“This was and is a difficult year for agriculture and for olives in particular: for this reason we aim to relaunch and push the value of extra virgin olive oil which, not only is good and good for you, but is a product fundamental for our hills and for the beauty of our territory. We want to ensure that oil is also part of the tourism circuit: a challenge that Tuscany must take forward to make it an element of attraction as it was for wine”. Thus the Tuscany councilor for agri-food, Stefania Saccardi, presented the agreement between Toscana Promozione Turismo and Città dell’Olio to push oil tourism and implement a plan to strengthen the presence of extra virgin olive oil in regional tourism circuits. “We have made the law on oil tourism, it is no coincidence that oil mills are becoming more and more beautiful places and possible tourist destinations like wineries – explains Saccardi – If we can make people understand how our oil is a quality product, we will be able to get ever closer to the results that wine achieves for our region.”.
Pilot project: agriculture and tourism
The agreement kicks off a pilot project closely connected with “Vetrina Toscana” which, thanks to the collaboration of the agriculture and tourism departments and the chamber of commerce system, allows the development of a tourist offer linked to the culinary tradition and the excellence of the regional production: actions that also respond to the protection of landscapes, sustainable development, especially of internal areas thanks to tourism, focusing on the relaunch of production and knowledge of the quality of extra virgin olive oil, with its benefits for health and its correct use in the kitchen. The framework agreement provides for co-branding actions to be carried out in restaurants, shops, production and processing companies, creating effective synergies in communication and aiming at the creation of a model of “oil tourism” which can then be replicated for the national and international market.
The economy is linked to travel
“The agreement we signed today is a further step towards Vetrina Toscana consolidating its new approach which links the entire world of agricultural production and Tuscan food and wine to travel – he claims Leonardo Marrasregional councilor for Tourism – The fact that an agreement of this kind can be made consolidates us and strengthens this trajectory that Vetrina Toscana intends to pursue with great attention from the first steps we have taken”. It is no coincidence – explains the councilor – that the Città dell’Olio association was born in Tuscany. Although in reality the association was physically born in Larini in Molise and established its national headquarters in Siena, in Villa Sansedoni.
The 462 Oil Cities
There are 462 municipalities belonging to the Oil Cities, 58 of which are in Tuscany. The Association has national events planned which will be developed in Tuscany, from now on, with a joint action. Among these, the “Walk among the olive trees”, the “Snack in the olive grove”, “Oil in the chair”. Furthermore, a national competition on oil tourism has already made it possible to select hundreds of proposals, mostly from Tuscany. Among these, the recent itinerary among the olive trees of the walls of Siena: the same ones visible in the Buongoverno fresco by Lorenzetti. Initiative, which attracted a significant number of participants.
“We are very proud and satisfied with this precious partnership which will give us the opportunity to join forces to promote oil tourism in Tuscany – he claims Michele Sonnessa President of the Oil Cities – Now there are the foundations to proceed well towards the link between tourism, agriculture and territories. This can be a model to follow that can be replicated in other regions also due to the coordination role of the Italian regions in the field of food and wine tourism that Tuscany which by delegation of the Government”.
The enhancement of the environment and landscape
“Nationwide, oil tourism has become a growing phenomenon – he claims Francesco TapinassiDirector of Tuscany Tourist Promotion – The Observatory’s data confirms that the contemporary tourist is increasingly looking for new experiences that can integrate with other travel motivations, he is a tourist who is aware and who seeks concrete elements of typicality which in the case we are talking about today, the ‘oil, also have the advantage of being organized for tourism. Oil is a great product that we will enjoy talking about above all with the idea of contributing to the relocation of tourist flows and at the same time maintaining the main distinctive element of this region which is the landscape characterized by a basic idea of beauty which is pervasive with respect to man’s choice”.
