Travel

Property prices in Greece recorded their biggest rise of the last decade last year, as the RE/MAX estate agency network's annual survey points to an average increase of 7.3 percent from 2017, when annual growth had only come to 1 percent.

The time for the Astir Palace in Vouliagmeni to shine again is almost upon us. The landmark resort on the Athens Riviera, now owned by AGC Equity Partners and operated by Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, is set to reopen on March 29 following an extensive overhaul.

For most people, luxury is probably the last thing that comes to mind when thinking about camping holidays. They're seen as a cheap alternative with a certain level of inconvenience and little in the way of home comforts. We also tend to view camping holidays as something for young people who are willing to compromise on comfort in order to enjoy the freedom of living out in the wild.

The constant increase in Attica's hotel room supply combined with the drop-off in the soaring growth in demand and the market entry of thousands of apartments for short-term lets have already started to drive occupancy rates and room prices at the capital's hotels toward a decline.
The current prospects for both supply and demand are pointing to a further gap in the near future.

The government is considering introducing restrictions on the utilization of properties advertised on short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb and HomeAway for holiday accommodation. The restrictions will be imposed on individual owners as well as investors and professional agents who benefit from the new market.

EUR 27 760 were seized by border police and customs officers at Terminal 2 at Sofia Airport. 

An ever-greater share of the short-term property leasing market in Greece is passing into the hands of investors and professional property managers, a trend that is also being observed in many other countries.

Homeowners leasing their properties through platforms like Airbnb or HomeAway have until February 28 to register these assets with the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE).

Owners can also use the authority's online platform to correct or amend any details pertaining to the property they are offering as a vacation rental.

Only 49,000 owners have declared their properties on the platform of the Finance Ministry's Short-Term Accommodation Property Register, which means that more than 35,000 owners have neglected to do so.

Booking.com does not need to have a travel agency license since it does not operate as one but acts as a "middleman," according to a 63-page report presented by a group of experts to a court in a case in Istanbul involving the online agent and the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB).