Airbnb Owner Refuses Reservation Due to Guests' Country of Origin
In a surprising turn of events, a Welsh couple, Jemma Louise Gough and Jamie Lee Watkins, have accused an Airbnb superhost of discrimination after their booking request was denied due to their Welsh identity.
The couple, residents of Cwmbran, Wales, had made a booking request on Airbnb for their accommodation during a trip to attend a concert featuring Australian DJ Sonny Fodera in Manchester. However, the host, a highly-rated Airbnb superhost, refused their request, stating simply, "Because you're from Wales."
This incident has raised concerns about bias within the vacation rental industry and has prompted discussions on inclusivity and fair treatment for all potential guests, regardless of their location.
Airbnb has confirmed that they are currently investigating the matter further. The company, which emphasizes that discrimination is not tolerated on their platform and "has no place on Airbnb," has suspended the host while investigations are ongoing.
Jemma, in an interview with BBC Radio Wales, expressed her disbelief and shock at the host's reaction. She believes that all forms of discrimination warrant attention, including the incident that happened to her and Jamie.
Jemma has reached out to Airbnb for additional insight into their situation but remains with unanswered questions. The couple has accused the host of discrimination, a claim that has not been refuted.
Interestingly, the host had received positive feedback from other guests globally, including those from Wales. This has left Jemma and Jamie confused about their treatment, given the host's positive feedback from Welsh guests.
Regarding Airbnb's response, the search results do not provide specific information on what Airbnb is doing to address this issue of discrimination. However, generally, Airbnb has policies prohibiting discrimination and typically takes reports of such incidents seriously by investigating and potentially removing discriminatory hosts from the platform. Since no direct details were found in the search results about this particular case, it is unclear how Airbnb is handling it specifically at this time.
The incident has made Jemma Louise Gough feel like an outsider during their trip, a feeling that no traveller should ever experience. As the vacation rental industry continues to grow, it is crucial that platforms like Airbnb uphold their commitment to inclusivity and fairness for all users.
The couple had initially planned to book an accommodation for their travel to attend a concert, but due to their Welsh identity, their request was denied by the Airbnb superhost. This discriminatory act has led to discussions about the importance of inclusivity in the lifestyle of travel, particularly within the vacation rental industry.
