Public discourse on real estate and tourism is often overwhelmed by dizzying numbers, but the recent intervention by IAPR (AADE) officials at the Short Stay Athens Conference came to set the record straight. For the first time, official data shows that short-term rental properties are significantly fewer than those widely circulated, debunking the narrative of “uncontrolled overgrowth” that often targets the industry.
The “deflation” of the numbers: 80,000 instead of 247,000
During an extremely interesting discussion with the new president of Stama Greece, Vasilis Argyrakis, IAPR officials Angelos Kouros and Apostolos Mpoutos presented data that changes the game.
According to the IAPR, for the year 2025:
Active AMAs (Property Registration Numbers) with at least one booking amounted to approximately 116,000.
These active AMAs correspond to fewer than 80,000 actual properties (ATAK).
The difference is vast, considering that INSETE data suggested the number of short-term rental properties available for lease in August reached 247,000. This significant discrepancy is not accidental but is largely due to structural features of the registration process that create a false image of oversupply.
Why is there such a discrepancy in the data for short-term rental properties?
The question naturally arises: Why do we see so many AMAs while the actual houses are fewer? The answer lies in the bureaucratic and operational reality of the industry. As pointed out at the conference, a single property can appear in the Registry more than once. This often happens when a separate number is issued by the owner and a different one by the property manager, resulting in the same apartment being counted twice or even three times in statistical analyses.
Furthermore, there is the category of “inactive AMAs.” Angelos Kouros (IAPR) explained that many property owners rush to issue an AMA just to have the option available, even though in practice their property is either owner-occupied or leased through a traditional, long-term rental.
Stama Greece’s position and the battle of impressions
The Short-Term Accommodation Managers Association (Stama Greece) emphasizes that debunking these myths is of pivotal importance. The use of inflated numbers not only harms the reputation of industry professionals but also distorts the public debate regarding the housing issue.
If the market ultimately consists of 80,000 properties and not 250,000, then the impact of short-term rentals on the availability of housing for permanent residency must be reassessed on a completely new basis. The documented mapping of the market, away from “estimates” and based on official IAPR data, is the only tool for a fair tourism and housing policy.
The IAPR data serves as a “reality check” for a market that is often judged by the surface and not the depth. For managers and owners, this development is a vindication, as it proves that the industry is more organized and far less “chaotic” than it is portrayed.
