Airbnb makes party ban permanent

Airbnb announced Tuesday that its temporary ban on house parties and events will now be permanent.

The short-term rental company first introduced the policy in 2020 as a way to comply with social distancing guidelines for the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Over time, the party ban became much more than a public health measure,” the company wrote in a blog post. “It developed into a bedrock community policy to support our Hosts and their neighbors.”

The now permanent policy bans “disruptive parties and events,” which include open-invite gatherings, at all Airbnb rentals.

The company is also extending its ban on so-called “party houses,” which it first restricted in 2019 after five people were killed at one of its bookings in California.

Airbnb has seen a 44 percent year-over-year decline in party reports since instituting the party ban in 2020.

“The temporary ban has proved effective, and today we are officially codifying the ban as our policy,” the company wrote.

Guests that violate the policy on parties may face account suspension or full removal from the platform.

The company suspended over 6,600 individuals from its services for breaching the policy in 2021. As of the end of last year there were 6 million active listings worldwide.