European City Considers 'Hotel Ban'

The city may limit new hotels.

A popular European tourist spot is planning to control overtourism by possibly stopping new hotels from opening.

Athens' mayor, Haris Doukas, wants to prevent overcrowding. He previously banned new short-term rental permits in central Athens.

Haris Doukas wants to avoid Athens becoming too crowded. He said the city needs to think about how many more hotels it can handle and where. The city must consider its tourist capacity.

Athens must not become like Barcelona. There are areas that cannot handle more tourists or new beds, whether short-term rentals or hotels. Capping is being applied to both short-term rentals and hotels in crowded areas.

Athens is the most visited area in Greece.

The Attica region has 68,934 rental apartments, with nearly half in the city center. Greece has seen a huge increase in tourist accommodation, with 450 new hotels opening between 2019 and 2024.

If Athens enacts the ban, it will join cities like Barcelona and Amsterdam in controlling overtourism.

Evgenios Vassilikos, President of the Athens Hotel Association, argued for careful planning in expanding hotel beds and short-term rentals. He spoke about the need for a thoughtful approach.

Evgenios Vassilikos mentioned that other cities have implemented similar restrictions. Barcelona has banned short-term rentals from 2028 and no new hotel licenses are being issued. Athens needs to plan its future and consider what it wants in 10 to 15 years.

Evgenios Vassilikos added that Athens will need hotel beds, but a specific plan is required. The plan must consider the types of beds, including non-primary tourist accommodation and short-term rentals.

Athens is the most popular tourist destination in Greece, with 12 million international arrivals in 2025. This includes 4.5 million British tourists, up from 3.5 million in 2019. The Acropolis receives millions of visitors a year.

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