Greece ranks first among European countries in terms of seasonal growth in short-term rental prices: in the summer, the average rental price is 54.9% higher than in the rest of the year, according to data from the analytics platform AirDNA.
The AirDNA study was published on May 21, 2026, and updated on May 29. Analysts compared the average daily rate (ADR) for short-term rentals in June–August with the rate for the remaining nine months of the year.
In Greece, the average off-season rate is 112.64 euros per night, while in June–August it rises to 174.46 euros. Thus, the seasonal premium reaches 54.9%—the highest rate among the European countries analyzed.
Croatia ranks second, with summer prices 37.6% higher—€154.28 compared to €112.09 during the rest of the year. Portugal ranks third, with a seasonal increase of 36.5%, to €160.06 from €117.27.
Seasonal fluctuations are particularly pronounced on popular Greek islands. On Mykonos, the average cost of a short-term rental rises from approximately 458 euros during the off-season to 758 euros per night in the summer—an increase of 65.6%.
At the same time, even more dramatic fluctuations are observed among individual European resorts. For example, Portimão, Portugal, shows a seasonal increase of about 71.6%, but Greece ranks first overall among countries.
The sharp rise in prices is accompanied by steady demand. According to AirDNA estimates, before the start of the season, the number of nights booked in Greece for June–August 2026 was approximately 9.3% higher than a year earlier. For July, the growth in early bookings was 13.5%, and for August, 11.4%.
Actual statistics for the summer confirm the high price levels. In June, the average cost of a short-term rental in Greece reached 178.8 euros per night, an increase of 12.2% year-over-year, while the European average was 150.05 euros, up 7.5%. At the same time, the number of available properties in Greece decreased by 2.5%, to approximately 156,000
. In July, the average price rose to 200.35 euros per night, which is 12.8% higher than in July 2025. The European average rate was €159.20, up 8.2% year-over-year. Revenue per available night in Greece increased by 14.3% to €142.8.
Over a longer period, the growth is even more pronounced. According to AirDNA, the average cost of a short-term rental in Greece has increased by approximately 100% over the past ten years—from about 100 euros in 2016. Over the past five years, the increase has been about 38%.
However, the claim that Greece “has outpaced all of Europe in terms of Airbnb price growth” should be interpreted with caution. The top ranking specifically refers to seasonal summer growth—that is, a comparison of June–August with the rest of the year—rather than annual price growth. Based on actual July data, year-over-year growth in Greece was 12.8%, compared to an 8.2% average across Europe.
During her one-day visit on August 15, the Secretary-General of UN Tourism, Sheikha Nasser Al-Nuwais, expressed her support for the Ukrainian people and announced a series of international initiatives to support tourism in Ukraine; She cited medical tourism, IT, and digital technologies as promising areas for development, according to a statement from the press service of the State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine (SATD) to the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
“Ukraine should leverage its strengths, such as medical tourism, IT, and digital technologies, as these are precisely what will enable it to establish a solid foundation for attracting foreign tourists in the future. Bringing together all stakeholders in the tourism sector and the government under one roof can offer great potential,” noted Sheikha Al-Nuwais, whose remarks were quoted in the statement.
She noted that ten years have passed since the Secretary-General of UN Tourism last visited Ukraine, and this visit is an opportunity to renew the partnership “and look to the future together.”
“Recovery efforts cannot wait for peace to arrive. They begin right now. UNESCO and UN Tourism. Culture and tourism. Side by side with Ukraine. The path to the future belongs to Ukraine. But Ukraine will not walk it alone. UN Tourism will be by its side. And our work begins right now,” emphasized Sheikha Al-Nuwais.
During the meeting with representatives of the industry and the innovation and technology community, the Secretary-General of UN Tourism paid special attention to international coordination and the exchange of experiences regarding the recovery of the tourism sectors after the crisis. Potential areas of cooperation include the safety of tourist destinations, accessibility, barrier-free travel, and inclusivity.
In turn, GART Chairwoman Natalia Tabaka noted that this visit demonstrates that Ukraine remains on the global tourism radar and that its recovery is a key focus of the international agenda.
“For us today, tourism is first and foremost about preserving and restoring people—their emotional and physical well-being—strengthening identity, and supporting communities. And we are grateful for the support shown to Ukraine and for the willingness to stand by us during this historic time for us,” Tabaka said.
During the visit, UNWTO announced a special category of its “Safe Destinations Challenge” initiative for Ukraine. This initiative provides technical support to member states in five different regions, one of which is Ukraine. The initiative aims to find innovative solutions for the safety, resilience, and recovery of tourist destinations, especially following periods of crisis and disasters, according to the statement.
