While Airbnb may continue to face opposition for shaking up the rental market, according to figures released this week by the online rental platform, it has given the Greek economy an undeniable boost.
According to the figures, the platform injected US$1.4 billion (AU$2 billion) into the Greek economy last year.
Meanwhile a survey conducted by Airbnb among owners’ revenues and travellers’ reports revealed great benefit for local neighbourhoods, with the platform helping to promote local places to visit outside of the usual popular tourist sites, as well as local eateries and bars.
According to the travellers surveyed, 42 per cent of their spending took place locally in the neighbourhood that their Airbnb rental was located, while 50 per cent said that the money they had saved by using Airbnb as opposed to staying in a hotel, was then injected into the neighbourhoods and cities that they visited.
Also, the more convenient the rental, travellers on average extended their stay by 4.3 days.
READ: Athens feels the squeeze as Airbnb spreads
However the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (HCH) has continued to highlight the loss of state revenue due to undeclared short-term rental activity – it is reported €400 million was lost in 2017.
In 2018, the Greek government launched an online registry for the mandatory declaration of rentals for tax purposes.
READ: More Greeks turn to Airbnb to boost income