Greece’s short-term rental market is reportedly entering the summer season with strong momentum, as demand for Airbnb-style accommodation continues to rise and property owners appear to be pushing ahead with higher prices despite a slight letdown during the ongoing spring season, linked partly to geopolitical developments.
According to AirDNA’s latest European analysis for April 2026, Greece posted one of the strongest performances in Europe in both summer demand and pricing.
April was weaker than the same month last year, in line with broader European trends. Overnight stays fell 7% year-on-year, while occupancy slipped to 54.8% as the increase in available listings across Europe outpaced demand growth.
In Greece, however, the supply of available short-term rental listings fell by 3.6%, helping support property revenues.
Greek Airbnb operators continued to raise prices, with the average daily rate (ADR) climbing 7.8% to 107.1 euros. Revenue per available rental (RevPAR) rose 2.1% to 58.7 euros despite the drop in occupancy.
The outlook for the summer season appears even stronger. Overall summer demand in Greece is already running 9.3% higher than last year, outperforming the European average increase of 8.2%.
Bookings for July and August were up 13.5% and 11.4% respectively, while September bookings increased 12.4%, reflecting the continued extension of Greece’s tourism season beyond the peak summer months.
AirDNA also said Greece recorded the highest seasonal pricing premium in Europe. Summer rates are about 55% higher than during the rest of the year — the largest gap among Europe’s major short-term rental markets.
Average daily rates during the summer are projected at 174 euros, compared with 113 euros outside the peak season.
Across Europe, the short-term rental market is also entering summer 2026 with solid demand despite inflationary pressures, geopolitical uncertainty and rising accommodation supply. Demand for the June-September period is already 8.2% higher than last year, with July and September showing the strongest gains.
At the same time, supply growth continues to outpace demand. Available listings in Europe rose 3.6% in April to 3.71 million properties, while overnight stays declined 5.7%, pushing average occupancy down to 55.3%.
Despite softer occupancy levels, operators maintained upward pricing pressure. Average daily rates across Europe rose 6.3% to 127 euros, while RevPAR increased 2.5%, suggesting hosts are preserving strong pricing strategies even amid slower demand growth.
Demand is also shifting toward mid-range accommodation categories, with economy, midscale and upscale segments showing the strongest performance as travelers seek better value amid higher transportation and lodging costs.
Northern European markets posted the fastest growth, led by Denmark with a 50.9% jump in summer demand. Poland, Sweden and Norway also recorded strong gains, while more traditional Mediterranean destinations such as Croatia showed signs of slowing.
Reports in local media over the past year highlighted mounting pressure from Greece’s expanding short-term rental sector on housing affordability and long-term rental availability, particularly in central Athens and popular island destinations. The government has introduced stricter regulations, tax measures and registration requirements aimed at balancing tourism growth with housing concerns, while demand for high-yield tourist accommodation continues to reshape parts of the property market.
