Airbnb, its hosts to provide free housing to healthcare workers

Amid the global coronavirus pandemic, global tech hospitality platform Airbnb has announced it will work with its network of hosts to help provide temporary housing to 1,00,000 COVID-19 responders and healthcare professionals.

According to the new programme, Airbnb hosts can opt to open their homes for free through the company's emergency-housing Open Homes platform, created in 2012.

Airbnb also said it will waive all fees for any guest's stay if hosts can't offer their residences for free, CNET reported on Thursday.

"Medical workers and first responders are providing lifesaving support during the coronavirus outbreak and we want to help," Airbnb Co-founder Joe Gebbia was quoted as saying said by CNET.

In Italy and France, at least 6,000 Airbnb hosts have already made their homes available for doctors, nurses, caregivers and other medical support staff in two pilot programmes. IANS