Istion Yachting

What Istion Yachting does

Istion Yachting S.A. is a Greek yacht charter and brokerage company founded in 1992 on the island of Kos by Ioannis Kourounis, now headquartered in Alimos, Athens. The company operates 12 charter bases across Greece (Athens/Alimos, Lavrion, Kos, Rhodes, Lefkas, Lefkas Port, Corfu, Preveza, Volos, Skiathos, Mykonos, Paros) and one in Skradin, Croatia, providing bareboat, skippered, fully crewed, and day-trip charters on a fleet of 300+ sailing yachts, catamarans, and motor yachts (with pricing ranging from approximately €1,200/week for small sailing yachts in low season to over €33,000/week for luxury crewed motor yachts). Sub-brands include Istion Luxury Yachts (crewed luxury charters), Yachthop (day cruises and short island-hopping tours), and the Catamarans Cup and Skradin Cup regattas. Ancillary revenue comes from new and pre-owned yacht sales through partnerships with leading European shipyards and tailor-made yacht management programs for owners placing vessels in Istion's fleet.

The company runs a direct-to-consumer distribution model layered with channel partners, combining a real-time online booking platform and a Trip Builder recommendation tool with a global network of charter brokers and travel agents, supported by boat-show presence (Boot Dusseldorf since 2015, Mediterranean Yacht Show, Olympic Yacht Show) and recurring regatta events. The company is licensed by the Greek National Tourism Organization (license 1143E63000060500 MHTE), certified to ISO 9001 (quality) and ISO 14001 (environmental management), and holds memberships in MYBA, CYBA, ISS, ECPY, GYA, SITESAP, and HPYOA. Ownership appears founder-controlled under Greek S.A. (Societe Anonyme) corporate structure with no institutional investor or parent company disclosed. Headcount is cited at 101-250 employees, and revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Istion Yachting

Legal name

Istion Yachting S.A. (ΙΣΤΙΟΝ ΓΙΑΤΙΝΓΚ Μ.Ε.Π.Ε.)

Website

https://istion.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Istion Yachting S.A. is a Greek yacht charter and brokerage company operating 12 bases in Greece and Croatia with a fleet of 300+ sailing yachts, catamarans, and motor yachts, serving individual tourists, families, and corporate groups via bareboat, skippered, and fully crewed charters, plus yacht sales and management services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Yacht Charter Services

NAICS

Marinas (71393), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721), Boat Dealers (441222)

SIC

Services-Equipment Rental & Leasing, Nec (7359)

akta.pro primary industry

Crewed Yacht Charters (Luxury Crewed) (THAEAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bareboat Yacht Charters (Self-Skippered) (THAEAEAB), Private Yacht & Luxury Boat Charters (With Crew) (THAJALAE)

Keywords

• Yacht charter services
• Bareboat charters
• Crewed yacht charters
• Yacht sales
• Yacht management

Headquarters

HQ city

Athens

HQ country

Greece

HQ region

Europe

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Yacht Charters: Primary revenue stream from bareboat, skippered, and fully crewed yacht charters across 12 bases in Greece and 1 in Croatia. Pricing ranges from approximately €1,200/week (small sailing yachts, low season) to over €33,000/week (luxury motor yachts). Up to 40% discounts available on selected yachts during summer season.
2. Yacht Sales: Sale of new and pre-owned yachts in partnership with leading European shipyards. New yacht sales through istionyachting.gr website.
3. Yacht Management: Tailor-made yacht management programs for yacht owners who place their vessels in Istion's fleet. Management programs are customized to fit individual owner needs.
4. Day Cruises (Yachthop): Half-day and full-day sailing trips from Athens and popular Greek islands, including the innovative hop-on/hop-off sailing holiday concept.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Istion Yachting operates a fleet of 300+ sailing yachts, catamarans, and motor yachts available for bareboat, skippered, and fully crewed charters across 12 bases in Greece and 1 in Croatia. Beyond charters, the company sells new and pre-owned yachts in partnership with European shipyards and offers tailor-made yacht management programs for owners placing vessels in its fleet.

Product overview

Istion Yachting operates a diversified yacht chartering platform composed of multiple branded services. Its core offering is the Istion Yachting brand, providing bareboat and skippered sailing yacht and catamaran charters across 12 bases in Greece and 1 in Croatia. The portfolio is supplemented by Istion Luxury Yachts (fully crewed luxury motor and sailing yacht charters), Yachthop (day cruises and short island-hopping tours), organized regattas (Catamarans Cup and Skradin Cup), and ancillary services including new/pre-owned yacht sales and yacht management programs. The company also offers an online booking platform with real-time availability and a Trip Builder recommendation tool. All services are accessible through the istion.com website, with dedicated portals for each brand.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• True Blue: Environmental initiative program focusing on marine conservation, beach cleanup kits, recycling initiatives, and Mediterranean monk seal protection campaigns.
• Catamarans Cup
• Skradin Cup

