In recent days there have been stories about the appearance of the $450m superyacht ‘Opera’ in Mykonos (built by Lurssen yachts, designed by Terence Disdale, owned by Abu Dhabi-based Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the son of the founder of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan) and the launching of ‘O by Myconian’ at Ornos Bay, south of Mykonos Town, consisting of 65 guest rooms and suites with spa treatments, high class dining options etc.
All this emphasises the attraction of the Cyclades islands and the amount of money that the wealthy are willing (and able) to bring to the region. The question will be how this development eventually flows on to the other islands that are just as attractive as Mykonos and whether development can be managed in a way that is sustainable and can maintain the features of the islands that make them attractive.