Bombed landscapes, water and electricity outages, shortages of food and basic necessities, human misery and risk of loss of life. It's certainly not what one dreams of for a vacation, but Ukrainian cities are very popular on Airbnb right now.
Certainly the hundreds who are closing houses, apartments and rooms in Kyiv, Kherson or Mariupol do not want to experience the war up close. They just want to help the Ukrainians as much as they can.
According to Airbnb, in the last two days alone, more than 61.000 overnight stays have been booked in Ukraine, bringing the total to almost $ 2 million.
After the idea was circulated on social media, many people from all over the world wanted to send a small financial aid to a tested people and the answers they received from their Ukrainian "hosts" were really moving.
"I live in Melbourne, Australia and unfortunately I will not travel to stay in your beautiful apartment, but I thought that if I make this reservation I might be helping someone directly affected by the horrific situation in Ukraine right now. I hope it helps a little, to know that the people are on the side of Ukraine and I really hope that peace is restored in the region. "And when that happens, I'll love to come and visit your beautiful country," Kate, who wrote to the hosts of an Airbnb apartment, wrote.
"Hello Kate. Good people are not lost on the world. Now tears come to my eyes and I cry with happiness for the first time in these tragic days. Thank you very much. "I will be happy to hug you when we meet in peace," was the answer he received.
Airbnb, which has already announced the suspension of its operations in Russia and Belarus, has abolished its booking fees in Ukraine, so that the entire amount available to users of its platform ends up in the hands of those who need it. .
Currently, there are more than 300 homes across Ukraine on Airbnb.
There are also tips on social media for those who want to support Ukrainians in this way, so that the money ends up really in everyday people and not in companies that can manage real estate on Airbnb or experts who have already appeared on the platform.
Look for hosts who already have ratings from people who stayed at home before the war, most tips say.
Source: moneyreview.gr