Sustainability Goes Mainstream in Greek Hotels

• Over €1 billion invested by Greek hotels in 2024.
• Green hotels funneled about €200 million into eco projects.
• Nearly 75% of hotels now use key card power control.
• Only 5.9% of hotels with pools use seawater. The rest are probably saving the seawater for ouzo.
• 65% of five-star hotels added electric car charging stations.
• 73% of hoteliers claim they care about energy use; only 21% actually check.

Greek hotels invested more than €1 billion in upgrades for 2024, with approximately €200 million allocated to the sustainability efforts of green hotels. This isn’t just about pretending to care by putting a potted plant in the lobby. Real money went into systems like high-efficiency air conditioning, energy-saving gadgets, electronic metering, water management setups, and yes—the occasional lonely EV charger for the Tesla that shows up once a month.

Despite these patches of progress, sustainability might depend on whether you booked a suite or a room with a view of the neighbor’s goat. Luxury hotels lead the charge, looking smug with their fancy Building Management Systems (up from 6.3% in 2020 to nearly 10% today). Five-star spots now install electric vehicle charging stations as fast as influencers book pool selfies. “Our guests demand green. And now they can charge their car, too. It almost distracts from the paper straws that melt after one mojito,” jokes one front desk manager in Mykonos.

Meanwhile, the push toward “guest awareness” continues to rise—now, 30% of Greek hotels inform guests about their purported carbon-cutting efforts. Receptionists report confused looks from tourists, especially when they try to explain that reusing a towel helps save sea turtles. “We have to keep the message simple. ‘Reuse your towel, save the world.’ They get it… we think,” says a smiling hotelier from Rhodes.

The Spectrum of Greek Hotels’ Green Moves

There are four main tribes in the Greek hotel world (aside from sunburned guests):

• Energy Professionals (8%): Top-tier, high-tech, and plugged-in—all about energy control and digital dashboards.
• Jack-of-All-Trades (32%): Mid-sized hotels juggling solar panels with whatever else they can afford.
• Micro-Investors (23%): Small hotels in the mountains, heating rooms with oil, wood, or anything that burns.
• Solar-Only Set (37%): Family-run spots relying on solar water heaters and hoping for sunny days.

“All I need is the sun and a grumpy plumber,” declares a proud Crete property manager.

As for actual green practices, most hotels say they want to be sustainable. Nearly three-quarters report setting energy-saving targets—but fewer than a quarter bother tracking their real usage. “We keep promising to fix the air conditioning controls, but only after siesta,” admits another hotel manager, rolling her eyes. The same gap is evident in certifications: half splash out for an energy certificate, while only a sliver invests in real eco-labels.

Water, Heat, and a Lot of Hot Air

Water-saving measures look good on paper. Over half introduce new toilet flush systems to use less, and 53.7% make a show of asking you to skip new towels. A third of hotels now track water use, up from 24% a year ago. But very few resorts with pools have switched to seawater—5.9% is as sad as it sounds for a country surrounded by it.

The heating and cooling revolution sounds glamorous: 74% now have high-efficiency A/C, a fifth invested in modern heat pumps, and over a third offer room-by-room temperature control (your in-laws will never agree). And yet, 6.8% still heat with open fireplaces.

Stat Highlights:

• Total 2024 hotel investments: over €1 billion.
• Sustainability share: 19% (€200 million).
• 73.3% use key-card energy switches in rooms.
• 56.3% put annoying window sensors on air conditioning.
• 35.2% rely on motion sensors in common spots.
• 9.9% have installed BMS (smart building systems) — up from 6.3% in 2020.
• 65.3% of five-star hotels have EV chargers (versus 21.3% in 2020).
• 53.7% push guests to reuse towels “for the planet.”
• 53% upgraded to low-flow toilets.
• 32% monitor water use automatically (compared to 24% in 2023).
• 30% now inform guests about their carbon footprint (finally catching up to that “please hang your towel” sign).
• 49.5% have an energy certificate—13.4% have true environmental certification.

“Leadership Means Action”—Not Just Poolside Posters

The annual review of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels and the Institute for Tourism Research and Forecasts is clear. The big hotels jump into high-tech and green upgrades. Smaller, family-run places limp along, often lacking both cash and guidance. “We need cash, training, and a good plan,” says a Naxos hotelier, “And fewer leaflets about how to tell guests to save energy.”

Alexandros Vassilikos, president of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, sums it up in trademark style: “The sustainability bet calls for real action. Hospitality leads the way for a greener tomorrow, confirming Greece’s leadership in global tourism. The goal is clear—sustainable hotels, sustainable destinations. We’re taking charge, but it’ll take funding, collaboration, and some actual vision from our leaders.”