Following the recent survey conducted by the Rural Tourism Clusterepaithros+ on demand for rural tourism in Crete, the Managing Director of ETAM SA and coordinator of the Cluster, Ms Chryssa Pagalou, gave an interview to Rethemniotika Nea, highlighting the modern needs of travellers, the development prospects of the island’s hinterland and the crucial role of authenticity, sustainability and targeted promotion in shaping an alternative, sustainable tourism model for the island.
Below you will find the article as it was published.
Rural tourism: a major investment for Crete
THE PROJECT AND ACTIVITIES OF THE “EPAITHROS+” CLUSTER
*By Rafaela Koutantou
The recent publication of the results of the survey carried out by the Rural Tourism Cluster epaithros+, during the period September–October 2025, based on 1,187 questionnaires, collected both at Heraklion International Airport “Nikos Kazantzakis” and online, concerning tourism in Crete and, in particular, travellers’ interest in themed tourism and alternative activities, what the island means to them in general, and how they rate their experience of visiting the island, revealed that although Crete appears to be inextricably linked to the sun and sea duopoly, (the vast majority of travellers, 81%, stated that this is the main reason why they choose the island for their holidays, whilst 88% identified the ‘Sun – Sea – Relaxation’ as the elements that Crete offers), it also appears from the responses that There is a great need for the modern traveller to experience the authentic side of Crete – its culture, history, cuisine and civilisation.. In fact, 41% of the participants stated that they visit Crete for the Cretan diet and its produce, whilst 70% of travellers noted during their holidays that Crete offers “Culture – History”, whilst 68% found that Crete offers “Nature – Landscapes – Routes”. As many as 24% discovered that Crete can offer “Agritourism – Ecotourism”. However, as stated in the survey, only 1.9% of travellers stated that they travelled with the aim of taking part in special or themed forms of tourism activities, as noted in “R.N.” by Chryssa Pagalou, general manager of the consultancy firm ETAM SA and coordinator of the Rural Tourism Network epaithros+, in response to a question that asked “During your visit, at what point did you feel most connected to the locals’ way of life?,” most people replied, “when I was talking to residents,” whilst in response to the question “iIf you could relive a moment from your time in Crete, what would it be?,” the answers were “contact with nature, walking, the landscape, the view.”
These qualitative characteristics, as Ms Pagalou explains, which can make a difference to modern travellers’ holidays by making them memorable, are found in abundance, intact and authentic in the island’s hinterland, in its countryside. And of course, Rethymno boasts a rich cultural heritage and natural beauty, just waiting to be discovered and explored by those interested. “As a Network, we are very impressed by the fact that, for the third year running that we have been conducting this survey, immediately after the response regarding the sun and the sea (the reason why tourists come to Crete), comes culture and gastronomy. This is a very defining characteristic – one might even say a defining feature – of Crete. And, of course, the greatest interest is, to some extent, reflected in the travellers’ own description, in a single word: the feeling that the Cretan countryside leaves them with.”. Peace comes first, joy comes second, freedom. All of these are very important findings.”
According to Ms Pagalou, there are many prospects for the development of the countryside in the direction of alternative tourism, which encompasses a wide range of themed activities and specialised forms of tourism. However, to preserve the authenticity of the countryside, it is important that any development that takes place should have the characteristics of sustainable development, that which does not exploit or alter the local identity, but rather makes use of it, places rural people at the centre and works for their benefit. “Sustainable local development for our villages means, first and foremost, that they remain vibrant. The ageing indicators are at very high levels, so there needs to be substantial planning. It is important to assess the dynamics of each region based on its carrying capacity. In other words, we cannot develop a place beyond its capacity, but we certainly cannot allow it to fall into disrepair or become deserted. And another aspect of sustainable development: this can be achieved through people and the landscape. And what do I mean? Sustainable development is when local shops in the countryside can be kept open so that produce local goods, authentically, using raw materials sourced directly from the source. We find this in the hinterland. Where the products are actually produced. And the other very important thing is integration into the landscape. In other words, it is very important to respect the landscape of each region. ”Not to create monstrosities”, points out Ms Pagalou, amongst other things.
