This summer the most sought-after destination for the rich and famous seems to be Greece, if we take into account the number of mega yachts currently sailing around Greek waters.

According to data from Bloomberg, the world’s elite are seeking refuge from the coronavirus pandemic and burgeoning crowds of tourists by vacationing on board privately owned or rented yachts. And while Italy remains the world’s number one destination for mega yachts, recent data indicates that Greece is quickly gaining ground.

Between 23-27 August alone, 193 mega yachts were circulating in Greek seas – 60 more than the same period last year. Compared to 2020, none of the other top 10 yachting destinations saw such a large increase in numbers.

And while most mega yacht vacationers prefer to travel incognito, we know that Jeff Bezos, the richest man in the world, was enjoying a relaxing break in Greece before traveling into space in July. The 57-year-old founder of Amazon was hosted on the mega yacht Eos, owned by American media mogul Barry Diller. Diller’s wife, fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg, Bezo’s partner Lauren Sanchez, his brother Mark and sister Christina were on board as well.

Ivy Getty, great-granddaughter of American oil tycoon Jean-Paul Getty, was also on a yacht in Mykonos, while Magic Johnson holidayed in Greece on Aquila, an 85-metre yacht rented for $1.2 million a week.

Other celebrities, such as actress Charlize Theron and singer Justin Bieber and his wife Haley, also chose to explore Greece on a yacht. In fact, the posts they made on their social media accounts surely promoted Greece as a traveling destination throughout the world.

This article was previously published in Greek at moneyreview.gr.