Cyprus Casinos, the Cypriot casino operation of gaming and hospitality giant Melco Resorts & Entertainment, is on track to welcome the millionth visitor of its properties in August.
The casino brand’s President, Craig Ballantyne, said during a recent press event that their temporary casino in Limassol and their satellite casinos in the capital Nicosia and Larnaca International Airport have welcomed more than 880,000 visitors since June 2018, when the first of the three facilities opened doors.
Mr. Ballantyne further elaborated that the temporary casino in Limassol recorded approximately 710,000 visits over the past year, while the Nicosia casino accounted for 130,000 visits and the Larnaca one for 40,000 visits.
The Limassol facility was launched on June 28, 2018 to become the first legal casino on the territory of the Republic of Cyprus. The property will remain operational while a larger integrated casino resort is under development not far from it. The main resort – City of Dreams Mediterranean – is slated for late 2021 debut.
As mentioned above, Cyprus Casinos also operates two satellite casinos in Nicosia and Larnaca, both of which opened doors last December. A third satellite casino, this one in Ayia Napa, is set to have its ribbon cut this month, while another facility of this kind will launch in Paphos by the end of the year.
Mr. Ballantyne said that the three operational facilities employ more than 800 people, with the “vast majority of them being Cypriot citizens.”
Swift Progress
Commenting on their first year in the tiny Mediterranean island nation, Melco CEO Lawrence Ho said that they are extremely happy with their Cypriot operations and that they have seen swift progress this past year.
He added:
“Running a business that operates across Asia, Australia and the UK means we are intently focused within Melco on compliance, and the government of the Republic of Cyprus is setting and maintaining the highest standards in this regard.
That means Cyprus will not only become a destination for premium luxury tourists, but for international investors too.”
During the recent press event on its first year of operations in Cyprus, Melco also announced that it has joined forces with the country’s Department of Antiquities in Archaeological Heritage Management for its latest CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiative that will involve supporting the Cypriot government’s efforts to preserve and promote the rich culture of the island nation.
The Heritage Signs initiative will aim to actively promote Cyprus’ most significant heritage sites and will sponsor heritage enhancements for the significant improvement of tourist experience.
Commenting on the new initiative, Vassiliki Anastassiadou, Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, said recently that they are “honoured that Melco’s efforts do not stop in providing entertainment through gaming” but also extend to investing in the Cypriot economy. Minister Anastassiadou added that Melco’s new initiative is “truly unique and innovative” and will help diversify the “cultural heritage of Cyprus and create an unforgettable experience for [its] visitors.”
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