Windsorites book Airbnbs in Ukraine with no intention to check in

Anissa Noakes booked Airbnbs in Ukraine with no plans to check-in in Windsor, Ont. on Tuesday, March 8, 2022. (Sijia Liu/CTV Windsor)

On paper, Windsor resident Anissa Noakes is visiting Ukraine, but she really has no plans to travel soon. 

Noakes is among the thousands of people around the world who have booked Airbnbs in Ukraine, with no intention of checking in. It’s a novel way for people to donate directly to those in need in the war-torn country.

“We immediately stopped all service fees in Ukraine, so that any donations that go to Ukraine, stay with Ukrainians,” says Airbnb spokesperson, Matt McNama.

On March 2 and March 3, guests worldwide booked more than 61,000 nights in Ukraine, around 3,000 of those nights were booked by Canadians, according to McNama.

Airbnb in Ukraine hoping to help refugees. (Source: Airbnb)

With a budget of approximately $200, Noakes booked four Airbnbs in various Ukrainian cities.

One of the places she reserved is a hostel that can host up to 60 people.

“She hosts people for two, three nights on the way to the border to help them get out. The money helps with all sorts of things, like food,” says Noakes.

This method of support appealed to her because she knows exactly where her money is going and can communicate with the hosts, often sharing positive messages.

Conversation between Anissa Noakes and Ukrainian Airbnb Host. (Courtesy Anissa Noakes)

Joan Charette did extensive research before booking an Airbnb in a border city in Poland.

“Thank goodness for Google Translate. We communicated with each of those hosts,” says Charette.

Charette was inspired to take action after learning children in Ukrainian hospitals were being evacuated to Poland.

When booking her Airbnb, she purposely found a place that would shelter these fleeing families.

“We would put all the Airbnbs in the map to see how far it was from the hospital. We found one that was only five minutes away,” says Charette.

There are precautions to take before booking to ensure the listing is legitimate. McNama suggests looking at the number of reviews, checking for the verified identity of the host and how long the account has been on the site.

Certain listings will post information to indicate its intention to be used to help refugees.

Airbnb will also be offering temporary housing to up to 100,000 people fleeing Ukraine.

Nearly 30,00 Airbnb hosts from around the world have signed up to house Ukrainians, including 500 Canadians. For more information, visit www.airbnb.org/help-ukraine

Joan Charette, booked an Airbnb in Ukraine to assist refugees pictured in Windsor, Ont. on Tuesday, March 8, 2022. (Sijia Liu/CTV Windsor)