The high growth rates recorded for 2026 in the short-term rental market on the islands are now being approached by cities.
The growth rate of bookings in cities is around 11% on an annual basis, with the islands showing higher momentum, at +15%, according to data presented by Maria Flores Portillo, CRO of Beyond, at the Short Stay Conference held in Athens.
The picture is similar in terms of average daily rates, with cities recording an increase of around 7% for this year, while the corresponding figure for the islands is 10% per annum.
"August is not a particularly strong month on the islands, but after August, there is a 15-20% increase in bookings compared to the same month last year," she commented.
The picture for 2025
According to Beyond's data, the two cities that gained points last year in terms of their hosts' pricing policy are Larissa and Ioannina, where there has been an increase in the average daily price on an annual basis.
On the other hand, the two largest urban centers, Athens and Thessaloniki, as well as Patras, Kalamata, and Volos, declined. In terms of bookings, Kalamata and Volos led the way with a 4% increase compared to 2024.
As for the islands, Corfu recorded the largest price increase, in the range of 30%-40% on an annual basis, followed by Zakynthos and Crete. The smallest increase, up to 10%, was recorded by Santorini, which was also the only island destination under review that recorded a decline in bookings. The seismic activity that occurred in the first months of 2025 and greatly affected the whole year led to an 8% drop in bookings annually.
Comparison with competitors
Greece ranks second among six European countries (Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal, Italy, and Albania) in terms of annual revenue growth per available room (RevPar).
More specifically, Croatia recorded the highest increase in 2025 at +35%, followed by Greece with a 13% increase on an annual basis and Cyprus with 12%, completing the top three. Portugal recorded a single-digit increase of 4%, Italy recorded a marginal increase of 1%, and neighboring Albania was the only country to show a decline of 25%.
In terms of supply growth, Albania recorded the fastest growth rate of 68%. The market moved at a more moderate pace in the other five countries. Cyprus recorded a 28% increase, with Italy following closely behind with a 26% increase. Portugal recorded a 21% increase in the number of available accommodations, with Greece at 18% and Croatia in last place with a 17% increase.
It should be noted, however, that according to data from the Institute of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (INSETE), Airbnb-type accommodation listings in Greece reached 247,000 at the peak of the season in August, with more than 1 million beds available throughout the year.