The publication of new data by the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) on short-term rentals brings the real size and structure of Greece’s Airbnb-style market back to the centre of public debate, while also creating new conditions for how the sector is statistically recorded by different institutions.
According to the published data, 117,604 Property Registration Numbers (AMAs) declared income from short-term rentals in 2025. These figures reflect a market with wide geographical dispersion, as activity is recorded across almost the entire country, from major urban centres to smaller and less tourism-developed areas.
Nationwide expansion and a new tourism geography
The analysis of the data shows that short-term rentals are no longer a phenomenon exclusively linked to “traditional” tourist destinations. Attica, Central Macedonia, the South Aegean, Crete and the Ionian Islands still concentrate the largest share of activity; however, the overall picture is now significantly more dispersed.
Indicatively, at least one short-term rental property is recorded in 325 out of 332 municipalities in Greece, confirming that the market has acquired an almost universal footprint. At the same time, 65 municipalities record more than 500 properties generating income from this type of activity.
This development is fundamentally reshaping the country’s tourism map, as areas that until recently were not considered tourist destinations are now integrated into the short-term rental network.
The issue of statistical discrepancies
One of the most widely discussed issues emerging from the data concerns the significant discrepancies between different sources recording the market.
AADE’s data (117,604 AMAs) differs substantially from estimates by other institutions and databases, such as ELSTAT, which reported 207,000 properties in 2024, or private market analytics platforms, which in some cases present significantly higher numbers for total accommodation stock.
This discussion does not only concern the technical side of statistical recording, but also directly affects the public debate on market regulation, policy interventions and the spatial planning framework.
The position of Stama Greece
Following the publication of the data, Stama Greece returns to the issue of data interpretation, arguing that the discussion on short-term rentals must be based exclusively on official administrative data rather than estimates.
Stama President Vasilis Argyrakis stresses that the new data confirms key sector positions regarding the structure and functioning of the market, while also highlighting the need to clarify the methodologies used by different institutions.
“AADE’s data confirm that the discussion on short-term rentals must finally be based on real data and not on estimates or generalisations that do not reflect the actual market reality.
It is clear that the 117,604 AMAs do not correspond to 117,604 properties, as multiple registrations per property are possible. The actual number of active properties is lower, reaching 80.000 properties, reflecting a significantly more compact market than is often presented.
The data also highlights the strong geographical dispersion of activity, which contributes substantially to the distribution of tourism income across the country.
Short-term rentals are now a structural component of the Greek tourism product, and a serious, evidence-based dialogue is required for their regulation, without exaggerations and without statistical distortions that lead to misleading conclusions.”
A market in a maturing phase
The new AADE data comes at a time when Greece’s short-term rental market is entering a maturing phase, with increased regulatory oversight, greater tax transparency, and growing interest in its spatial footprint.
The discussion is now shifting from “whether there is excessive growth” to “how the real structure of the market is accurately captured” and which policies can support the sustainable coexistence of short-term rentals with the hotel sector and the long-term housing market.
