As Europe rethinks its tourism model and invests in more sustainable forms of travel, Greece continues to treat camping tourism as a second-tier activity.
Rising travel costs, geopolitical turmoil in the Middle East, demand for more affordable vacations and travelers’ growing interest in nature have fueled a major increase in camping and motorhome tourism across Europe. In Greece, however, the sector remains constrained by inadequate infrastructure, regulatory uncertainty and long-standing skepticism toward a form of tourism that could provide significant economic and environmental benefits.
A growing European market
Data from Eurostat show that overnight stays at campsites in European Union member states reached 413 million in 2025, up 28.5% from 2015. That growth significantly outpaced the performance of the hotel sector.
Greece, by contrast, remains outside the European leaders. Overnight stays at organized campsites account for less than 1% of the country’s total tourism activity, compared with an EU average of 13.4%.
The Greek market nevertheless has considerable room for expansion. According to a study by INSETE, Greece had 293 organized campsites operating in 2024, offering 22,830 pitches and 1,149 accommodation units.
However, most of these facilities fall into the lower quality categories. Some 65% are rated two stars and 21% three stars. Higher-end facilities, including glamping operations, remain rare: only 7% of campsites have a four-star rating and just 1% have five stars.
The figures reflect a market that has not kept pace with international developments.
Many facilities remain outdated, investment is limited, and tourism policy continues to prioritize hotels and short-term rentals. As a result, camping tourism has been unable to fully serve as a tool for easing pressure on overcrowded destinations or extending the tourism season.
No dedicated strategy for camping
The lack of an integrated approach is also evident in Greece’s new Special Spatial Planning Framework for Tourism, which is currently being drafted. A version of the framework was presented by the ministries of Environment and Tourism.
Although organized tourist campsites are now officially recognized as primary tourist accommodations, the framework contains no specific section outlining a development strategy for campsites or tourism involving motorhomes and caravans.
The new framework generally refers to the need to develop milder and alternative forms of tourism, particularly in areas facing environmental pressures. It does not, however, specify the role camping tourism could play.
As a result, a sector that is developing internationally as a strategic tool for sustainable tourism continues to operate in Greece without a specific development plan.
Organized campsites remain resilient
Despite the challenges, Konstantinos Papadopoulos, president of the Panhellenic Association of Camping Owners, is cautiously optimistic.
Referring to the impact of developments in the Middle East, he said, “Tourism gets sick, it doesn’t die,” arguing that the organized camping sector is not facing serious operational problems.
Papadopoulos emphasized that organized campsites are classified as primary tourist accommodations and that inspections by the Greek National Tourism Organization help ensure service quality. He nevertheless considers more intensive inspections necessary at facilities that do not meet required standards.
The regulatory framework governing motorhomes, meanwhile, has generated significant controversy.
Law 5170/2025 and provisions of Greece’s new Highway Code created the impression that motorhomes were effectively prohibited from parking outside organized campsites.
Strong reactions from the Greek Motorhome Club and European organizations prompted the Hellenic Police to issue a clarifying circular in early 2026.
Under the clarification, motorhomes up to 7.5 meters long can park wherever parking is permitted. Other vehicles can also park, provided that no camping facilities are set up, such as tables, chairs or grills.
Motorhome owners still report problems
Despite the clarification, problems persist.
Stefania Papadaki, president of the Greek Motorhome Club, says several municipal and police authorities continue to issue fines because of what she describes as an incorrect interpretation of the law.
Club members now carry Greek legislation and the relevant circular translated into five languages so they can demonstrate their rights during inspections.
Papadaki also says motorhomes are treated differently in Greece than elsewhere in Europe, despite being regular vehicles subject to road taxes, technical inspections, insurance and tax obligations similar to those of passenger cars.
Around 1,200 motorhomes with Greek license plates are currently in circulation, while approximately 50,000 motorhomes from abroad visited Greece in 2024.
Yet Greece still lacks organized camper stops where travelers can temporarily park, refuel and access basic services.
Greece compared with Europe
The contrast with other European countries is striking.
In Spain, the number of travelers choosing camping has increased by 26% compared with 2019, while the number of motorhomes has nearly tripled over a decade, reaching 137,000 vehicles.
In Austria, camping tourism has become part of the country’s national tourism strategy through 2030. The goal is to increase overnight stays by about 50% compared with 2019, with a focus on improving quality, developing glamping and expanding winter camping as a higher-value tourism product.
The Czech Republic has also recorded a dramatic increase in interest in camping and motorhomes since the pandemic.
Greece has many of the natural advantages needed to become a leading camping tourism destination, including thousands of miles of coastline, a mild climate for most of the year, distinctive mountain landscapes and significant geographic diversity.
What remains missing, according to the sector, is a coherent strategy combining modern infrastructure, clear rules, investment in high-quality facilities and organized service areas for motorhomes.
