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From Smart Islands to AI Innovation and Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: AI and Regional Transformation in Mediterranean Tourism
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DOI：10.1007/s13132-026-03429-1.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
This study investigates how artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are being integrated into tourism and hospitality ecosystems in Mediterranean island regions, focusing on Crete and Cyprus. While much of the digital transformation discourse centres on smart cities, island contexts remain underexplored despite their potential to serve as innovation testbeds. Drawing on the Agora of Techno-Organisational Change (ATOC) framework, we conceptualize AI-driven transformation as a socio-technical process shaped by multi-actor negotiations, infrastructural constraints, and governance dynamics. Using a qualitative exploratory design, we conducted 18 semi-structured interviews with technology providers, tourism businesses, and intermediary institutions to capture diverse viewpoints within emerging regional innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems. Our findings reveal a fragmented but promising “AI innovation agora”, characterised by growing entrepreneurial activity, experimentation with AI applications, and the presence of critical institutional infrastructure. However, systemic barriers such as weak coordination, limited strategic foresight, digital infrastructure gaps, and fragmented governance hinder the scalability and sustainability of AI adoption. The paper contributes to smart island and digital innovation literature by offering a context-sensitive perspective on how AI is interpreted, enacted, and governed in tourism-centric island regions. We argue that regional innovation ecosystems must move beyond promotional initiatives to embrace anticipatory governance through strategic foresight. This would enable inclusive, resilient, and sustainable AI integration aligned with local values and development goals. The study offers practical and theoretical insights into designing regional governance mechanisms that can support long-term digital transformation in insular tourism economies. By extending the ATOC framework, the study conceptualises the AI innovation agora as a territorially embedded regional innovation ecosystem shaped not only by stakeholder interaction, but also by governance capacity, collective learning, and context-specific dynamics such as success inertia.
Keywords:
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Smart Islands
Tourism Innovation
Regional Innovation Ecosystems
Anticipatory Governance
Socio-Technical Transformation
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