Abbie Chadwick
Melco Resorts & Entertainment recently opened the City of Dreams Mediterranean (CoDM) in Cyprus. Unfortunately, wildfires and logistical challenges make it almost impossible for the resort to attract affluent visitors, who usually spend around $44k on holidays. Many parts of the world, including Cyprus, Algeria, Italy, Greece, and the United States, are experiencing one of the longest heatwaves known to humanity. Last week, Cypriot firefighters worked tirelessly to extinguish one of the worst fires this year. Luckily, nobody was injured, and property damage was minimal due to the fire’s location.
With temperatures often exceeding 100F, the risk of wildfires escalates. Last week, a fire in the central mountain region of the Paphos forest destroyed nearly 50 acres of land, not far from Limassol, where CoDM is located. Firefighters desperately struggled to put out the fire the entire night, and eventually, they managed to get it under control. Sadly, it wiped away a forest land, which was home to pine and oak trees as well as various wildlife.
The director of the Department of Forests for Cyprus, Charalambos Alexandrou, said that the uninsulated overhead powerlines could have caused the fire. He added that the powerlines are in such a bad condition that a bird’s landing is enough to start a fire.
Why Cyprus is Not So Popular among Affluent Travelers?
One of the major issues discouraging wealthy visitors from visiting Cyprus is its lackluster infrastructure and suboptimal geographical location. This has rendered the island unappealing to the elite demographic.
According to Edward Granville, Chief Executive Officer of Red Savannah, a London-based company catering to wealthy travelers, Greece is a more popular destination among tourists even than Italy, with affluent individuals spending up to $1.1 million on vacations. Granville highlights that Cyprus is disadvantaged due to its distance from neighboring islands, while Greece, for example, offers easy island-hopping opportunities, attracting the attention of the elite class.
Thanos Michaelides, the chair of the Cyprus Hotel Association, agrees that the island is not a popular destination among affluent travelers, but he is hopeful for the future. He believes that CoDM could change the situation and attract affluent travelers and high-rollers.
According to Michaelides, CoDM offers a unique experience, which could give Cyprus’ tourism industry a much-needed boost. However, the island must invest in improving its infrastructure in order to attract wealthy tourists. The City of Dreams Mediterranean certainly has the potential to attract affluent travelers provided that strategic improvements are made.
On July 10, City of Dreams Mediterranean officially opened its doors, becoming the first integrated resort in Europe. The resort occupies over 14.8 acres of land and offers various amenities, including exquisite restaurants, luxury retail outlets, and others. One of the resort’s biggest attractions is the 80,000-square-foot casino, which hosts 750 slot machines and 75 table games.