Airbnb to verify all guests, crack down on party bookings, says report

Online hospitality major Airbnb has announced that all guests will be required to verify their identity for a successful booking, while it will also crack down on parties booked through its service.

According to the company, the new policies that went into force on Wednesday aim to enhance hosting experiences and increase platform bookings, The Verge reported.

Tara Bunch, head of global operations of Airbnb, said that about 80 per cent of the company's guests and hosts were already verified before this expansion.

If a person books on Airbnb in any of the top 35 countries and regions, which account for 90 per cent of all reservations, they must verify their identity.

During the procedure, guests must confirm their identity by providing personal information including their legal name, address, phone number, and other contact information.

Additionally, the company might ask for a government ID or a selfie.

The company also announced the expansion of its anti-party screening technology across the US and Canada which mostly targets younger guests who try to book nearby stays close to their homes.

When an earlier version of this programme was tested in Australia, the company had claimed that the number of reported unauthorised parties decreased by 35 per cent.

Early in 2023, anti-party screening and required visitor authentication will both be implemented globally.

--IANS

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