Santorini Inspires Overseas Investments

Santorini is one of Greece’s most popular islands worldwide, known for its geological uniqueness, local cuisine, traditional Cycladic architecture and of course most spectacular sunset view.

According to Greek daily Kathimerini, beyond Greece, “Santorini,” as a brand, has become a source of inspiration for overseas tourism investments with booming results.

Santorini Water Fantasy, Thailand

Thailand’s “Santorini Water Fantasy” is set to open this spring in the Phetchaburi Province.

In central Thailand, a waterpark that borrows the name of the Greek island, will launch in May 2013 as a new aquatics addition to an already standing amusement park, adjacent to the Cha-Am Premium Outlet Mall in the southern part of the Phetchaburi Province.

The new waterpark “Santorini Water Fantasy” is the brainchild of Supoj Tantichirasakul, chairman of Pena House Public Co. and will sit on some four acres and require an investment of $3.25 million.

The existing amusement park – “Santorini Park,”also themed after the Greek island – sits on some eight acres of an existing 23.7 acres available.

The Santorini Park already draws as many as 10,000 visitors on its busiest weekend days. The majority of guests are from Bangkok; some 10-20 percent of visitors are tourists. The park consists of five main zones: a park, village, rest area, event area and Sunday Art Market.

Santorini-inspired resort in the Philippines

Brand Santorini, however, seems to have inspired other destinations beyond Thailand as in 2010 the Greek island’s architecture was an inspiration for the creation of the five-star “Thunderbird Residences” of Thunderbird Resorts in La Union, a province of the Philippines.

Due to its proximity to the cliffside, Thunderbird Residences is comprised by villas that resemble the architecture of Santorini and have Greek names such as Athena, Chloe, Selene, Alexa and Aphrodite.

Santorini’s gastronomy takes center stage

On the local front, the municipality of Santorini recently proclaimed 2013 as the “Year of Gastronomy in Santorini” and will promote its local products and dishes as a pole of attraction for tourists.

The initiative will be officially launched in an open event at the Bellonio Cultural Center in Fira, Santorini, on 3 February 2013 at 6:30pm.