South Africans are renowned for their spirit of Ubuntu and are applying it to supporting small businesses in Kyiv by booking holidays they will never take.
Global (08 March 2022) – Airbnb has waived all fees for bookings made in Ukraine so that homeowners can continue to earn an income and shelter fellow citizens during the conflict. There is a catch for these bookings, though; nobody is actually planning on staying in the rentals. These fake holidays are saving lives.
Already millions have been raised globally through Airbnb bookings, and South Africans are joining the cause. Fiona Phillips shared on her community Facebook group that she booked two nights in Kyiv for her family at the cost of R1200.00. Naturally, with the ongoing conflicts, people cannot visit the country, but they make the bookings regardless.
“Something to help Ukrainians directly, go to Airbnb and book a night or two in Kyiv or elsewhere in Ukraine, it’s not expensive. Airbnb is waiving all fees. 100% of the money is paid to the Airbnb owners, many of whom are sheltering others for free right now with what’s going on. Just booked a couple of nights in Kyiv and had an awesome response from the recipient, she was so grateful.” – Fiona Phillips
South Africa is a vibrant country that relies heavily on tourism. Many small businesses were supported during the two-year global lockdown, and now they, too, are paying it forward. Massimo Orion and his wife Tracy were on the receiving end of kindness many times during the pandemic.
Through the generosity of others, their pizzeria was able to remain functional, and their staff supported financially. They paid it forward by booking a few nights in Kyiv.
“Just booked a couple of nights in Kyiv. Of course, we will never go but Vadym, the host, will use the money to do some good.” – Massimo Orione
So if you have wanted to lend a helping hand but have been unsure how, this may be a very helpful way to support people in need of shelter and income.
A few things Airbnb have suggested to look out for when booking.
- Check the accommodation is owned by an individual and not a company.
- Make your booking close to check-in as the company has a 24-hour payout plan.
- When making your booking, send a special message filled with kindness and encouragement to the owner.
- Check how long the host has been on the site and read reviews; some scammers have created recent listings to take advantage of global generosity.
While wars will divide people through opinions, conspiracies and beliefs, there is no denying the toll it takes on the everyday human who has no cause to fight but is caught up in the country they love and cannot leave. These causes support those people. We encourage those who wish to support, to do so and those who do not agree, to practice peace.
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