Dozens of people on Twitter and Facebook say they are using a unique method to financially support Ukrainians in need: booking, but not actually staying in, Airbnb homes in Ukraine. The idea began early Thursday as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continued, with many people sharing what they say are screenshots of their communications with Ukrainian Airbnb hosts online.
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“HOW TO HELP – I just booked an Airbnb in Kiev for 1 week, just as a way to get money directly into the hands of the people of Kiev,” one such tweet read. “It’s really cheap and can make a small difference right now.”.
We reached out to Airbnb in an effort to determine whether they are seeing an increase in this type of activity.
The company confirmed via email that it is indeed waiving guest and guest fees for bookings now being made in Ukraine. A spokesperson also pointed to a Feb. 28 blog post in which Airbnb said it would offer free housing to “up to” 100,000 refugees fleeing the country.
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Several Twitter users who claim to have booked Airbnbs in Ukraine highlighted the lack of fees.
The idea of ordinary people sending direct financial aid to Ukrainians is not new, and in recent days cryptocurrency donations have been pouring into the country. This latest approach, which uses Airbnb, shows how existing technology can be repurposed in times of need.
There are, of course, more traditional ways to help Ukrainians in need.
It also, at least in theory, helps donors avoid the hordes of scammers trying to take advantage of people’s generosity. However, the Airbnb platform itself is practically synonymous with scams and fake listings (although the company is working on that) — so this approach also comes with risks.
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Even so, as the war in Ukraine shows no signs of abating, people have made it clear that they are willing to take on any financial risk associated with these reservations.
Information source: mashable.com
