Corfu Hoteliers: Request for "freeze" of new short-term rental permits on the island

The Corfu Hoteliers' Association requests the suspension of the granting of new short-term rental permits on the island, citing serious risks to housing, tourism and social cohesion, in a letter to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, which it also communicated to the Minister of Tourism Olga Kefalogianni.

According to the letter, Corfu – with a population of approximately 100,000 inhabitants – now has more than 16,000 short-term rental accommodations, with available beds exceeding 70,000. This number has increased by 70% in the last five years, bringing the island to levels of “tourist saturation” comparable to large areas of the country.

The Union points out that the uncontrolled spread of short-term rentals has caused:

• A severe housing crisis, with rents having increased by more than 40% in recent years.
• Difficulties in housing seasonal workers and students of the Ionian University.
• Pressure on infrastructure and services (water supply, sewage, waste collection, traffic).
• Unfair competition to the detriment of hotels and legal tourist accommodations.

Therefore, the Union requests:

• The immediate inclusion of Corfu in a regime of suspension of new short-term rental permits, as is already the case in the center of Athens.
• The decision should apply to tourist areas that are saturated, such as Corfu Town, Paleokastritsa, Dassia, Gouvia, Moraitika and Kavos.
• The suspension should last until the completion of the Local Urban Plan, so that the terms of development can be clearly defined.

“Corfu has reached a tipping point. The suspension of new permits is a necessary and fair measure to protect the right to housing, the quality of life, the carrying capacity of tourism and the natural environment,” it is characteristically emphasized.