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Airbnb's Party Ban Is Now Permanent

It was first imposed in 2020 in response to public health concerns surrounding the pandemic.

Attila Tomaschek
Attila is a Staff Writer for CNET, covering software, apps and services with a focus on virtual private networks. He is an advocate for digital privacy and has been quoted in online publications like Computer Weekly, The Guardian, BBC News, HuffPost, Wired and TechRepublic. When not tapping away on his laptop, Attila enjoys spending time with his family, reading and collecting guitars.
Expertise Attila has nearly a decade's worth of experience with VPNs and has been covering them for CNET since 2021. As CNET's VPN expert, Attila rigorously tests VPNs and offers readers advice on how they can use the technology to protect their privacy online and
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Attila Tomaschek
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Airbnb's party ban proved to be so effective that the company made it permanent.

 Sarah Tew/CNET

Airbnb has permanently banned parties and events at its listings globally, the short-term rental company said Tuesday. Originally imposed in August 2020 in response to public health concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the company says it has officially codified the party ban as its policy.  

When Airbnb introduced the ban, the company sought to crack down on parties due to their "disruptive nature" and over concerns the gatherings might spread the virus. Since then, the company says the ban has resulted in a 44% year-over-year drop in party reports and has been received positively by hosts as well as community leaders and elected officials. 

Guests who violate the rules face consequences that could include suspension of their Airbnb accounts or full removal from the platform, the company said. Over 6,600 guests were suspended in 2021 for violating the ban. Airbnb also provides hosts with $1 million in damage protection and $1 million in liability insurance.

In May, Airbnb overhauled its platform, including adding categories along the top of the page to help guests find listings based on the type of experience they're looking for rather than the destination. Guests can choose from dozens of categories like lakefront, treehouses, countryside, tropical, desert and vineyards. The overhaul also includes the ability for guests to split stays between multiple properties over the course of their trips, and additional features like a 24-hour safety line, and booking protection and check-in guarantees.  

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