Recent planning and construction decisions point to continued investment in hotels and holiday accommodation across Greece, including several popular and emerging destinations
Tourism investment in Greece continues to spread beyond the country’s established resort centres, with new hotels, tourist residences and upgrades to existing accommodation moving forward in destinations ranging from the Small Cyclades to Crete, the Peloponnese and northern Greece.
A series of recent planning and heritage decisions published in August point to a broad mix of projects, from a new four-star hotel on Ano Koufonissi to tourist residences in Marathopoli and upgrades to existing hotels in Crete.
The decisions, which concern projects at different stages of development, provide a snapshot of continued investment in Greece’s tourism infrastructure as the country enters another strong year for international travel.
Tourism development reaches the Mani
In Areopoli, in the Mani region of the southern Peloponnese, the Culture Ministry has approved the construction of a swimming pool as part of a new hotel development outside the settlement.
The decision, issued on 18 August, follows an appeal concerning an earlier decision and was supported by a majority opinion from Greece’s Central Archaeological Council.
The site lies within the redefined archaeological area of the wider Oitylo region, an area associated with the Apidima rock shelters.
The approved pool will be up to 22 metres long and between 3.8 and 4 metres wide. The project also includes a bar area and landscaping, subject to restrictions intended to protect the site’s archaeological character.
New accommodation planned near Chania
Crete is also seeing fresh investment.
A building permit was issued on 13 August for a new three-star hotel of 56 beds in Korakies, in the Akrotiri area of Chania.
The development will include accommodation across the ground and first floors, underground facilities and swimming pools. It will occupy a 5,273-square-metre site and have a total permitted building area of 1,061 square metres.
The project follows an earlier building-conditions approval and authorization from the Chania Ephorate of Antiquities.
The development comes as Chania continues to attract strong international tourism growth. International air arrivals at Chania airport rose 13.2% during the first half of 2026, according to the latest tourism statistics.
Existing hotels are also being upgraded
The current investment activity is not limited to new construction. In Rethymno, two small-scale building approvals issued on 12 August cover renovation and internal reconfiguration work at an existing hotel on 110 Martyron Street. The works include a pergola, repairs and repainting, alongside changes to parts of the building.
In Paleochora, an August update to the building permit for the Lybian Princess hotel concerns modifications to its electromechanical design. The wider project includes internal reconfiguration, the addition of two rooms and the legalization of earlier alterations.
The update does not change the property’s approved planning dimensions.
A new four-star hotel on Ano Koufonissi
One of the latest developments concerns a planned four-star hotel with 63 beds on Ano Koufonissi.
The Naxos and Small Cyclades planning authority updated the building permit on 17 August, following a change in the name of the company owning the project.
The hotel is planned at Harokopou on a 15,322-square-metre site, with a total permitted building area of about 1,375 square metres. The development will consist of buildings no higher than two storeys, with a maximum height of 7.47 metres.
The original building permit was issued in July 2024 and subsequently revised in April 2026 following changes to the architectural design.
The project has already received approvals from the Cyclades regional tourism authority, the Cyclades Ephorate of Antiquities and the Naxos Architectural Council, as well as environmental approval.
New tourist residences add to the picture
Further projects show that investment is also reaching smaller-scale holiday accommodation.
In Marathopoli in the western Peloponnese, a preliminary building approval was issued on 19 August for four furnished tourist residences with lofts, tiled roofs and private swimming pools.
The development will occupy a 6,562-square-metre site and have a relatively modest total building area of 216 square metres.
Meanwhile, in Kimolos, the Cyclades Ephorate of Antiquities has approved a new two-storey building in the village of Kimolos, subject to architectural restrictions reflecting the character of the protected area.
The approval follows trial excavations that found no archaeological remains on the property. The project must nevertheless comply with detailed requirements concerning materials, pergolas, windows and rooftop equipment.
Other recent decisions include revisions to tourist accommodation projects in Ierissos in Halkidiki, Agios Ioannis Kaspakas on Lemnos, Agios Andreas in Pangaio and Plataria in Thesprotia.
Taken together, the projects offer a glimpse of a tourism market continuing to expand in both scale and geography.
The investment is not concentrated solely in Greece’s largest resort destinations. Smaller islands, historic towns and coastal areas are also attracting new accommodation, while established hotels are being renovated and adapted.
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