Diary of Airbnb and Vrbo Cancellations and New Bookings During the Coronavirus Epidemic

Well, we got our first cancellation this morning on March 11, 2020 because of coronavirus. A German couple who were supposed to arrive later this month and stay for 5 nights in Kauai for approximately $1,100. Because of the ban on flights from Europe announced last night, they were unable to come. So we’re out of luck there.

On the positive side, we’ve gotten three bookings this week. So at least for now, some people are still booking new travel.  

March 7, 2020 we got an Airbnb booking for 7 nights in Kauai for May for a couple that will be on their honeymoon (~$1,800).

March 9, 2020 we got an Airbnb booking for 9 nights in Kauai for a family of 4 (~$2,200)

March 12, 2020 (today, the day after the travel ban, when the stock market fell 10% in a single day) we got a Vrbo booking for June in Sonoma (~$1,800).

So 3 bookings and 1 cancellation in a week so far as the crisis is heightening, and the stock market and economy are plummeting. I don’t have any prediction on how it’s going to go, but I thought I’d write this down so I have some record of it down the line.

Additionally, over the last two days we got messages from future guests (for the Sonoma house) checking what our cancellation policy is, just in case. 

And while I’m writing this, San Francisco public schools just announced they’ll be closed for the next three weeks in response to coronavirus. Kids will be home. Coronavirus cases are still low in the US, but escalating very quickly.

Update from 3/20: Well that escalated quickly. Pretty much all bookings from Sonoma and Hawaii got cancelled for the foreseeable future.