As Greece prepares for another busy tourist season, authorities have relaunched MyCoast, a digital app designed to help both locals and visitors monitor beach concessions and report unauthorized use of public coastal areas.
The platform, now active for summer 2025, empowers citizens to verify whether businesses operating on the beach are adhering to their official permits—and to file complaints if they are not.
Available to the public free of charge, MyCoast provides detailed data on beach concessions, including the legal boundaries and surface area allocated to businesses. If someone suspects illegal occupation—such as sunbeds, umbrellas, or kiosks spreading beyond their permitted limits—they can submit a report directly through the app, either anonymously or by name.
What sets this year’s rollout apart is the app’s upgraded technology. With the integration of artificial intelligence and high-resolution satellite imagery provided by the Hellenic Space Center, authorities can now compare real-time beach use with official concession maps. When multiple reports target a specific area, the system flags the location, and satellite images are sent to relevant enforcement agencies.
The AI has been trained to recognize common beach structures and quickly detect when businesses have extended beyond their legal bounds.
The Greek government has also introduced stricter penalties for violations. If a business is found occupying a beach without a valid concession, or exceeding its allocated space, it faces a fine amounting to four times the standard concession fee. Businesses are required to remove unauthorized equipment within 48 hours. In cases of serious violations or repeat offenses, local authorities can suspend operations or even shut down the business permanently. In situations where no permit exists at all, authorities can seal off the premises within 24 hours.
To increase transparency, all concession holders must display a visible sign on-site detailing the scope of their permit. If no sign is present, visitors can check the MyCoast app to see the official limits and report any irregularities. For businesses located directly next to beaches, concessions are only granted under strict conditions—most importantly, that public access is maintained and that at least 50 percent of the beach remains free and open to all.
