Worried about homestays in Thailand? Airbnb launch new safety standards

To support hosts and governments as communities reopen for travel in Thailand, Airbnb announced that hosts and guests must agree to follow Airbnb’s COVID-19 Safety Practices, which include wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, and, for hosts and their teams, abiding by the five-step enhanced cleaning process.

This commitment will help provide extra assurances to try and safeguard all stakeholders – hosts, guests, their communities and governments. All Airbnb homes hosts must commit to implementing this five-step enhanced cleaning process by November 20.

To ensure hosts are aligned with Thai government guidance, Airbnb has consulted with the Ministry of Public Health’s Department of Health and recently held a joint discussion with Airbnb hosts to share best practices for cleanliness in Thailand’s homestay industry.

“We encourage all Airbnb hosts in Thailand to apply this standard”

Speaking at the virtual meeting with Airbnb hosts, Dr Buncha Khakhong, deputy director-general of the Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health, said:

The Department of Health has always looked for ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Thailand. We have found that Airbnb’s cleaning guidelines go above and beyond Thailand’s standards and we have collaborated with them to further ensure that the standards take into account local needs. We believe maintaining a high standard when it comes to cleaning and sanitation is key to building trust between hosts and guests, and the Department of Health is pleased to see Airbnb maintain robust cleaning guidelines for everyone to follow. We encourage all Airbnb hosts in Thailand to apply this standard and help to make Thailand a safe country for everyone”.

Empowering hosts with a commitment to cleanliness

Following the consultation with the Department of Health, a number of specific recommendations for short term rental accommodation in Thailand have been shared with Thailand hosts. The Department of Health recommends hosts to use disinfectants at 70% alcohol concentration, frequently clean their spaces with special attention on amenities such as pools, ensure guests wear masks, and maintain social distancing of at least 1 meter in common areas. The Department’s full list of recommendations have been made available to all Thailand hosts on Airbnb’s website.

All hosts in Thailand can now access the enhanced cleaning educational materials in Thai through the Resource Center, including a Quick Start Guide and Cleaning Handbook. These local resources offer guidance on the use of personal protective equipment, how to clean every room in a home, what to sanitize, and what supplies to have on hand. The new resources also include expert-backed health and safety guidelines on mask-wearing and social distancing.

Supporting travel recovery with industry-leading standards

Airbnb’s Enhanced Cleaning Protocol, developed in consultation with leading global experts and with guidance from the Ministry of Public Health’s Department of Health, builds on Airbnb’s strong historical track record of cleanliness: 94% of all Airbnb reviews show that guests are satisfied with cleaning, scoring it at 4 or 5 stars after their stays.

“Hosts in Thailand are taking significant steps toward protecting themselves, their guests and the communities in which they live”

In addition to cleaning standards for homes, Airbnb is also offering new safety and cleaning initiatives for in-person Experiences in countries and regions where these activities have reopened, based on guidance from local governments and health experts. These guidelines include requiring all hosts and guests wear face coverings, limiting group size, and maintaining social distancing. For Experiences conducted in a private space, hosts are also required to follow an enhanced cleaning protocol.

“In a post-COVID world, maintaining high standards of health and hygiene is of utmost importance to us as a critical step in restoring traveller confidence,” said Amanpreet Bajaj, general manager (India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan), Airbnb. “By following the enhanced cleaning protocol, our hosts in Thailand are taking significant steps toward protecting themselves, their guests and the communities in which they live. We are looking forward to further collaborating with local governments, medical experts and other authorities to ensure a consistent approach that would help support the recovery of Thailand’s tourism industry.”