The need for targeted promotion and marketing
The major challenge – or gamble, as the Region of Crete, in its capacity as coordinator of the epaithros+ Rural Tourism Cluster, puts it, taking into account the findings of the above research – is to succeed in linking the existing “assets” of the island’s hinterland with the travellers who arrive on the island – millions of them every year – and spend their holidays mainly on the coast, enjoying the sun and the sea. This is probably where the “weakness” lies. Targeted promotion and the promotion of the hinterland, which will ultimately attract travellers to enjoy what they often seek as a complement to their holiday, as revealed in the research: nature, culture, history, authentic cuisine and interaction with locals, or even to attract those who are exclusively “looking” for rural tourism. “A visitor to the countryside may be someone who comes specifically for the countryside – that is, to spend the night or stay for five to seven days in the countryside. However, they will need to find somewhere to stay. In other words, there should at least be a website where they can find out what is available. At the same time, there is the visitor who comes for the “sun and sea”, but there should be a link with the hinterland. There, of course, they are asked whether tour operators or hotels offer such trips, even day trips. So, the hinterland is always there, and in theory every visitor could visit it,” points out Ms Pagalou.
The Cluster
The Rural Tourism Cluster epaithros+ (which is a project implemented within the framework of the “Research-Innovate” Action under the “Competitiveness” Operational Programme of the NSRF 2021–2027 and is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and national resources; amongst other things, it is working on the targeted promotion of the “treasures” of the island’s hinterland.
Having established what its name suggests, a cluster, a “palette”, as its coordinator calls it, of local businesses in the island’s inland areas (and beyond), alternative accommodation, authentic dining venues, where visitors can experience local life at first hand, and where businesses also coexist with members of the Network – key bodies which contribute significantly to the sustainable development of the island’s hinterland, such as the Psiloritis Geopark, the Network presents, through the ruralgreece.gr platform, gastronomic, geocultural and other routes, with the aim of offering potential visitors a comprehensive experience package, depending on the part of Crete they are interested in visiting.
“We have created the ruralgreece.gr platform, which is commercially oriented and features commercial content. In other words, our member businesses and organisations can be promoted via this platform, which has a specific architecture. Its backbone is the routes in the island’s interior. In other words, we have routes planned by various organisations, such as gastronomic routes and geotourism routes. We have two Global Geoparks (Psiloritis and Sitia) and two UNESCO sites that form part of the Global Network of Biosphere Reserves (White Mountains National Park and the Asterousia Mountains). We present these in detail on this website. However, when potential visitors follow these routes – for example, when they go hiking along any of the routes we suggest – they will have very specific needs afterwards: where to eat, where to buy local produce, what other activities they wish to do, and, furthermore, if they require accommodation, how to search for and find it. So, the “range” of businesses we have on the Network par excellence is precisely this,” explains Ms Pagalou, adding:
“It is worth noting that during the launch of the ruralgreece.gr platform, that is, from December 2024 to February 2025, without any advertising, This website had around 6,000 visitors. It means that there is a need, there is a demand. Therefore, visitors who want or need this sort of holiday will have to look for it elsewhere. So, this is what we aim to achieve through this platform: to enhance it so that visitors can find the information they are looking for through it”.
Authenticity
As far as Rethymno is concerned, the Psiloritis Geopark, as Ms Pagalou explains, is one of the members of the Network. She emphasises that the wider Psiloritis area has comparative advantages that enable it to emerge as the island’s most “alternative destination”, as authenticity – however clichéd the term may sound – is ultimately the number one factor that modern travellers seek on their holidays. And in the hinterland of Rethymno, as Ms Pagalou points out, traditions are not relics of the past that “live” in display cases or well-staged “events” for tourists, but constitute the identity and culture of the people who live there. “The wider Psiloritis area embodies the living tradition of the place. In other words, it is still alive; it exists. It is not a place where you will find any traditional ruins. It is a living place. And in this, of course, they are very much involved, alongside the residents themselves – some of whom continue to live in challenging areas, which is a very important point – and our members, such as the Psiloritis Geopark. The initiatives it undertakes are very important. But the additional routes in the wider Rethymno area are also very attractive, and the aim is that, rather than visitors staying on the coast, they should head inland to discover this wealth – both natural and cultural – which they often do not have the opportunity to explore, and, of course, to experience the local cuisine and interact with the local people. ”Because if the research we carried out showed anything, it is this,“ says Ms Pagalou, among other things, adding that authenticity is what any plan to promote the island’s hinterland should focus on: “For us, ‘authenticity’ is the term that best encapsulates development. Authenticity in architecture, authenticity in product manufacturing, authenticity in interaction with visitors, and in the activity itself. Activities that preserve the authentic features of the place and convey them to the visitor, to their soul, so that they, in turn, upon returning to their own country,”, concludes Ms Pagalou.
Source: rethnea.gr