Airbnb is changing its homepage to highlight accommodations
that offer month-long stays.

The change comes as demand for long-term stays surges during
the Covid-19 pandemic, with Airbnb reporting that long-term bookings on the
platform were up 20% during the last two weeks in March. 

Airbnb expects to have more than a million units available
for month-long bookings when the new homepage goes live on April 9. Airbnb will
showcase accommodations with kitchens and laundry facilities. 

“As Covid-19 results in severe travel restrictions, the
Airbnb community has shifted to meet new consumer needs for longer-term stays
within their communities — ranging from seniors needing safe accommodations to
shelter in, or families needing the space to support educating kids while
working from home, to medical providers needing places to stay near the front
lines, or college students needing housing after their schools have closed,”
Airbnb said in a statement.

Last week, Airbnb
debuted a new alert function designed to encourage hosts to update their
settings and make their accommodations available for weekly and monthly
bookings. 

The company estimates that around 80% of Airbnb hosts now
accept longer-term stays, and about half of the platform’s active listings
provide discounts for stays of one month or longer.

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