Short Term Rentals: The Great Wound of Greek Tourism | Impressive Rise of Airbnb Beds in Attica and Athens in 2014-2023
The explosive rise of short-term rentals, mainly through Airbnb, is one of the biggest problems facing Greek tourism today. According to data from the Institute of Tourism Research and Forecasting (ITEP), Airbnb beds in Attica increased by 751% from 2014 to 2023, while during the same period hotel beds increased by only 16%. In Athens, the growth in Airbnb beds was even higher, reaching 770%, compared to just 29% for hotels.
The problem is particularly intense in popular tourist destinations such as Syros, where short-term rental beds increased by 803%, while hotel beds increased by just 12%. The uncontrolled expansion of short-term rentals is putting severe pressure on local infrastructure, causing difficulties in the daily lives of residents and dramatically increasing rents.
The president of the Pan-Hellenic Federation of Hoteliers, Yannis Hatzis, points out that the explosion of Airbnb capacity has serious implications for the sustainability of the tourism sector and the management of cities. The increase in tourism tax should be based on real data and not unfairly burden the hotel industry. Hoteliers are calling for immediate regulations to limit the uncontrolled expansion of Airbnb, protecting both tourism and the quality of life of residents.
With tourism being a key pillar of the Greek economy, the need for balanced growth and fair regulation is more urgent than ever. Increases in short-term rentals cannot be overlooked, as they threaten the stability of the tourism market and social cohesion.
