By G. Hatzilidis
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The “Airbnb” phenomenon has apparently spread to the northern port city of Thessaloniki, the second largest municipality in the country and the nearest metropolis to the well-known holiday destination of Halkidiki, to the east.
Short-term leasing of accommodations via the popular platform are reportedly especially prevalent in the center of the city.
On the “down side”, the short-term leasing of lodgings to out-of-town visitors is causing a shortage in residential housing – the classic monthly rent scheme for long-term leasers – as well as taking a significant slice of the hotel market.
Realtors that spoke with “N” this week said a “spectacular” increase in Airbnb-type leasing in the city has increased rent prices by at least 20 percent compared to 2015. Moreover, a “ball park” figure cited by real estate analysts in the city holds that up to 90 percent of owner-exploited properties in central Thessaloniki and seaside districts to the east of the city center are now reserved for Airbnb-type leasing.
