Short-stay accommodation guest nights in Greece confirmed their dominance in 2025, with the country securing a prominent position on the European map as three Greek regions managed to enter the elite “Top 20” of the European Union’s most popular destinations.
According to final Eurostat data for the third quarter of last year, the Ionian Islands was the region with the highest number of guest nights, leading the domestic surge with 5.9 million bookings via platforms, followed closely by the Southern Aegean with 5.88 million and Crete with 5.26 million. This success carries particular weight considering that the EU’s top 20 regions originated from only six countries; Greece rightfully stands alongside tourism giants such as France and Spain, proving the deep penetration of the sector into the Greek economy.
A geographical “X-ray” of the Greek territory
The analysis of individual figures within the borders reveals a market with strong foundations in both island and mainland destinations. Beyond the dominance of the Ionian and the Aegean, Central Macedonia recorded 3.74 million guest nights, presenting an exceptionally dynamic image that placed it marginally ahead of Attica, which noted 3.7 million. In the rest of the country, the Peloponnese and Eastern Macedonia moved steadily with 1.32 million and 1.3 million respectively, while Thessaly reached 950,000. At the lower end of the scale were Epirus with 483,000, Central Greece with 335,000, and Western Greece with 287,000, while Western Macedonia recorded 21,000, reflecting the growth prospects that still exist in less prominent zones.
Explosive growth for Short-stay accommodation guest nights in Europe
At a pan-European level, 2025 was a year of historic highs for the collaborative economy sector. In total, short-stay accommodation guest nights booked via platforms such as Airbnb, Booking, and Expedia reached 951.6 million for the entire year, a figure that translates into an impressive increase of 11.4% compared to 2024. This momentum showed no signs of slowing down even during the winter months, as the fourth quarter of 2025 closed with 172.3 million guest nights—a 10.9% year-on-year increase—confirming that traveler preference for self-catering accommodations remains undiminished regardless of seasonality.
Mediterranean competition and the top of the rankings
The analysis of the most popular European regions for the third quarter of 2025 highlights the absolute dominance of the Mediterranean, with Croatia’s Jadranska Hrvatska taking the top spot with 27.7 million guest nights. Andalusia in Spain came in second with 19.5 million, while the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur rounded out the top three with 16.9 million.
The overall picture shows that short-stay accommodation guest nights are concentrated in specific geographical hubs, with France boasting six regions in the “Top 20,” Spain five, and Italy four. Greece’s presence with three regions in this privileged list underscores the country’s strategic importance and the ability of Greek hosts to offer a product that is internationally competitive and of high standards.
