Companies that allow travelers to use Airbnb could be open to lawsuits
contributed by Executive Travel (executivetravel.com)
Many companies today have put their heads in the sand and are ignoring how the sharing economy in the form of Airbnb has been creeping steadily into the corporate travel management world. At first blush, many people would casually ask, “What’s the big deal? Many vacation travelers love Airbnb so why not use it for business travelers? Are you crazy! Companies by law are responsible for the safety and security of their travelers when they are traveling for business. Think of the dozens of ways that using Airbnb could compromise the safety of corporate travelers. In a recent article by Asher and Lyric titled, “Is Airbnb Safe?” they reviewed 1021 horror stories to identify some of the major problems with renting Airbnb. The first thing they listed sent a shiver up my spine. Do you realize that “Airbnb doesn’t require any ID other than an email address and phone number? Basically, anyone could be your host. They don’t even require real names or profile photos.” This means your company travelers could end up staying with a convicted felon, a registered sex offender, a thief, or a conniving scam artist. WOW! Can you imagine the liability a company has if they allow their travelers to be exposed to this possible danger? CLICK HERE to read more about the Airbnb horror stories. I am not a lawyer, and can’t give you legal advice, but common sense says if you are responsible for the safety and security of your employees while they travel you should consider prohibiting them from using Airbnb for any company travel.