Greece’s New Tourism Land Use Bill Sets Terms for Airbnbs and Uninhabited Islands

A new spatial planning bill in Greece expected to go up for public consultation in the upcoming period sets limits to Airbnb-style operations, allows the construction of tourism resorts on uninhabited  islands and defines shoreline use, among others.

The proposed legislation also divides the country into five zones based on saturation levels and sets development limits. These are the “saturated-controlled” zone (red), “developed” zone (blue), the “developing” zone (light blue), the “mild development-supported” zone (green), and the “selective special support” zone (grey).

Among others, the legislation sets a 30-day limit to short-term rental activities (Airbnbs) in areas listed in the red (saturated) zones and a 60-day limit in the developed zone, which includes all the islands apart from Evia and Crete.

The law also sets quality standards for short-term rental activity, which must be registered on the registry and hold a special tourism ministry seal, and limits the number of permits granted for such operations in saturated and developed areas.

Photo source: Airbnb

For the first time, the new legislation also foresees the creation of tourism resorts on uninhabited islands and sets limits to tourism construction on shorelines.

Additionally, it also covers the possibility of subsidizing through EU and national recovery resources hotel upgrades in low development areas only.

The new legislation also proposes the imposition of a new tax on tourism activity that will apply to all accommodation providers including Airbnbs and rooms to let – revenues from which will go toward upgrades and infrastructure.

Aiming to revive abandoned settlements, the new spatial planning law also foresees the establishment of “complex tourist accommodation facilities” on condition these settlements are redeveloped. Examples of this development model can be found on Tinos, Rhodes, Crete, and in the Peloponnese.

The new bill bans all forms of construction on uninhabited islands that are smaller than 74 acres and permanent constructions in the water up to 500 meters from the coast.

Lastly, the bill allows the construction of wind farm facilities and in some cases within protected areas, the creation of more golf courses, the development of conference centers in areas listed in both developed and developing zones.

It should be noted that the first spatial planning bill in tourism was approved in 2009 and repeatedly stopped by environmental groups after appeals.