What You Should Know About The New Airbnb Safety Feature?

More and more travelers are embracing the notion of solo travel. Post-pandemic traveling is seeing a boom in tourists who are looking to get away on their own and are booking accommodation for one. In 2021, Airbnb reported that over 25% of bookings on the Airbnb website were for solo travelers and that percentage increased to more than 50% when it came to long-term bookings so far in 2022.

Lots of people are continuing to work remotely post-pandemic; this has opened up the possibility of whole new travel experiences which allow to you travel while working and settle in areas for longer periods before returning home.

Traveling solo has many benefits for those looking for a truly relaxing and individual exploration of a new area, a chance to integrate into a new country and language, or a chance to improve your self-confidence and sense of self away from your ordinary routine.

But it also comes with extra safety concerns, and you may be wondering whether booking with Airbnb is safe in 2022 as a solo traveler. Given all the articles we have seen over the past few years questioning how safe Airbnb travel is, it is only natural to question just how secure hosts and guests are.

To combat questions about guest safety, Airbnb has announced that they are introducing a set of rental home safety features that have been designed to help with the safety issues facing solo bookers.

The company has given this new set of features the title "Solo Traveller Experience" and this will be automatically triggered when Airbnb guests use the app to book a stay for one person.

What are the New Air BnB Safety Features for Solo Travellers?

When you book a solo trip using the Airbnb app, you will access a host of Airbnb solo traveler features designed to enhance your safety as your  travel. These include:

Solo Travel Safety Tips

Once you have booked a solo stay, your Airbnb app will begin supplying you with safety tips to make sure you are as secure as possible throughout your trip.

Stay in Touch with Family and Friends through the App

With just one touch, you can share your reservation details with trusted family members and friends, so they are always aware of where you are during your stay. This information will include your reservation code, your Airbnb listing address, and when you are due to check in and check out.

This will help to increase peace of mind for both you and your loved ones and means that you will be easier to contact in case of an emergency back home.

You Will Be Prompted to Ask Your Airbnb Host Questions

To increase safe Airbnb bookings, the app will also give you question prompts to ask your Airbnb host once the booking has been confirmed. These questions have been created based upon suggestions from experienced solo travelers and should help to give you a better idea of the safety level of your booking and local neighborhood. Suggested questions include:

• Is there anything I should know about the neighborhood?
• Will I be sharing any space with anyone?
• Are you available to help me during my stay?

What Other Features Will Help You Have A Safe Airbnb Experience?

24 hours Airbnb Safety Line

Airbnb account holders will also be able to use a 24-hours Airbnb safety line which will give you priority access to secure messaging with professional safety agents if you ever feel unsafe during your stay.

Local Emergency Services App

There is also a Local Emergency Services app feature that will quickly connect you with one touch to the local services. This can be extremely helpful if you are unfamiliar with the local police numbers where you are staying. This is currently available in 70 different countries and the company plans to continue extending this service to other regions.

Add an Emergency Contact to Your Airbnb Profile

You will also be able to add one emergency contact to your profile who should be contacted by Airbnb in the rare case of an emergency. You can fill in your emergency contact details by clicking on your Personal Info tab, then clicking on Account Settings and the Only Visible to Airbnb section.

What other Airbnb Safety Tips Should You Be Aware Of?

As well as taking advantage of the new Airbnb safety features, there are others steps you can take to make sure that your solo trip is as safe as possible.

Always read the reviews

Lessen the chance of falling for a fake listing by checking and booking with listings that have positive reviews. Reviews can only be left by those who have booked and stayed at the property.

Never Transfer Money Directly to the Host

Make sure that every aspect of your booking is completed through the app—no Airbnb host should have direct access to your personal information, phone number, or credit card number during the booking stage.

Do Safety Checks on Arrival

When you arrive at your rental, make sure you check on your safety before you do anything else. Make sure you have door lock key codes, keys and locks that work correctly. You should also do a quick scan for cameras - they should be in communal areas only. Also, check to ensure there are smoke and carbon monoxide detectors installed.

Stay Vigilant

If anything about your host, stay or experience makes you feel uncomfortable, then trust your instincts, arrange alternative accommodation and leave. Your safety is always more important than any awkwardness or hurt feelings.

Takeaway: What You Should Know About the New Airbnb Safety Feature?

If you are planning a solo trip and booking with Airbnb, you should make sure to take advantage of all the new Airbnb safety features on offer. To ensure that you remain as safe as possible as a solo traveler, you need to make sure to take the time to read property descriptions and reviews carefully , ask questions, and ensure that your friends and family have a detailed itinerary of where you will be staying.

You should also make sure to take advantage of the existing safety Airbnb options such as the Local Emergency Services feature and ensure you have your emergency contact completed in your account details. Chances are that you won't have to use these features, but in case of an emergency, you will be glad you made the effort ahead of time to ensure your Airbnb safety during your stay.