Airbnb is introducing the City Portal in Chania today, an innovative tool created specifically for local authorities, which will support the Municipality with data and tools that enhance transparency and informed decision-making.
City Portal was first presented in 2020 as the first platform of its kind worldwide and is now available in more than 400 areas. Through the Portal, the Municipality of Chania will be able to receive data on hosts, listings and stays in the area – information that is particularly useful for tourism management, especially during the high season.
Chania is one of the most recognizable tourist destinations in Greece, with a strong footprint and international appeal. The Municipality places particular emphasis on maintaining a balance between the visitor experience and the quality of life of permanent residents. The average host in Chania hosted for 42 days in 2024 and received a 5-star rating in 90% of cases. In this context, the City Portal comes to support the city’s strategic planning and the rational management of the tourist flow.
The data shared through the City Portal will provide important information to local authorities, while the platform also offers direct access to specialized Airbnb executives who can provide support on issues of local interest — such as, for example, the rules applicable to organizing parties or cases of disruptive behavior.
“Today we are excited to introduce new features that make the City Portal an even more valuable tool for the local authorities of Chania,” said Valentina Reino, Airbnb’s Head of Policy for Southeast Europe. “Data sharing through the City Portal enhances transparency, supports evidence-based policy making and empowers local authorities to better manage tourism and community resources. We continue to innovate so that short-term rentals empower local communities and in recent years we have invested in improving the tool based on user feedback. Crete is often associated with overtourism challenges and our goal is to be part of the solution, supporting sustainable tourism development. We look forward to sharing this tool with more and more Municipalities across Greece.”
“This is an innovative tool in the quiver of the Municipality of Chania, providing reliable data on listings and stays in the area, as well as specialized support from platform executives on issues of local interest,” pointed out the Deputy Mayor for Tourism, Nektarios Psaroudakis, adding, finally, that this is an “important step towards sustainable tourism development that strengthens Chania’s position as one of the most recognizable and hospitable destinations in Greece.”
