Airbnb makes Enhanced Clean programme mandatory

Airbnb has announced mandatory health and safety protocols for guests and hosts to address the COVID-19 pandemic and enhance trust in the short-term rental market. Hosts and guests must commit to wearing masks and distancing when interacting. Hosts will be required to agree to the new conditions and terms in their personal Airbnb account, while guests will have to make such a commitment when booking a shared place. Moreover, the new mandatory programme requires hosts to sanitise surfaces with approved products, and wash laundry and dishes at the highest possible temperature. Hosts must comply with the enhanced cleaning protocol or might be removed from Airbnb. The only country exempt from such measures is China. The country has its own public health guidelines for short-term rentals.