Athens Bans New Rentals Until 2026, Airbnb–FIFA Deal, New Fund to Support Advocacy

Athens Extends Ban on New Short-Term Rentals in City Center Through 2026

• Athens has officially extended its ban on issuing new short-term rental (STR) permits for apartments and homes in the city’s first three municipal districts—an area that includes much of central Athens, a popular tourist zone experiencing rising rents and high investor interest.
• Originally introduced in January 2025 as a one-year freeze, the policy was set to expire on December 31, 2025. 
• The goal is to curb the rapid expansion of STRs in densely populated neighborhoods where affordable long-term housing is increasingly scarce.
• The move comes despite growing calls to relax the freeze from landlords and Golden Visa investors, who had hoped to tap into the ongoing tourism boom.
• Government sources say they are now reviewing STR data in other Greek cities to determine whether similar measures may be needed elsewhere.

Snigdha’s Views

• Even in tourism-dependent economies like Greece, support for short-term rentals is weakening in urban centers where housing supply is under pressure.
• In Athens, that pressure has been intensified by the Golden Visa program, which drew foreign investors who converted entire buildings into STRs, driving up local rents and displacing long-term residents.
• With the central Athens ban now extended through 2026, property managers may need to pivot by shifting focus to unrestricted regions, exploring mid-term rental models, or staying compliant.
• While bans like this don’t remove existing listings overnight, they do set a regulatory ceiling—and signal where things may be headed in other crowded markets.
• For existing STR operators in these restricted zones, there may be a silver lining: reduced competition and stronger guest demand.

Airbnb Bets on FIFA: New Partnership, 380K Guests, and $5M for Host Cities

• Airbnb just announced a three-tournament deal as an Official Alternative Accommodations and Experiences Booking Platform with the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 26, and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027.
• The partnership officially kicked off on June 14, 2025, at the Club World Cup in Miami.
• The tie-up officially kicked off on June 14, 2025, at the FIFA Club World Cup in Miami, where guests were able to book standout experiences like a private training session with U.S. goalkeeping legend Tim Howard and other fan-focused cultural activities in Host Cities. 
• Looking ahead to the 2026 World Cup, Airbnb expects to host over 380,000 guests, with an estimated $3.6 billion in economic impact across 16 Host Cities in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
• Cities like New York, Miami, Los Angeles, and Toronto are expected to see significant surges in both guest arrivals and local spending.
• To further support the communities hosting these events, Airbnb is launching a $5 million Host City Impact Program, focused on funding local projects that deliver long-term benefits, small business support, neighborhood revitalization, and improved infrastructure.

Snigdha’s Views

• Booking.com recently partnered with the NBA, Airbnb has long aligned with the Olympics, and now it’s joined forces with FIFA for a three-tournament deal. 
• For these platforms, event-driven tourism isn’t just a marketing boost—it’s becoming a core growth strategy.
• Airbnb is clearly doubling down on sports as a booking engine, tapping into fan travel to drive visibility, host income, and platform loyalty. 
• The company is also using this moment to reignite its Experiences relaunch, turning global events into a stage to promote immersive, in-person activities hosted by locals. 
• In the face of growing pushback against STRs in urban areas like NYC and Barcelona, this partnership gives Airbnb a PR-friendly counter-narrative: STRs as essential infrastructure for global-scale events.
• STRs can help absorb massive visitor surges, distribute tourism spending more evenly, and—with Airbnb’s $5M Host City Impact Program—provide even more support for local hosts.
• For property managers in host cities, now’s the time to prep: highlight stadium proximity, update group-size filters, and revisit pricing calendars. 

Right to Rent Collaborative Launches with $188K to Power Short-Term Rental Advocacy Nationwide

• Backed by $188,000 in initial funding from Airbnb, Vrbo, PriceLabs, Inhabit, and others, the Right to Rent Collaborative (R2RC) has launched to strengthen STR advocacy across the United States.
• The nonprofit’s goal is to fund and fuel a national network of state-level STR alliances that can sustain long-term fights for fair regulations. 
• Rather than lobbying directly, R2RC serves as a funding body, designed to equip local associations with the resources to hire staff, retain legal counsel, and lead effective advocacy efforts in their own markets.
• R2RC officially launched on May 21, 2025, during the Rent Responsibly Summit. 
• It is led by Julie Marks, founder of the Vermont Short-Term Rental Alliance, and supported by Rent Responsibly in an administrative capacity, though governance and decision-making rest with R2RC’s independent board and advisory group.
• The long-term vision is to build 50 fully funded, professionally run state associations.
• To get there, R2RC plans to award $20,000 grants to help launch new associations and up to $50,000 to expand existing ones. The 2025 goal is to grow total funding to $250,000, with a long-term target of $5 million annually by 2030—enough to support each state group with $100,000 per year.
• One of the most actionable elements of the plan is a donation tool, set to go live across major PMS platforms like Guesty, Hostfully, and OwnerRez. 
• This tool will allow property managers to opt in and automatically contribute $2 per booking to support R2RC’s mission, making it easy for everyday operators to participate in industry advocacy.

Snigdha’s Views

• From New York to New Orleans, short-term rental policy battles never let up—and most local groups are still running more on passion than resources.
• R2RC is stepping in to change that, giving grassroots groups the funding they need to stop playing defense and start shaping the future of fair STR regulation.
• For property managers, that’s huge. Instead of navigating policy changes alone, you’ll have well-supported local allies advocating on your behalf—people with the tools, time, and backing to push for balanced, workable STR policies.
• And if you’re already part of an association? R2RC is offering direct financial support now, with grants available to help grow your team, expand capacity, and tackle the policy issues you care about most.
• Portugal rolling back restrictive STR rules, or Italy overturning its smart check-in ban— are victories that didn’t happen by accident, but through consistent, coordinated local pressure.
• We’ll be diving into recent regulatory wins and responses in our upcoming webinar on June 26, featuring STR professionals who’ve successfully pushed back on tough regulations—and how you can apply their strategies to your own market.