Grant Johnson, Property General Manager of City of Dreams Mediterranean, has been with Melco Resorts & Entertainment since 2011.
Here, he explains the company’s strategic vision for choosing Limassol as the location of Europe’s first integrated resort. He also analyses the sector’s current direction and what that means for the city as it seeks to strengthen its position as a year-round destination.
"Sunshine and sea are increasingly only part of the story," Johnson notes, adding that, "Conference and business travel, wellness, gastronomy and a growing calendar of entertainment are creating compelling reasons to visit outside the traditional summer season."
The Property General Manager also talks about Melco's approach to building and maintaining the talent needed to support the gaming industry, which is relatively new to Cyprus, pointing out, "Our approach has focused on recruiting experienced professionals where possible, while investing in local talent and building the skills needed to support the industry."
"Training and development have been central to this, while Melco’s international experience has enabled us to bring global expertise and best practices to Cyprus, supporting knowledge transfer and the development of local capabilities," he adds.
Johnson, in addition, discusses the integrated resort's location, saying, "Limassol offered the right combination of location, infrastructure and untapped potential" and going on to suggest, "As the needs of modern cities continue to evolve, Limassol must remain focused on sustainable development and infrastructure that improves people’s quality of life, while maintaining its strong business-oriented momentum."
City of Dreams Mediterranean opened as Europe’s first integrated resort in 2023. What made Limassol an attractive choice for its location?
Limassol offered the right combination of location, infrastructure and untapped potential. Cyprus sits at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East and Africa, while Limassol is the island’s commercial and tourism hub, with strong international connectivity and a well-established hospitality sector. Melco also recognised Cyprus’ potential to attract new premium markets and strengthen its position as an international leisure and tourism destination. The vision was therefore bigger than gaming: to create a year-round destination for leisure, entertainment and conference tourism. That vision is increasingly taking shape; since opening, City of Dreams Mediterranean has recorded more than eight million visits and hosted over 300 conferences and business meetings, while growing its reputation as a leading regional destination for entertainment, luxury hospitality and major international events.
As other regional destinations seek to introduce integrated resorts, how can Limassol differentiate itself?
Limassol has established itself as the island’s leading cosmopolitan city, combining business, leisure and gastronomy tourism. For City of Dreams Mediterranean, the opportunity to differentiate lies in building on these strengths while offering something that goes beyond the integrated resort itself. While other destinations may offer world-class facilities and entertainment, Limassol brings together the integrated resort experience with the character and authenticity of Cyprus. The differentiator is the ability to create memorable experiences that connect visitors with the island’s people, culture and traditions, combining luxury hospitality and entertainment with authentic local experiences.
Is Limassol becoming a year-round destination? Where do you see the greatest potential for growth?
Sunshine and sea are increasingly only part of the story. Conference and business travel, wellness, gastronomy and a growing calendar of entertainment are creating compelling reasons to visit outside the traditional summer season. We are already seeing the impact, where Limassol is attracting major international conferences and corporate events. The greatest opportunity lies in leveraging these strengths collectively by creating more high-quality events and experiences during the autumn and winter months, while tapping new source markets. The goal is to make Limassol a destination that people actively choose to visit twelve months of the year.
Gaming is a new industry for Cyprus. How have you approached building and maintaining the talent needed to support the industry?
Our goal has always been to deliver the highest standards across gaming and every aspect of our offering, so developing the right talent and expertise has been a key priority from the outset. Our approach has focused on recruiting experienced professionals where possible, while investing in local talent and building the skills needed to support the industry. Training and development have been central to this, while Melco’s international experience has enabled us to bring global expertise and best practices to Cyprus, supporting knowledge transfer and the development of local capabilities. We continue to focus on professional development, career progression and creating opportunities for colleagues to build long-term careers, helping establish a strong and sustainable talent base for the industry in Cyprus.
What is one change that you would like to see in Limassol?
I don’t believe any single change can transform a city. What matters most is collective action and effective coordination between local authorities, central government, the private sector and relevant stakeholders. As the needs of modern cities continue to evolve, Limassol must remain focused on sustainable development and infrastructure that improves people’s quality of life, while maintaining its strong business-oriented momentum. For our part, we will continue to contribute to this progress by setting the benchmark for integrated luxury resorts, combining world-class hospitality, immersive experiences, entertainment and gastronomy.
This interview first appeared in the September edition of GOLD magazine. Click here to view it.
