2025 opened on a positive note for short-term rental in the European Union.
According to Eurostat data, in the first quarter, overnight stays increased by 4.8% compared to the same quarter in 2024, reaching 129.6 million. Compared to the first quarter of 2023, the increase is impressive: +34.5%, underlining the steady upward momentum of the sector in Europe.
Greece is “running” at three times the European average
Even more impressive is the picture for Greece, which recorded a 15.2% increase in short-term rental nights in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. This increase is more than three times the European average (+4.8%) and ranks Greece 6th among the countries with the highest percentage increases in the EU.
In total, Greece recorded 2.81 million overnight stays through platforms such as Airbnb, Booking and Expedia in the first quarter of 2025, an increase of around 372,800 overnight stays compared to the corresponding quarter of 2024.
The performance per month in our country was:
- January 2025: 826,245 overnight stays (28.9% increase compared to January 2024)
- February 2025: 834,813 overnight stays (increase of 23.5%)
- March 2025: 1.15 million overnight stays (slight increase of 2.7%)
This performance confirms estimates that Greece is consolidating its position as an attractive destination for tourists opting for short-term rentals, also in the off-peak months.
Greece among the top “players” in Europe
Greece’s 15.2% increase ranks it 6th in Europe, behind countries such as Malta (+33.5%), Finland (+23.6%), Bulgaria (+22.3%), Norway (+18.9%) and Liechtenstein (+17%).It should be noted that all the above countries, with the exception of Malta, have a much smaller tourist “base” than Greece, which makes the performance of the Greek market even more significant.
Monthly first-quarter performance in the EU
Analysis of the data shows double-digit increases in overnight stays in the first two months of the year: +16.3% in January and +11.6% in February compared to last year. However, March showed a year-on-year decline of -8.6%, due to the transfer of the Easter holiday to April this year, compared to March last year. The strong performance in January and February, however, outweighed the contextual decline in March.
In detail, performance by month was as follows:
- January 2025: 826,245 overnight stays (28.9% increase compared to January 2024)
- February 2025: 834,813 overnight stays (an increase of 23.5%)
- March 2025: 1.15 million overnight stays (slight increase of 2.7%)
The top European regions in the second quarter of 2024
According to Eurostat data, at regional level, the leading regions in Europe for the second quarter of 2024 were Andalusia in Spain with 8.7 million overnight stays, the Canary Islands with 7.6 million and Île-de-France in France with 7.2 million overnight stays. The top 20 regions in Europe included a Greek region, which confirms the country’s attractiveness at regional level as well.
Outlook for 2025
Based on the first quarter data, 2025 looks set to be a positive year for short-term rentals in Europe and particularly in Greece. Increased mobility outside the traditional summer season and continued demand for platform stays indicate that the short-term rental model is well established and evolving as an important part of the tourism economy.
