Why My Airbnb Service Application Was Rejected | The Day I Learned About the Oaxaca 'Quota Problem'

Did you know that Airbnb 'services' have 'quotas' for each region?
I didn't know they existed, applied, and was rejected for an unexpected reason.

I thought this would be useful for people who want to use their skills to work abroad or are thinking about registering a service on Airbnb, so I've put together my experience.

■ Background of the application: The 'Can I do something?' phase after the pandemic

The beginning of 2025. After the pandemic, the economy was bad everywhere, and I had been struggling to find something I could do in my spare time in Oaxaca besides my regular work.

That's when a friend told me,
'Did you know you can register photography services on Airbnb now? Like cooking classes or nail services, those kinds of things you can take while traveling.'
they said.

I acted quickly! I gathered sample photos to become a service-providing host, thought up sales plans, and finally managed to submit my application.

■ The result... yes, it was a no.

The moment I found out my 'application was not accepted,' various reasons swirled in my head.

• No photography awards?

• Is the photo quality not good enough?

• Is it an experience issue?

• Is it weak because I only speak Japanese and Spanish?

Thinking about those things, I felt a bit depressed.

But I switched my mindset, thinking, 'No, what's the cause? Let me ask!' and contacted Airbnb.

■ The answer that came back was the unexpected 'regional quota'

The representative's response was this:

...Another region??
Like Puebla or Mexico City???

No, no, I want to do it in Oaxaca.

This was when I first learned that Airbnb services have 'caps' for each region.
It was a shock to realize it wasn't because of my skills or background, but simply because the quota was full.

By the way, the representative was very kind and their explanation was thorough. I was also grateful that I could make inquiries in Japanese.

■ Even so, I still want to take photos.

So, while my application didn't go through, if there are people who want to have travel photos or commemorative photos taken in Oaxaca in the future, I would like to continue doing this as a job.

We live in an era where you can take beautiful photos even with a smartphone, so there might not be a need for me, but... please feel free to contact me if you are interested.

■ The follow-up "Children's Ballet Shoot" incident

Oh, by the way.
I had received an offer for a shoot on December 4th, and I even did a thorough location scout... but in the end, that project also disappeared. Haha.

It was for a children's ballet class, but it seems there were other candidates known to the moms besides the person who recommended me, and in the end, it was decided by a "vote" for someone else.

Wait, it wasn't finalized!? That feeling of total letdown.

Honestly, it was quite frustrating, but it
"I'll definitely take such wonderful photos of the children that the moms will regret it later!"
it lit a fire of motivation in me.

I'm actually quite good at portrait photography (especially children). (Yes, I'm very positive. Haha.)

■ Conclusion

Well, including these "days when things don't go well," taking on challenges is interesting, isn't it?
I plan to continue my activities and challenges in Oaxaca at my own pace.

I'll write again if there are any developments, so please come by and take a look if you feel like it.
If you found this article interesting or felt it was even a little bit helpful, I would be happy if you could support me with a like or a follow.

Thank you for reading until the end.