Five million Euros is what Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani paid to purchase the private island Oxia, which is located on the eastern part of Ithaki.
The member of the Qatar Royal Family wanted to have his own private paradise, and bought Oxia in the Ionian Sea, with its beautiful beaches and crystal clear water being the perfect choice for him.
The island’s previous owners, the Greek-Australian family of Spyros Stamoulis, intended to sell Oxia for 6.9 million euros, but the increased property taxes in Greece made them bargain the price. Many Russian businessmen had been interested in buying the Ionian island during the past years but Emir was the one who came to an agreement about the price.
The member of the Qatar Royal Family has visited several islands in the Ionian Sea over the past years and was fascinated by the natural beauty of Greece.
Oxia is, however, protected by the European Natura 2000 network and thus, it remains to be seen if Emir intends to keep the island for his personal visits or to invest in tourist development.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
