I stated rates are discounted now in my area like they were during covid.  

There are settings host can adjust but it's necessary to understand their own location and booking trends which is tricky as it's always changing. Some host may just want to keep their rates the same and not offer discounts during slow times and use the off time for their break, renovations, maintenance, etc. Some may slash rates because they have to make mortgage payments. 

I think too many host on line think they are some kind of influencers and their opinion no matter how convoluted will have more impact than making some basic adjustments to their listing. 

I'm not blaming other host.  
 

[Jessica134]

Its not the host or listings. I actually did better when my listings were less appealing. I'm Not saying they are great, but it's really bizarre that I did better before improvements.

[Pafo0]

I have been a super host on Airbnb for over 6 years now. I currently have my home listed on it but this year I noticed a drop in bookings that I could not explain. I then had a look at the map and noticed that about halve of the listings in my city are controlled by an external operator that is not even located in the region. 

The listings controlled by this company are kept at a very low price (being a company vs actual hosts this is easily done) so thy are basically controlling the market though the platform at the expenses of real hosts.

Is this what Airbnb has become? 

This is a betrayal of the airbnb original mission as there is no host here but basically other companies tacking advantage of the platform.

As a dedicated super host, I had put money, time and passion in welcoming travellers in my home, now I regret trusting this company. 

I have invested money in refurbishing my home to make it a profitable listing but now I will have to decide if it's time to leave this platform or not as now this  is not what I had signed up for when I joined it. 

[Pafo0]

we need to held airbnb accountable of the fact that they need to kick out travel operators and companies who are manipulating the areas prices by tacking over hundreds of listings and selling them for halve of the price. 

[Michele511]

@Pafo0 My hope is that they will see this thread and participate in the conversation. I have tried calling to find out how to do that, but, It just goes in circles. If you have any ideas how to get them to see this and participate, please share that!

[Clare568]

The exact same thing happened to me in Washington DC suburban area. I had to drop my price by 75% just to get a couple of bookings last month.  But even that did not help on the long run. I have no bookings in 2024. 

The external company Evolve has hundreds of listings and it is not fair to the individual listings like we are. I am beyond disappointed with airbnb for allowing that and feel just as betrayed as you do. Airbnb is supposed to be a platform to help individual hosts to make additional funds. Not just another avenue for corporate America to rip everybody off. And that is exactly what is currently happening. I have been a super host for almost 5 years and I am now forced to switch to long-term because I can no longer keep up with the expenses.

[Michele511]

@Clare568, what is Evolve? What do they do exactly? And how would they be helping the corporate end of Airbnb? I would think that what helps us also helps Airbnb. Am

i missing something?

[Grace851]

Evolve.I am try to understand this company too.

[Anne8442]

It could be a great antitrust class action that I have heard is in the works

[Mouna48]

I am experiencing the same think. I have a listing in Chicago and Im typically fully booked by December for the winter and starting to see spring books around this time of the year. I only had 2 bookings in December and 2 in January. Nothing for the rest of the year. Im listed on VRBO and other short-term rental platforms and nothing from those either. Considering switching to a long-term rental. 

[Kapil21]

There is a term that’s being used on the internet for this phenomenon - The Airbnb Bust. The reasons they cite are oversupply of properties and the overall weakness of the consumer. 
I don’t think this has anything to do with Airbnb as a platform or they having changed their algorithm. It seems to be driven by typical market forces of demand and supply.