‘The start of this year’s cultural events at the Lycabettus Theatre finds the hill renewed and accessible,’ said Athens Mayor Haris Doukas, adding: ‘I want to thank the employees of the Green Directorate, who with daily effort and dedication have substantially contributed to this change, as well as Airbnb for its cooperation and support.’

According to a relevant announcement: ‘The Municipality of Athens, with the support of Airbnb, carried out a series of works that include functional and aesthetic interventions on parts of the hill.’

Doukas stated: ‘The start of this year’s cultural events at the Lycabettus Theatre finds the hill renewed and accessible. We have proceeded with the upgrading of the paths, paving works, the installation of new seating areas and we continue the replacement of 2.5km of wooden fencing. I would like to thank the employees of the Green Directorate, who with daily effort and dedication substantially contributed to this change, as well as Airbnb for its cooperation and support. For us, it is clear that those who benefit from the development of tourism must contribute in practice to improving the lives of the residents of Athens, strengthening the city’s infrastructure and public spaces.’

Valentina Reino, Airbnb’s head of public policy and campaigns in Italy, Greece and southern Europe, said: ‘Airbnb is delighted to continue supporting the Municipality of Athens, this time through the restoration of sections of the Lycabettus walking trails. This initiative is for us an ideal example of a public-private partnership, where local authorities collaborate with private partners to contribute to local communities. For Airbnb, supporting ordinary citizens, who make up 94% of all our hosts in Greece, goes hand in hand with supporting local authorities in realising their vision. We hope that this partnership, based on the partnership of local authorities and private partners, will become a model of sustainable tourism development, with benefits not only for Athens, but also for Greece as a whole.’

The announcement continued: ‘Lycabettus Hill is one of the most emblematic natural and cultural destinations in Athens, hosting thousands of visitors and important cultural events every year. The Green Directorate of the Municipality of Athens, with the support of Airbnb, carried out:

‘The replacement of a section of wooden fencing with a total length of 2,000 metres on the hill’s paths, from the outskirts to the Lycabettus Theatre. An additional 500 metres will be completed in the coming period, so that the total length reaches 2,500 metres.

‘Paving works covering a total area of 300 sq m in damaged areas, from the entrance to the theatre area and at the exit of the hill.

‘The installation of 15 new outdoor wooden seating areas with benches to serve visitors.

‘In addition, the Green Directorate continues to carry out clearing work, removing dead trees and maintaining the greenery. Over the past two and a half years, we have planted 1,472 new trees and restored irrigation networks on most of the hill, which had been experiencing serious problems since the 2000s.

‘The Municipality of Athens is proceeding with steady planning for upgrading interventions on hills, squares, parks and public spaces, with the aim of a more humane, greener and more functional Athens.’

Airbnb among 104 companies collaborating with Israel’s apartheid and genocidal regime against Palestinians

A report published in November 2025 by the Don’t Buy Into Occupation Coalition (DBIO) revealed the financial relationships between leading European financial institutions and 104 companies that collaborate with Israel’s apartheid and genocidal regime against Palestinians.

Among these 104 companies are several companies targeted by the BDS campaign, including Airbnb, Amazon, AXA, Booking.com, CAF, Carrefour, Chevron, Cisco, Coca-Cola, Dell, Expedia, Google, HPE, Intel, Microsoft and RE/MAX.

Specifically, amid genocide and apartheid, Airbnb offers accommodation in illegal Israeli settlements built on stolen Palestinian land. Working with these complicit companies whitewashes their support for the continuation of genocide.

UN Special Rapporteur on the Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese has explained why Airbnb and Booking.com should be boycotted.

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