archaeological sites

Athens Mayor Seeks Blanket Ban on New Tourist Investment in Historic Centre to Combat Over-saturation

Athens Mayor Haris Doukas is pushing for a blanket ban on new tourist investment in the city's historic centre, including short-term rentals, serviced apartments, and hotels, citing over-saturation that has pricing out local residents. With a record 8 million visitors last year against 700,000 residents, the socialist mayor is using a tourism land-use bill to halt all new business activity in Plaka district, following Barcelona's lead in restricting tourist accommodation.