Greece once again stood at the center of summer tourism flows, as overnight stays in short-term rental accommodation recorded strong growth in the third quarter of 2025. The latest Eurostat data show that at the peak of the season, inbound tourism to the country not only remained resilient but strengthened significantly, confirming Greece’s steadily expanding role on the European travel map shaped by digital platforms.
Double-digit growth above the European average
Specifically, during the period July–September 2025, Greece recorded a +12.3% increase in overnight stays in short-term rental accommodation. This performance exceeded the European average (+8.7%) and ranked among the strongest in the EU. Greece joined a group of leading performers alongside Malta (+24.0%), Cyprus (+19.4%), and Sweden (+13.1%).
In other words, this is not merely a post-pandemic rebound. The figures point to a market that continues to evolve and expand steadily within a highly competitive environment, where tourism flows are being reshaped, traveler habits are changing, and short-term rental platforms are increasingly becoming a primary accommodation channel.
The European context: 398.1 million nights in a single season
Greece’s performance gains additional significance when viewed against the broader European backdrop. Across the European Union, overnight stays booked via platforms such as Airbnb, Booking, and Expedia reached 398.1 million in the third quarter of 2025, marking an 8.7% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
This volume highlights the sustained and widespread demand for short-term accommodation, despite the multiple economic and social pressures that have made the travel landscape more complex in recent years. The trend is clear: digital platforms are no longer an “alternative” option but a structural component of the European tourism market.
Within this context, Greece is moving faster than the EU average, gaining momentum and strengthening its footprint in a channel that directly affects the distribution of tourism spending, seasonality patterns, and visitor profiles.
Monthly data point to resilience and season extension
The intra-seasonal breakdown is particularly revealing. The strongest growth in overnight stays in Greece was recorded in July, at +10% compared to July 2024, while August and September also posted solid increases of around 8%.
This pattern leads to two key conclusions. First, demand was strong from the very start of the quarter. Second, activity did not fade sharply after the August peak but remained robust into early autumn. This dynamic signals a gradual extension of the tourism season and supports the view that Greece is reducing its dependence on a narrow peak window.
In practical terms, such a development strengthens the stability of local economies and enhances the sustainability of businesses that traditionally relied on just a few weeks of high occupancy.
Core regions: Athens–Attica, South Aegean, Crete
At the national level, the data highlight three regions with particularly strong activity on short-term rental platforms. Attica ranks first in overnight stays and places 30th among European regions, followed by the South Aegean islands in 42nd position and Crete in 43rd.
Attica’s strong presence—within a landscape typically dominated by leisure destinations—underscores the increasingly diversified nature of Greece’s tourism offering. Greece is no longer selling only sun and sea. Major urban centers, with Athens as the prime example, now function both as standalone destinations and as gateways to island and mainland routes.
This combination broadens traveler choice and gives Greece a competitive advantage at a time when visitors seek “experience bundles,” including culture, gastronomy, city breaks, and traditional summer holidays.
Standing out among Europe’s major tourism markets
The momentum becomes even clearer when compared with Europe’s leading tourism markets. Among the seven EU countries with the highest demand—France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Croatia, Germany, and Portugal—only Greece and Germany recorded double-digit growth in short-term rental overnight stays in the third quarter of 2025. The remaining countries posted single-digit increases.
This has a dual interpretation. On one hand, it confirms that European tourism as a whole remains on an upward trajectory. On the other, it shows that Greece is growing faster than several of Europe’s traditional tourism powerhouses, gaining momentum at a critical time when travel decisions are shaped by cost, experiences, infrastructure, and year-round destination appeal.
What this means for the Greek economy and for 2026
The double-digit increase in short-term rental overnight stays reflects steadily rising demand with clear multiplier effects. It boosts turnover in local markets, supports small and medium-sized businesses (hospitality, retail, services), spreads tourism spending across more regions, and in many cases contributes to extending the season.
At the same time, Attica’s position as the leading domestic hub for overnight stays signals a more polycentric evolution of Greece’s tourism product. The country is increasingly positioned not only as a summer destination, but as a destination of multiple identities.
If you operate in the short-term rental sector and are looking for practical answers on how to grow your business, the Short Stay Athens Conference on February 19–20, 2026 is the industry’s meeting point.