“Amid a full-scale war, the Ukrainian tourism sector has learned to operate under constant risks—from air raid alerts and missile attacks to evacuations, crisis communications, and ensuring people’s safety. It is precisely this extensive experience that can serve as the foundation for new international solutions in the field of safe and sustainable tourism,” noted Sheikha Al-Nuwais.
As part of her visit, the UN Tourism Secretary-General visited two UNESCO World Heritage sites—St. Sophia Cathedral and the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra—where she took part in celebrations marking the Lavra’s 975th anniversary.
Sheikha Al-Nuwais also presented awards to the winners of the UN Tourism “Best Tourist Villages of Ukraine” competition for 2024 and 2025. Specifically, the awards went to the Kolochava community (Zakarpattia Oblast) and the Urych community (Lviv Oblast).
According to Serbian Economist, in the first six months of 2026, Budva welcomed approximately 245,000 tourists, who spent nearly 800,000 nights at the resort, according to preliminary MONSTAT data cited by the Budva Tourism Organization. The number of overnight stays was slightly higher than last year’s.
As of August 7, there were 44,534 registered tourists on the Budva Riviera, of whom 44,143 were foreigners and only 391 were residents of Montenegro. Thus, foreign guests currently account for over 99% of the registered tourist flow. The private sector accommodated 24,888 people, while hotels accommodated 18,525.
Based on the results of the first half of the year, Serbia remains Budva’s largest foreign market, accounting for about 13% of tourist arrivals. The tourism organization also notes growth in the Western European market.
A precise breakdown of current vacationers by nationality is not published, but official data from TO Budva reveals the leading markets.
In group accommodations—primarily hotels—the largest number of tourists currently come from Serbia, Russia, Israel, the United Kingdom, Germany, Bosnia, Poland, Ukraine, and Turkey.
In private apartments and vacation rentals, the breakdown is slightly different: Serbia, Russia, Bosnia, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, Turkey, the United Kingdom, North Macedonia, and Romania lead the way. Thus, Ukrainians currently rank fourth among Budva’s main markets for private accommodations and are among the top ten in the hotel segment.
Despite changes in the structure of international tourism since 2022, the number of Russian tourists also remains high. Russians currently rank second in both group and private accommodations, behind tourists from Serbia.
At the same time, the market structure is becoming more diversified. The role of Israel, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Poland has noticeably increased in the hotel sector, and representatives of Budvanska rivijera, the largest hotel group, also note the presence of guests from the Baltic states, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Egypt, and China during the current season.
Thus, Budva’s main tourist flow today is driven by Serbia and neighboring countries, Russia and Ukraine, as well as the rapidly growing markets of Western Europe and Israel.
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The St. Sophia Cathedral National Reserve has launched an official audio guide in English for foreign visitors to St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine (ACC) announced on August 7.
The English-language version of the audio guide is primarily intended for foreign tourists, diplomats, and expats, and introduces visitors to the cathedral’s history, architecture, and 11th-century mosaics and frescoes. The audio guide is also available online.
Andriy Gunder, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine, provided the narration for the English-language tour.
According to him, the project aims to make Kyiv’s rich history more accessible to an English-speaking international audience. Gunder invited diplomats, tourists, and foreigners living in Ukraine to visit St. Sophia Cathedral and use the new audio guide.
St. Sophia Cathedral was built in the first half of the 11th century during the reign of Yaroslav the Wise and became one of the main sacred and political centers of Kievan Rus’. UNESCO calls it one of the most outstanding monuments of architecture and monumental art of the early 11th century. The cathedral preserves a unique collection of original mosaics and frescoes from this period.
In 1990, St. Sophia Cathedral, along with the adjacent monastic buildings and the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv was one of the first Ukrainian sites to be included on this list.
The launch of an English-language audio guide expands opportunities for international visitors to explore one of Kyiv’s major historical landmarks on their own and creates an additional tourist attraction for foreign visitors to the Ukrainian capital.
St. Sophia Cathedral is located at 24 Volodymyrska Street, Kyiv. The English-language audio guide can be listened to either during your visit or online.
According to The Serbian Economist, Mogren Beach in Budva, Montenegro, took first place in the European Beach Index 2026, compiled by experts from the British service Quotezone.co.uk. It outperformed beaches in Cyprus, Spain, Bulgaria, Greece, and other European countries thanks to its combination of warm sea, affordable prices, and proximity to the airport.
When compiling the index, analysts took into account the average water and air temperatures in July, the number of five-star reviews, the cost of a three-day hotel stay, the minimum price of draft beer, and the distance from the nearest airport. Points were awarded to beaches for each indicator, and the total score determined their final ranking.
