UK holidaymakers may have to rethink their plans for a Greek getaway, with Spain potentially following suit. There are growing concerns about the impact of overtourism on local residents in Greece, both on the mainland and its popular holiday islands such as Crete, Corfu, Kos, Rhodes, Santorini, Mykonos and more.
In response to fears of overcrowding, Greece has imposed a ban on registering new tourist rental homes in certain Athens neighbourhoods during 2024. This comes as data from the National Institute of Statistics reveals that in 2023, Spain had just over 340,000 tourist homes compared to 1.7 million hotel beds, reports Birmingham Live.
The new regulation, effective since December 25, currently applies only to specific areas in Athens – the city that welcomes the most tourists out of the annual 32.7 million and suffers the most from overcrowding. All homes must be declared under this rule, with hefty fines threatened for any illegal ones.
According to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, this measure is being implemented in Greece to “relieve the pressure on rents and increase the availability of housing,” addressing the housing crisis faced by Athens and other major Greek cities.
“Many cities and countries are already discussing how to regulate the short-term rental market. We are taking some important first steps in that direction. If we believe that more are needed, we will not hesitate to take them.”
It has also been cautioned that the “crisis” engulfing the Mediterranean nation could extend to Spain and potentially ripple throughout Europe as increasing numbers of Brits seek out sunny retreats.