Short-term Rental Managers Seek Meeting with Athens Mayor to Discuss Taxation

Athens Mayor Haris Doukas.

Following Athens-Attica hoteliers who reacted to Athens Mayor Haris Doukas’ call for an increase in a levy paid by accommodation providers that will support the municipality in view of rising tourist arrivals, the Short-Term Accommodation Managers Association (STAMA) also expressed its discontent.

The association is calling on the mayor to arrange a meeting to discuss ways of cooperation and taxation.

Referring to a proposed increase in a municipal duty charged on hoteliers and short-term rental owners to 2 percent, STAMA said it agreed, acknowledging that rising tourist numbers were indeed putting a pressure on the city’s infrastructure and services.

Photo source: Airbnb

The association added that it also welcomed the mayor’s proposals for the newly introduced resilience fee to be channeled into local government coffers.

However, referring to added taxation, STAMA said that the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) had already imposed a registration fee on Airbnb-type accommodation services and that any other levy would be “unfair and arbitrary”.

The association went on to add that it had already taken legal action for a previous decision to charge short-term rentals owners an Athens stayover duty in favor of municipalities retroactively.

Lastly, STAMA said that the increase in tourist arrivals to Athens was in large part due to short-term rentals availability and affordability.