The momentum of the short-term rental market in the European Union remains strong, with bookings through Airbnb, Booking and Expedia continuing their upward trend in 2026, confirming that this form of accommodation has now become a key pillar of European tourism.
According to the latest Eurostat data, a total of 144.3 million overnight stays were recorded in the first quarter of 2026 in short-term rental accommodations booked through the three major online platforms.
This figure is up by 9.7% compared to the same period in 2025, while compared to the first quarter of 2024 the increase reaches 16.6%, reflecting the steady expansion of the market even during the traditionally weaker months of the tourist season.
The data comes from information transmitted directly to Eurostat by the platforms Airbnb, Booking and Expedia and mainly concerns houses, apartments and other short-term rental accommodation. It does not include hotels or campsites, while the European statistical authority notes that this is a separate statistical recording, which does not match traditional tourism statistics.
Attica at the top of the Greek market
Of particular interest are the regional Eurostat data for the fourth quarter of 2025, which show that Attica dominates by a large margin in short-term rentals in Greece.
The region recorded 2.23 million overnight stays, a performance that not only ranks it first in the country but also highlights the dynamism of Athens as a city break destination with strong tourist activity throughout the year.
Crete follows in second place with 972,600 overnight stays, despite the fact that the period covers October to December, when the summer tourist season has essentially ended.
The other Greek regions record significantly lower performance:
- Central Macedonia: 711,700 overnight stays
- South Aegean: 670,600
- Ionian Islands: 454,700
- Peloponnese: 316,700
- Thessaly: 214,200
- Eastern Macedonia and Thrace: 126,200
- Epirus: 99,000
- Western Greece: 79,300
- North Aegean: 50,500
- Western Macedonia: 24,300
The gap between Attica and the rest of the Greek destinations is impressive, as the capital records more than double the overnight stays of Crete and far exceeds several traditional tourist destinations in the country.
Cyprus surpasses most Greek regions
Cyprus also had a particularly strong presence in the short-term rental market, as in the last quarter of 2025 a total of 1.17 million overnight stays were recorded through Airbnb, Booking and Expedia.
With this performance, Cyprus surpassed all Greek regions except Attica, confirming that it is a destination with strong demand beyond the peak season period.
Spain dominates Europe
At European level, Andalusia emerged as the most popular region for short-term rental bookings in the fourth quarter of 2025, with 9.9 million overnight stays.
It was followed by the Canary Islands with 8.2 million and the Île-de-France region, where Paris is located, with 7.2 million overnight stays.
It is notable that the ten most popular tourism regions in the European Union come from only three countries: five are in Spain, three in France and two in Italy.
The picture confirms that demand for short-term rental accommodation continues to be concentrated mainly in major urban destinations and mature tourist areas of the Mediterranean, while the market continues to grow at a steady pace, strengthening the role of digital platforms in shaping the European tourism map.
