In an effort to address the unregulated expansion of the short-term rental market, the Greek Ministry of Tourism has introduced a legislative framework establishing minimum requirements for properties listed on platforms like Airbnb. The new ruleset outlines operational and safety standards for properties in the sharing economy, with a view to safeguarding the quality of Greek tourism and aligning short-term rentals with the standards applied to hotels and guesthouses, reducing unfair competition. Additionally, a new classification system for hotels is underway, emphasizing sustainability, including environmental and energy efficiency criteria, with the Ministry revealing its end goal of encouraging eco-conscious accommodation development by linking compliance with access to financial incentives.
Under the proposed legislation, properties must carry liability insurance for damages or accidents, an electrician’s certificate, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, circuit breakers, or residual current devices, and clearly marked emergency exits. They also need pest control and disinfection certificates, first aid kits, emergency contact information, and must serve as primary-use residences with adequate lighting, ventilation, and air conditioning. The framework includes mechanisms for compliance checks and penalties.
Standards for apartment buildings are also under review, such as requiring elevator certification for professional use and limiting the number of units allowed for short-term rentals within a single building.
The Greek government has stressed that the objective is not to vilify the short-term rental market but to regulate it, acknowledging its significant contribution to the economy, with annual revenues exceeding €3 billion. However, additional restrictions on issuing new licenses for short-term rentals are under consideration. Beyond the three central Athens districts already affected, further measures may be applied in other areas showing signs of market saturation.
Starting January 1, 2025, a temporary freeze on new licenses will take effect in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd municipal districts of Athens. This ban, initially set for one year, may be extended depending on its effectiveness and market trends in certain areas. Earlier tax measures aimed to ensure equal treatment for short-term rental operators compared to other accommodation providers.
Recent data illuminates the rapid growth of short-term rentals. In 2023, Attica’s hotel beds rose to 67,000—a growth of 8% from 2019—while beds in the sharing economy more than doubled, reaching 113,000 from 52,000 in 2019. Athens followed a similar trend, with hotel beds increasing to 35,000 in 2023, a 16% rise from 2019, while short-term rental beds surpassed 63,000, up from 29,000 in 2019.
