Airbnb has retired the use of guest email aliases. Read on to explore this major change to the way you communicate with your Airbnb guests…
Airbnb guest emails: What has changed?
As of October 2023, Airbnb no longer provides guest email aliases with reservations. These email aliases were previously used so that guests and Airbnb hosts could communicate via email while preserving the guest’s privacy.
What does this change mean for Airbnb hosts?
This change effectively keeps your initial communications with guests limited to Airbnb’s own messaging platform.
Email is the no. 1 method that property owners use to communicate with guests.* So if you use emails to share important information with visitors who book via Airbnb, you’re likely already aware of – and experiencing! – the impact of this change.
Some hosts have found it difficult to keep the booking experience smooth for guests while shifting communications over to Airbnb’s platform. That’s because lots of important information is typically shared with guests via email, like links to take payment for extra services and building/door access codes for contactless check-in.
Of course, there are other communication methods available within Airbnb. You may wish to take advantage of them by:
- Posting more detailed information on your Airbnb listing. One solution is to populate your listings with more info on the things guests want to know, such as instructions on arrival, check-in, and check-out.
- Using Airbnb messaging to share important details. Airbnb’s messaging does allow you to include links that direct guests to your website for more information. Airbnb also enables you to ‘schedule’ messages to be sent at a time of your choosing.
However, these communication methods are not ideal for every host – or every guest:
- Lengthening your Airbnb listing works when you’re adding information that’s useful for all guests. But it’s not useful for sharing personalized info that changes for each booking, like dynamic links.
- For some guests, the Airbnb messaging platform is not as familiar or as simple as direct email communication.
- And for many hosts, Airbnb’s messaging features make it a less convenient, more time-consuming option. This is an even greater concern for multi-property managers, who must manage communications on behalf of many different hosts!
Fortunately, there is another way to navigate these challenges. Keep your Airbnb communications easy and within your control, all without that initial access to email…
The Suite solution: Templates for Airbnb scheduled messages
If you’re a vacation rental host who currently uses eviivo Suite, then we have good news! You’re able to create an ‘Airbnb message’ version of any automated guest email Template that you have set up with us. These are shorter, text-only versions of your original email that you can send automatically via Airbnb messaging – on the same schedule you have set up for your emails.
By setting up these Templates in eviivo Suite, you’re able to send automated versions of common email communications as ‘Airbnb messages’. This includes your:
- Booking re-confirmation
- Reservation summary
- Online check-in flow
- Payment and pre-authorization requests
And many more! In short, you get to keep the communications and scheduling that have always worked for you – while complying with Airbnb’s messaging parameters.
While Airbnb does enable you to create scheduled messages on the Airbnb extranet, our Templates are more powerful. Here’s a non-exhaustive list of the things you can do with them:
- Capture guests’ contact details, including real (not proxy) email addresses
- Include dynamic links in messages. This enables guests to, for example, manage their booking and/or check-in online.
- Collect and/or pre-authorize payments for extras and/or deposits
- Include unique building or door access codes per booking
- Set up scheduled messages to only be sent when certain conditions are met (e.g., once the damage deposit is paid)
In addition, with eviivo Guest Manager, you’re able to fully customize your Templates AND read & reply to Airbnb guest messages from your centralized eviivo Conversations inbox.
Overall, using eviivo’s messaging Templates reduces the impact of Airbnb’s new rules, allowing you to keep your communications in your control – and in one instance, gain earlier access to guest details than you had before…
Why use eviivo’s Templates for Airbnb messaging?
Here are just a few of the biggest reasons to manage the changes to Airbnb communications with our Templates…
Take charge of the relationship with your guests
Templates cut out the messaging middle man. Use them to capture guests’ contact details by linking to pages on your own website like your ‘online check-in’ or ‘manage my booking’ pages.
The real game-changer here is the newfound ability to capture your guests’ real email address pre-stay (i.e. not a proxy like the old Airbnb email alias). Having the guest’s personal email address allows you to set the terms of the conversation to suit both parties. Furthermore, it’s your key to keeping the guest relationship alive post-stay – and getting them to book direct with you in future.
Hold on to your upsell opportunities!
Sending communications with links pre-stay is a great way to present your upsells at just the right moment. With our scheduled message Templates, you’re able to tempt guests to upgrade for an early check-in or a fully-stocked fridge on arrival – as well as collect or pre-authorize their payment.
Smoother guest journeys: from reconfirmation to check-in
So, you’ve made the contactless check-in process seamless with unique building or door codes for each booking. But you rely on sending them out via email…
Have no fear! eviivo Suite allows access codes to be added automatically to your ‘check-in instructions’ message Template. Use our scheduling capabilities to ensure these codes only go to guests once they’ve paid their booking deposit. (Just make sure you’ve set up your contactless check-in solution with eviivo Suite in advance!)
One-stop shop for easy, flexible messaging
Airbnb is likely just one part of a wider network of OTA channels and communication methods you use. Want to avoid the overwhelm of dealing with multiple extranets, messaging platforms, and automated templates? This is where eviivo Guest Manager comes in.
Guest Manager allows you to manage your Airbnb guest messages alongside messages from other channels via the integrated Conversations inbox. As a result, it’s easier to read and respond to, well, everything! Plus it enables you to fully customize your automated Templates across both email and ‘message’ formats at any time.
Conclusion
So there you go – Airbnb may have made a big change, but that doesn’t mean you have to as well. Keep control of your communications by identifying the best ways to use Airbnb’s messaging platform – and the right technology to help you communicate with your guests on your terms.
*eviivo poll of 108 property owners across UK, FR, DE, ES and US markets
Airbnb Guest Emails Retired: What Vacation Rental Hosts Need to Know
Key Takeaways
- Airbnb no longer provides guest email aliases with reservations. This change restricts your initial communications with Airbnb guests to Airbnb’s own messaging platform.
- You are able to use the other communication methods built into Airbnb to share communications you previously sent by email. However, some hosts find these methods less convenient than direct email communications.
- eviivo Suite gives you another way to navigate this change: by setting up and sending automated versions of common email communications as ‘Airbnb message’ Templates.
- Use these Templates to capture guests’ contact details (including real email addresses), add links to messages, and provide door or building access codes for contactless check-in.
- Subscribers of eviivo Guest Manager are also able to fully customize Templates AND read & reply to Airbnb guest messages from the centralized eviivo Conversations inbox.
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