Athens Mayor Haris Doukas has pledged to rescue the Greek capital from the scourge of overtourism, warning that the city’s historic heart risks becoming “over-saturated” and losing its authenticity.
“Athens cannot operate as if it were a giant hotel,” said Doukas, a Socialist who took office in 2024. “Restrictions and rules are needed, ” reports the Guardian UK.
Last year, over 8 million people visited Athens, a record for a city long seen as just a stopover for the Greek islands. In the popular Plaka district, overnight stays in short-term rentals have more than doubled since 2018.
The strain is showing: soaring rents price out locals, and infrastructure is buckling under pressure. Doukas, a former climate energy professor, has ramped up tree planting and now wants a blanket ban on new tourist businesses in the historical centre.
“No more room for short-term rentals, serviced apartments, hotels, or any other tourism use in Plaka,” he told the Guardian. “Enough is enough.”
He also proposes freezing new hotel construction permits, following a government ban on short-term rentals near the Acropolis. In a surprising show of support, the head of Athens’ hoteliers’ association recently echoed calls for a cap, citing Barcelona’s moratorium on new hotel licences since 2017.
Doukas has set up a social housing office to renovate buildings with EU funds, aiming to keep young couples in the centre. “Athens is for its people,” he said. “Not only for those who want to exploit it.”
