In this urgent vlog, Mark Simpson warns Airbnb hosts that the platform is tightening its rules on rental agreements and off‑platform guest contact, effective by November 20. He explains that hosts can no longer require guests to sign rental agreements (except for HOA or specific hotel partners) and cannot collect any guest contact information during a stay, with new tools like Stayfy enforcing these restrictions. Simpson then offers practical workarounds, notably using a custom fridge‑magnet QR code that directs guests to a gated guide in exchange for their email, name, and phone number, feeding the data into a CRM for future direct bookings. He promotes several resources – Gil at Crafted Stays’ blog (six quick bullet points), the free “Book Direct Playbook,” and Boostly AI, a chatbot trained on over 800 podcast episodes and 1,000 videos – to help hosts build direct‑booking systems. Throughout, he urges hosts to reduce reliance on Airbnb, voice their concerns before the deadline, and engage by commenting “rocket” for links.
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Airbnb are trying to kill direct bookings. It is very important that you watch this video because not only does it affect you, but it affects many vendors in this space. So let's dig into it. Okay, so let's have a look at what's happening here. So now contracts, unless it's from a HOA or from specific hotel partners, you cannot require to ask your guests to sign a rental agreement. They are taking it all in-house. Also, the off-platform policy has got tightened a little bit. We cannot ask guests for any contact information at any point during their stays, and they are also throwing in Wi-Fi tools like Stayfy in here as well. They do not want you trying to get their guest data at any point during the stay. Shout out to Gil at Crafted Stays. Comment the word rocket below, I'll send you the link to this. He's put a really cool blog together on how to prepare before the 20th of November. Go and check it out. He gives you a little deep dive in 6 super quick bullet points. Well, let's have a little chat about how we can still win here. But the first one is on your fridge. Now, all you can do, go onto Etsy, go onto Vistaprint, go into whatever shop, customize a fridge magnet and pop it with a QR code on there. And very, very simply, you just have to give them what they want. On the QR code, hey, we have got these 5 top hidden places that you can enjoy during your stay here. Scan the QR code to get it. And when they go to that QR code, guess what you'll have there? You're not going to give them it. You have to get their email address and first name and phone number to get that. That QR code will then go into your CRM, and then you've got that data for the future. Now, that's one tip. There's 100 other tips. If you look over my shoulder here, there's a book here called the Book Direct Playbook. Comment the word rocket below, I'll send you a free copy of that book, digital copy. I'll even send you a link where you can chat to the Boostly AI that's trained on that one, that's trained on that one, and over 800 podcast episodes and over 1,000 videos to help you with this direct. Because at the end of the day, Airbnb are tightening the screw. The worst thing that you can do right now is be reliant on that platform. 'Cause when you are reliant on that platform, they can change the rules at any point, which they are doing. So you have got until the 20th of November. If you are annoyed, let them know because they do listen. So this is why I've thrown it open to you. Let us know what you think. Let us know what you're doing below.
