Rise in Airbnbs thanks to Greek scheme

A Greek government scheme that grants visas to non-EU citizens in exchange for €250,000 property investments is leading to mass evictions, with tenants removed to make way for Airbnb properties.

In an echo of the Airbnb epidemic in cities throughout the world, homes are increasingly being bought and converted into holiday rentals — in this case primarily by Chinese investors — under Greece’s Golden Visa scheme.

A report has found there are whole areas of Athens and other cities where Airbnbs account for 81-95pc of rental properties. In two years, the number of Airbnb properties have soared from 9,000 to 129,000.