Airbnb plans to temporarily house 20,000 Afghan refugees



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Families begin to board a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Afghanistan, August 23, 2021.

Sgt. Samuel Ruiz | United States Marine Corps | via Reuters

Airbnb plans to start hosting 20,000 Afghan refugees around the world for free, the company’s CEO Brian Chesky said on Tuesday.

Refugees will be accommodated in properties listed on Airbnb’s platform and stays will be funded by Airbnb, Chesky said on Twitter, without specifying exactly how much the company plans to spend on the engagement or how long the stays will be. refugees will be accommodated.

The United States said on Monday it had evacuated around 48,000 people from Afghanistan in recent days, as thousands still try to escape, fearing retaliation from now-ruling Taliban militants.

The main exit point is Kabul Airport, where huge crowds have gathered in the sweltering heat. The Taliban have set an August 31 airlift deadline and there are concerns that many who want to leave the country will not be able to do so.

“The displacement and resettlement of Afghan refugees in the United States and elsewhere is one of the greatest humanitarian crises of our time,” said Chesky. “We feel responsible for stepping up.”

He added: “I hope this inspires other business leaders to do the same. There is no time to waste.”

Chesky urged Airbnb hosts to “contact him” if they want to house a refugee family and pledged to put them in touch with the right people in the business.

Businesses of all shapes and sizes are rushing to show support for victims in times of major crisis; it is an opportunity to be charitable and to stimulate public relations in the process.

Airbnb, which is valued at around $ 92 billion, often offers to cover the cost of housing in the event of an emergency. It indicates that 75,000 people have found housing in times of crisis since 2012.

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