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Open Access | Published on July 16, 2026

Towards Sustainable Tourism in Crete: A Delphi-Based Roadmap for Agri-Food Synergies and Regional Resilience

Antonis Kritikos
Panos Chountalas
Antonis Livieratos
Abstract

The paper presents a strategic roadmap for sustainable tourism in Crete (2025–2030), based on agri-food synergies and regional partnership. Adopting a three-step Delphi methodological approach, the study measured expert agreement regarding five cornerstones of sustainable tourism: institutional governance, cultural identity, digital innovation, producer empowerment and environmental resilience. A Delphi panel consisting of nine (9) multidisciplinary experts participated in three iterative rounds, reaching a consensus level of 73%. The results indicate that agritourism is not just an optional model, but a strategic tool for the development of local value chains and regional identity building. Agritourism should therefore be treated accordingly within sustainability strategies. The roadmap developed is coherent with the Sustainable Tourism Development Agenda (STDA 2030) of Greece and the European Union and is suitable to be replicated in other Mediterranean regions.

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Keywords
sustainable tourism, agritourism, digital transformation, Regional Resilience, Cultural Identity