Products and services

• Bareboat & Skippered Charters Self-skippered (bareboat) and skippered charters of sailing yachts, catamarans, and motor yachts for licensed sailors and small groups across 12 bases in Greece and 1 in Croatia. Weekly (Saturday to Saturday) and flexible date options available.
• Istion Luxury Yachts (Fully Crewed Charters) Fully crewed luxury charters on sailing yachts, catamarans, and motor yachts, with professional crew and hostesses providing five-star hospitality. Targeted at milestone celebrations, family reunions, and exclusive escapes. Premium pricing from approximately EUR 33,000 per week for motor yachts such as the Falcon 86 and Ferretti 830.
• Yachthop Day Cruises and Island-Hopping Tours
• Special Events and Parties Charters
• New Yacht Sales
• Pre-Owned Yacht Sales
• Yacht Management Programs
• Catamarans Cup Regatta Annual international regatta for cruising catamarans held in the Greek islands, organized and hosted by Istion Yachting since 2010 as a branded sailing event.
• Skradin Cup Regatta Annual sailing regatta along Croatia's Dalmatian coast, organized by Istion Yachting with the inaugural edition held in 2024.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 40% off available on selected yachts during summer season
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO)coreOthers · 1 January 1992Licensed by the Greek National Tourism Organization (license number 1143E63000060500 MHTE) since 1992 and supervised by the Greek Ministry of Culture and Tourism. This is a foundational regulatory partnership required to operate yacht charter services in Greece.
• Greek Yachting Association (GYA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounder member of the Greek Yachting Association, which promotes and regulates the yachting industry in Greece.
• MYBA (Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMYBA Member, providing access to global network of yacht brokers and industry standards.
• SITESAP (Greek Bare Boats Owners Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember since 2000 of the Greek Bare Boats Owners Association representing bareboat charter operators.
• HPYOA/EPEST (Hellenic Professional Yacht Owners Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember since 1996 of the Hellenic Professional Yacht Owners Association.
• Yacht-Pool InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of Yacht-Pool International Financial Security System for financial protection and security.
• PantaeniusminorOthersCharter Payment Protection System providing insurance coverage for charter operations.
• HYS (Hamburger Yachtversicherung Schomacker)minorOthersYacht insurance provider securing company fleet and operations.
• CYBA (Charter Yacht Brokers Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the International Charter Yacht Brokers Association.
• ISS (International Super Yacht Society)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the International Super Yacht Society.
• ECPY (European Community for Professional Yachting)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the European Community for Professional Yachting representing industry interests at EU level.
• Leading European ShipyardscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with leading shipyards worldwide for new yacht sales in Greece. Brands include Lagoon, Bali, Fountaine Pajot, Jeanneau, Bavaria, Beneteau, Hanse, Dufour among others.
• Hellenic Match Racing Tour (HMRT)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor sponsor for 8 consecutive years, providing hospitality experiences aboard luxury Bali 5.4 catamaran during match racing events at Hellenic Yachting Club in Piraeus.
• Άλλη Όψη (Alli Opsi) and Active Rehabilitation International (ARI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSR partnership supporting sailing day experiences for individuals with spinal cord injuries, demonstrating accessibility commitment in yachting.
• Make-A-Wish GreeceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSR partnership supporting children with serious illnesses by helping fulfill their wishes.
• Ronald McDonald House Charities Greece (RMHC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport for renovation of the first Family Room at Agia Sofia Children's Hospital, providing accommodation for families of children undergoing treatment.
• Seal Greece and Monk Seal AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSummer 2025 campaign partnership supporting Mediterranean monk seal protection through guest awareness materials in charter welcome packages.
• Artemis (Beach Cleanup Initiative)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVoluntary beach cleanup program partnership providing cleanup kits on all yachts and QR code tracking system for cleanup activities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Filovent: Yacht charter broker offering bareboat and crewed charters across the Mediterranean including Greece and Croatia. Comparable as a charter intermediary for the same customer segments, though operating as broker-only without owned fleet or bases.
• MedSailors: Yacht charter company specializing in flotilla sailing holidays and skippered charters in the Greek islands and Croatia. Comparable target market (sailing holidays in Greece) with overlapping customer base, though smaller scale and different operating model (flotilla-led).
• Sailogy: Online yacht rental marketplace offering bareboat and skippered charters across the Mediterranean including Greece. Comparable as a tech-enabled charter booking platform, though Sailogy operates an asset-light marketplace model rather than fleet ownership.

Direct peers

• Navigare Yachting: Yacht charter and sales company operating in Greece and other Mediterranean destinations with bareboat and crewed charter offerings. Direct competitor with overlapping fleet composition and Greek base network comparable to Istion's footprint.
• Dream Yacht Charter: Global yacht charter company operating in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and other regions with bareboat, skippered, and crewed offerings. Direct competitor in Greek and Croatian waters, with similar fleet ownership and charter-plus-management business model.
• Kiriacoulis Mediterranean Cruises Shipping S.A. Greek yacht charter company operating sailing yachts, catamarans, and motor yachts across the Greek islands and Croatia. Direct competitor to Istion with comparable bareboat, skippered, and crewed charter offerings, fleet ownership model, and multi-base Greek footprint.
• SunSail: Global yacht charter brand owned by Travelopia, offering bareboat, skippered, and crewed charters in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and other destinations. Direct competitor in Greek waters with established brand recognition and international broker relationships comparable to Istion's positioning.
• The Moorings: International yacht charter company (also Travelopia-owned) operating bareboat and crewed charters worldwide including Greece and Croatia. Direct competitor with similar fleet-based charter model, comparable price points, and overlapping Mediterranean presence.

Others

• Yachtico: Online yacht rental marketplace connecting yacht owners with charter customers globally including Mediterranean. Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem participant in the yacht charter value chain, representing the digital marketplace model that competes with traditional operators.

Broad incumbents

• Le Boat: Self-drive boating holiday company operating in multiple European countries. Comparable as a broader boating vacation operator in the Mediterranean region, though focused on inland waterways and canal boats rather than blue-water sailing charters.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/istion

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Istion Yachting