While Santorini may be the dream holiday destination for many, few know that there is actually an almost carbon-copy alternative on the other side of the world. Dream Land, also known as the “Santorini of China,” is a resort town in Dali, in the Yunnan province, that has been built specifically to resemble the iconic Greek island.
Built at an eyewatering cost of eight billion yuan (£824 million), Dream Land features white-washed buildings with blue accents housing tourist inns, boutique hotels and local businesses, stepped streets and archways, all set against the backdrop of the Cangshan Mountains and Erhai Lake. It has become a popular attraction for social media influencers looking for photo opportunities, especially for wedding photos, where Santorini is just too far away.
The bizarre resort covers and area of 3,700 acres, with a construction area of about 10.7 million square feet. There are even Greek-themed restaurants in an attempt to convince visitors that they really are in Greece.
This resort in Dali isn’t the only replica of a European holiday destination in China. In 2011, a Chinese mining tycoon launched the construction of a replica of a pretty Austrian town, Halstatt, in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, at an estimated cost of £724m.
Meanwhile, Dalian, a port city in the northeastern Liaoning Province, is the result of a £1bn development project heavily inspired by Venice, which boasts canals and bridges reminiscent of the iconic Italian “floating city”.
Attempts to recreate Santorini’s magical allure have also been spotted in Abu Dhabi with the Anantara Santorini Abu Dhabi Retreat. In this luxury resort, there are 22 rooms available starting at $735 (£544) per night, offering an intimate and upscale version of the Greek island getaway.
Meanwhile, at the real Santorini in the Mediterranean, the island experienced a boom in tourism, with an estimated 3.4 million visitors. While this influx brought economic benefits, it also exacerbated issues related to overtourism, prompting calls for a cap on cruise ship arrivals and other measures to manage the island’s capacity.
This year, however, has been a mixed bag for tourism. While there was a significant drop in tourism due to earthquake fears earlier in the year, particularly affecting air and ferry arrivals, cruise ship arrivals remained relatively stable. Some reports indicate a potential decline of 20-25% in overall arrivals, with some hoteliers reporting a 40% drop in turnover. However, there are also signs of a rebound, with some businesses reporting increased bookings in the latter half of the year and a rise in high-value tourism from non-EU countries.