October 2020
October 2020 was the month a second round of government restrictions reached the trade in Europe. Wales closed every accommodation business from 23 October, Ireland went to Level 5, Germany agreed to keep overnight stays for non-tourist purposes from 2 November, and England's national restrictions were announced on 31 October. Airbnb, preparing for a stock market listing, set a cleaning deadline for hosts, blocked one-night Halloween bookings of entire homes in the United States and Canada and, on 30 October, promised hosts an endowment of 9.2 million shares.
A look back, written in October 2026 from sources published in October 2020. Stay Gazette opened in July 2026.
World · 23 October 2020Wales Shuts Every Accommodation Business as Lockdowns Return Across EuropeFrom 6pm on 23 October 2020 every accommodation business in Wales had to close for a national firebreak. In the same two weeks Ireland, Germany and England set or announced their own limits on overnight stays.By Tomás Ferreira · Filed 11 October 2026 · 7 min read
The Money · 30 October 2020Airbnb Sets Aside 9.2 Million Shares for a Host EndowmentAhead of a stock market listing expected before the end of 2020, Airbnb told hosts it would seed a fund with 9.2 million shares and name a Host Advisory Board. The fund would invest nothing until it was worth more than $1 billion, and hosts were not given shares.By Dana Whitfield · Filed 11 October 2026 · 7 min read
Pictures on this page. 1. Photo: Tenby from the Harbour (6371) by Nilfanion, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized). 2. Photo: San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and Skyline from Treasure Island 6959146192 by Tony Webster, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
What else was reported in October 2020
- 7 October 2020Airbnb said on 7 October 2020 that every homes host outside Mainland China had until 20 November 2020 to commit to its five-step enhanced cleaning process, and that accounts that did not could face warnings, suspensions and, in some cases, removal from the platform. Airbnb Newsroom
- 2 October 2020Airbnb said on 2 October 2020 that it would block one-night bookings of entire homes in the United States and Canada for 30 and 31 October, cancel those already made, and pay for the guest refunds so that hosts with confirmed bookings were still paid. Airbnb Newsroom
- 27 October 2020ShortTermRentalz reported that Airbnb would charge hosts in Europe who connect through third-party software a service fee of 15 percent, with no fee charged to guests, and that all such accounts would move to the new structure on 7 December. ShortTermRentalz
- 14 October 2020Expedia Group launched Vrbo in the UK in place of its HomeAway brand, taking the number of countries where it used the Vrbo name to 17, ShortTermRentalz reported. ShortTermRentalz
- 27 October 2020New South Wales announced that short-term rental hosts and guests who collected two strikes for parties, property damage or other disruptive behavior would go on a publicly searchable exclusion list for five years, with the state's fair-trading watchdog able to write the new rules from 18 December, ShortTermRentalz reported. ShortTermRentalz
- 15 October 2020Voters in Portland, Maine, were due to decide on Election Day on Question E, a ballot measure to end short-term rentals in units not occupied by their owner and raise registration fees to $1,000 for each mainland unit, ShortTermRentalz reported. ShortTermRentalz