The new spatial planning framework for tourism is set to be submitted after Easter by the Ministries of Environment and Tourism.
The government is considering clear limits on the number of tourist beds in the Cyclades, along with stricter regulations for short-term rental properties in already developed islands, ahead of the presentation of the new Special Spatial Plan for Tourism, expected shortly after Easter.
This long-awaited framework—anticipated by both the tourism industry and the energy sector, due to land-use conflicts with wind and solar park developments—is now in its final stage. According to sources, only minor technical and legal details remain before the measures are finalized and officially announced. Two coordination meetings between political leadership and officials from the Ministries of Environment and Tourism have already taken place, while the issue was also recently discussed at the Prime Minister’s office, where final guidelines were set. Similar spatial plans for Renewable Energy Sources and Industry are expected to follow almost simultaneously, forming key milestones of the Recovery Fund.
Restrictions
A central pillar of the new tourism spatial plan is the introduction of both quantitative and qualitative limits on tourism development, with particular focus on areas experiencing overtourism. In the Cyclades—especially on high-pressure islands such as Mykonos and Santorini, as well as smaller islands on the rise—the government is considering reducing tourist bed capacity compared to previous planning scenarios. According to sources involved in discussions at the Ministry of Environment, reductions could range between 20% and 30%.
At the same time, strict limits—and even outright bans—on converting new residential properties into short-term rentals (such as Airbnb) are being considered in so-called “red zones,” meaning mature and saturated tourist destinations. In particular, there is discussion about requiring new building permits to include explicit bans on converting properties for tourism use.
Short-term rentals have become a major point of contention for tourism businesses. Even earlier drafts of the spatial plan suggested limiting them in relation to the number of beds available in formal tourist accommodations.
Currently, it is estimated that more than 1 million short-term rental properties exist in the market, based on peak summer 2025 data from the Institute of the Greek Tourism Confederation (INSETE).
Growing pressure on destinations
Hotel beds, by comparison, number around 913,000—excluding rented rooms. This highlights how the rapid growth of short-term rentals over the past seven years has effectively matched the hotel capacity built over the past 70 years.
The new spatial plan comes at a time of intense pressure on island destinations, particularly in the Cyclades, where cases of unregulated tourism development have been reported. A characteristic example is Milos, where entire hotel units have been built in recent years without proper licensing, often with administrative tolerance or support, only to later face construction freezes and halted investments.
Large-scale and intensive tourism investments have also sparked strong reactions from local communities, which stress that the only effective way to protect island landscapes is through clear and binding spatial planning.
Overdevelopment, the absence of limits tied to carrying capacity (the number of visitors and infrastructure a destination can sustain), the dominance of large and complex tourist resorts—especially outside urban planning zones—and the need to curb short-term rentals are key “red lines” in the country’s spatial planning strategy.
“Red lines” and zoning
Based on the previous draft of the Special Spatial Plan for Tourism, presented in summer 2024—with no major expected changes in zoning—the spatial organization of tourist accommodation is divided into five categories: saturated (or controlled) areas, developed areas, developing areas, areas with growth potential, and areas of mild development.
Saturated areas, where strict restrictions will apply, include Santorini, Mykonos, southern Tinos, Malia, Rhodes, Hersonissos (Heraklion), Nea Kydonia (Chania), the coastal areas of Pieria, Skiathos, Corfu, Zakynthos, eastern Kos, and Ermoupoli on Syros.
The relevant Joint Ministerial Decision is expected to be signed within the next month. The Special Spatial Plan for Tourism has had a long and difficult journey: its preparation began in 2018, it was delivered to the Ministry of Environment in 2021 after significant delays, and it was opened to public consultation in July 2024.
It is worth noting that previous spatial plans in 2009 and 2013 were annulled by the Council of State, leaving a major regulatory gap for years. With the new framework, the government aims to establish clear rules, balancing the protection of saturated destinations with the continuation of investment activity.
