People have no intention of staying in the accommodation and just want to put money in the hands of Ukrainians affected by the war.
Airbnb Inc. said it has accepted nearly $2 million in bookings in Ukraine from people who have no intention of staying in the accommodation and just want to put money in the hands of war-torn citizens there.
Some 61,000 nights were booked in Ukraine on March 2-3, according to a tweet from Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky. Users from the US, UK and Canada accounted for nearly three-quarters of total bookings, the San Francisco-based company said in an email, adding that it has temporarily waived guest fees and hosts on reservations in Ukraine.
Airbnb said earlier this week that it was offering free short-term accommodation for up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invasion and would work with neighboring European states to provide long-term stays. Ukraine has more than 17,000 short-term rentals, according to data provided by market research firm AirDNA.