Greece has solidified its status as Europe’s leading summer travel hotspot for 2025, fueled by a striking 22 percent increase in Airbnb bookings, according to the latest data from AirDNA.
The report, analyzing short-term rental trends across Europe, reveals that Greece is outpacing nearly all other major markets in demand for June, July, and August. Of the 20 most active European destinations, 18 recorded year-on-year booking growth of at least 10 percent—but Greece led the southern Mediterranean with the highest surge, underscoring its enduring appeal to both European and international travelers.
Key trends driving Greece’s success in Airbnb rentals
There are several key factors fueling the success of Airbnb rentals in Greece. These include:
- A boom for local hosts: Rising occupancy rates and demand are translating into stronger returns for Greek property owners.
- Increased revenue per stay: Higher Average Daily Rates (ADR) are boosting profitability, helping to counter inflation-related cost pressures.
- Earlier planning: Extended booking windows indicate that travelers are locking in their summer plans earlier than in previous years.
- Destination diversification: While perennial favorites such as Santorini and Mykonos remain in high demand, there’s growing interest in less well-known inland and mainland destinations.
This upward trend reflects a broader resurgence in European travel, pointing to a revitalized tourism economy across the continent. Greece’s blend of accessibility, cultural richness, and affordability makes it especially well-positioned to benefit from this wave of renewed traveler enthusiasm.
Top European booking growth leaders
Within Europe the top leaders in terms of increased bookings are:
- Poland: +37 percent
- Czech Republic: +30 percent
- Norway: +27 percent
- Belgium & Germany: +24percent each
In contrast, northern destinations such as Finland (+8 percent), Denmark (+9 percent), Ireland (+10 percent), the UK (+10 percent), and Hungary (+12 percent) saw more moderate gains.
As the 2025 summer season approaches, Greece’s exceptional growth reaffirms its place at the forefront of Europe’s travel renaissance.
Greece imposes restrictions on Airbnb
In another move aiming to ease the country’s housing crisis, Greece is banning thousands of short-term rental accommodations from platforms like Airbnb by setting stricter rules under which such accommodations may be listed for rental.
The new legislation bans all properties that were warehouses, storage rooms, industrial spaces, or old basements, renovated for the purpose of serving as tourist accommodations, from short-rental platforms. Moreover, legislation also bans all properties that have not been characterized as primary residences under Greek law or whose owners did not arrange for them to serve as such by July 2011.
This means that thousands of properties in Greece currently listed for rental, mostly for tourists, are automatically being excluded from Airbnb-type rentals. The move affects thousands of property owners who invested in the short-term rental business by renovating spaces which are now, according to the new legislation, deemed unusable.
The Airbnb market in Greece is blamed for spiking prices and drying up the market for long-term rentals. Many Greek households struggle to find properties to rent.
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