Boom in Greek home-sharing properties ‘spiralling out of control’
Athens – Greek hoteliers say a boom in home-sharing properties for tourists in the capital Athens and on Greek islands is spiralling “out of control,” hurting hotels, pushing up residential rents and forcing locals from their homes.
More than 70 000 properties in Greece are available for rent to tourists through home-sharing platforms, according to research published this week by accounting firm Grant Thornton for the Greek Chamber of Hotels.
The home-sharing sector is growing at an annual rate of about 25%, generating revenues of about €1.9 billion (about R29.6 billion), or 10% of total tourist spending in the country, the research showed.
“The situation is out of control,” said Alexandros Vassilikos, head of the Greek Chamber of Hotels, referring to the research findings for top summer destinations such as the islands of Crete and Corfu.
“We have higher rents that are hitting the poor more, distorting the character of traditional neighbourhoods ... and creating more garbage,” he said.
The hoteliers want the government to set limits on the total number of nights a property can be rented out to tourists, as well as higher taxation and stricter rules to ensure the character of a region is respected.
Some other European cities, such as Amsterdam, have imposed such limits. – Reuters