Bedbug hoax targets foreign tourists in Athens

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Greece’s health ministry is seeking police help in tackling hoaxers who have been trying to scare tourists out of some Athens short-term rental flats by inventing a bedbug crisis.

A ministry statement released on Tuesday (5 December) said the posters stuck up outside apartment blocks in the city centre, festooned with fake ministry and Athens municipality logos, were “absolutely false.”

The posters, addressed to “dear visitors” in misspelt English, claimed health authorities had ordered local “private guesthouses” evacuated “to protect the public health of permanent Greek tenants.”

Citing a non-existent bedbug infestation, they threatened visitors with a €500 fine for failure to leave their flats, and politely wished them a pleasant stay in Greece.

In addition to a cost-of-living crisis, Athens and other parts of Greece face housing problems largely caused by the proliferation of short-term rental flats that are mainly used by foreign visitors.

That has helped fuel a surge in long-term rental costs for Greeks, many of whom are priced out of residential areas in central Athens. Property values are also spiralling, in part due to a “golden visa” programme offering residence to foreign property investors.

Tourism is a key driver of Greece’s economy, accounting for a fifth of annual output, and 2023 is expected to be a record year for arrivals.

The health ministry said it has instructed the police “to do what is necessary” to deal with the hoax. It said that “nobody is allowed to terrorize and misinform the public” on public health issues.

Greece is yet to record any major trouble with the creepy-crawlies that recently caused consternation in France.