Guidance and Assistance for Hosts During This Pandemic.
As more information comes out about the coronavirus (COVID-19) and travel plans change affecting both guests and hosts, we understand that hosts are left feeling uncertain and worried during this difficult time.
Check your cancellation policies, review Airbnb's and HomeAway's COVID-19 notices, create a plan, and reach out to your guests.
We have heard from many of you about how COVID-19 is impacting your hosting business and are left wondering how to handle this difficult situation. As a result, we have created a special section on our website to provide you with special hosting tips and ideas which you may choose to take advantage of.
The first thing you should do is to get fully informed about Coronavirus (COVID-19), what it is, what it is not, how to protect yourself, symptoms, and how to stay updated. We suggest you visit the Southern Nevada Health District for this information.
Next, you should review Airbnb's Extenuating Circumstances Policy and The Coronavirus (COVID-19) page which is being continually updated as information changes. This will help you understand how cancellations are being processed by Airbnb during this time. If you list with HomeAway then you should also check their COVID-19 page to understand how they are handling this situation. Depending on your cancellation policy and how your hosting platform handles cancellations during this time, we suggest you reach out to your guests to help them feel safe and to provide them with other options, such as re-scheduling their vacation or offering them credit for future use, in addition to a full refund. Check out a sample e-mail you can use to send to your guests. Las Vegas events have been affected by the coronavirus worries. Some of these events have been cancelled, while others have been postponed to new dates. For a list of these events along with the new dates, go to our Cancelled/Postponed Las Vegas Events page so you can update your listing calendars. You should also be aware that several major utility companies in the Las Vegas valley are offering to help customers facing financial hardship. Companies like NV Energy, Southwest Gas, Las Vegas Valley Water District (LVVWD), Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA), and Cox are offering payment support and suspending disconnections for non-payment. Our Freeze Mortgage and Other Payments page has details on this. Additionally, the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are going to be offering help for taxpayers, businesses and others affected by the coronavirus. Some of the help may include a payroll tax cut, extending the tax deadline beyond April 15, loans for businesses in the hospitality industry, paid sick leave for workers who become sick from the coronavirus, expanding unemployment insurance, and other assistance for small businesses. Check out our members-only COVID-19 page for hosting tips, ideas, and details on all the above. If you're not an association member yet, then join us. It's free to become a member. The Greater Las Vegas STR Association (GLVSTRA) mission is to get short-term rentals legalized in all of Southern Nevada and to educate the public on all the benefits STR's have to offer.