Airbnb has reached an agreement with the Ministry of Health in Greece to provide sponsored accommodation for doctors and nurses as well as ambulance crews relocating to Greek islands to staff local healthcare facilities.
The agreement was announced by Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis, who said that the accommodation would be available from the beginning of August.
According to information, the program will initially be launched as a pilot scheme on August 1 in five popular Greek island destinations: Rhodes, Paros, Tinos, Ios and Santorini.
The initiative will cover healthcare professionals relocating to the islands to work in hospitals, health centers and other healthcare facilities, addressing one of the most pressing problems that arises every summer: finding affordable accommodation.
As the Health Minister stated, the agreement provides for accommodation to be made available through Airbnb’s sponsorship, while further details of the program are expected to be announced shortly.
The pilot program in five islands is the first step of the initiative, with the goal of fully meeting accommodation needs from next summer.
The lack of available housing for doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals has long been a problem in popular tourist destinations. Strong demand for tourist accommodation and rising rental prices make it increasingly difficult for professionals relocating for seasonal or temporary work to find suitable housing.
The new agreement seeks to provide an immediate solution to the problem, starting with five islands and with the prospect of expanding the initiative to other areas where local healthcare facilities face increased staffing needs.