The average water temperature near Mogren Beach in July is 25.5 degrees, and the average air temperature is 26.7 degrees. The researchers estimated the average cost of a three-day stay in the Budva area at 194.56 pounds sterling, and the minimum price of draft beer at 1.29 pounds. The distance to the nearest airport is about 22 km. At the time of data collection, the beach had 479 five-star reviews.
Second place went to Nissi Beach in Ayia Napa, Cyprus, which had topped the previous ranking. It outperforms Mogren in terms of temperature: the water here warms up to an average of 27.4 degrees, and the air to 28.9 degrees. However, a three-day stay is more expensive—approximately 318.85 pounds.
Playa de Maspalomas on the Spanish island of Gran Canaria came in third. The beach has garnered over 5,000 five-star reviews, but the average cost of a three-day stay reached 365.97 pounds. Fourth place went to Irakli Beach in Bulgaria, where the lowest price for beer among the ranking’s participants was recorded—0.88 pounds.
Rounding out the top ten were Elafonissi in Crete, Praia da Falésia in Portugal’s Algarve, Zlatni Rat on the Croatian island of Brač, and La Pelosa in Sardinia. Bournemouth Beach in England took ninth place, while Palombaggia in Corsica came in last.
Quotezone representative Helen Rolf noted that tourists are increasingly seeking destinations that combine pleasant weather, picturesque coastlines, and affordable vacation costs. According to the study’s authors, Montenegro was able to outrank more well-known resorts primarily due to relatively low costs and Mogren’s convenient location near Budva.
Data from Tripadvisor, Budget Your Trip, Numbeo, and climate and mapping services were used to calculate the index. Each country was represented by one popular beach, so the ranking reflects a comparison of a specific sample of ten destinations, rather than all of Europe’s beaches.
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The total solar eclipse on August 12, 2026, became one of the biggest tourism events of the year for Spain and Iceland, causing a sharp increase in short-term rental bookings in cities located within the totality zone.
According to a study by the analytics platform AirDNA, published on July 29, 2026, demand for short-term rentals in Zaragoza, Spain, for dates around the eclipse rose by 123% compared to the same period last year. In Logroño, the increase reached 109%; in Burgos, 65%; in Valladolid, 64%; and in León, 63%. In Kópavogur, Iceland, the figure rose by 48%, and in Reykjavík, by 44%.
The path of totality will pass through Greenland, western Iceland, northern Spain, and a small section of northeastern Portugal. In most other European countries, the eclipse will be partial. Spain will be one of the prime viewing locations, as the total eclipse phase will cross the country from west to east and continue over the Balearic Islands.
The strongest impact on rental prices is expected in Iceland. The western and southern regions of the country, which fall within the path of totality, account for about 60.6% of the national supply of short-term rentals.
At the same time, the country’s entire market consists of only about 8,300 available properties. Given the limited supply, even a short-term influx of tourists could significantly increase the average cost of accommodation nationwide.
AirDNA expects that Iceland will see the most significant increase in the average daily rental rate. Additional demand is being driven not only by foreign tourists but also by residents, as a total solar eclipse has not been observed in Iceland for over half a century.
Interest is also extending to related events. A week before the eclipse, more than 90% of tickets for a four-day themed festival in Iceland had already sold out.
In Spain, approximately 86,300 short-term rental properties fall within the path of totality, representing 22.6% of the country’s total supply, which AirDNA estimates at roughly 382,400 listings.
Thus, in the Spanish eclipse zone alone, there are more than 16 times as many properties available as in Iceland’s entire short-term rental market. This allows Spain to accommodate significantly more tourists and keeps price increases in check, despite high demand.
Among the destinations expected to be in highest demand are Bilbao, León, Burgos, Zaragoza, Valencia, and Palma de Mallorca. Madrid and Barcelona are outside the path of totality, although a partial eclipse will be visible there as well.
Spain also has a more extensive network of air connections and a significantly larger supply of hotels and rental properties. Therefore, analysts consider it a more suitable option for travelers who book their trip immediately before the event.
However, the cost of specific accommodations can change rapidly. Property owners and management companies use dynamic pricing, automatically raising rates as demand increases and the number of available options decreases.
To assess the potential impact, AirDNA used data on the total solar eclipse in North America in April 2024. At that time, the occupancy rate for short-term rental properties in the total eclipse zone reached 88%, and the average daily rate increased by 18.4%. These figures are not a direct forecast for Europe, but they demonstrate the impact of a rare astronomical event on local rental markets.
The official primary source of data on the short-term rental market is the AirDNA study dated July 29, 2026. The eclipse path has been confirmed by the European Space Agency and NASA.
