By Marina Rafenberg / AFP, ATHENS
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The idyllic beaches of the Greek islands have long been a draw for European holidaymakers, but now a new wave of US tourists is waking up to their charms, driven by stars such as Madonna, Katy Perry and Justin Bieber. Madonna celebrated her 68th birthday on Corfu, sharing a whirl of parties and boat trips against the backdrop of the island’s landscape with her 20 million Instagram followers — earning her rapturous thanks from Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Experts say the huge popularity of Christopher Nolan blockbuster The Odyssey would only fuel the trend — although holidaymakers would be hoping for an easier trip home than the one endured by Matt Damon’s eponymous hero.
People queue to take pictures in Oia, on the island of Santorini in Greece, on June 23.
While Madonna partied in Corfu, singer Bieber took his family to the Peloponnese. Perry and her partner, former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, sampled the delights of Mykonos. All of them chronicled their holidays on social media, giving the Greek tourism industry a massive hit of free advertising.
