L’Italian olive growing, on the international scene, has always stood out for its excellent quality production. The olive tree has always represented the cultural values of our territory and the Mediterranean area. Our millenary origins, our identity, the traditions of our communities merge with this plant, whose ribbed and wrinkled trunk has challenged the most famous painters in its pictorial representation. Everyone, with their own painting techniques, gave a personal representation of it, immortalizing its beauty.
The symbol of the next G7 in Puglia
It is not a case that an ancient, stylized olive treewas chosen by Italy, at the beginning of its presidency of the G7, to represent the nation in this international context.
A note from Palazzo Chigi describes the choice: “An olive tree that connects the sea with the land, the tradition of our roots with the future, and which, by branching out, unites the relationship between the South and the North in a dynamic and constructive way and cooperation among the summit nations. The roots of the tree immerse themselves in the Mare Nostrum. The seven olives at the top of the tree, however, represent the seven nations “protagonists of the forum”.
The summit will be held, from 13 to 15 June, in Borgo Ignaziain the province of Brindisi.
Remaining within the entirely Italian tradition, it is increasingly common for tourism, our other flagship, to embrace olive growing, giving life to the‘oleotourism, or oil tourism.
Oil and tourism
Oil tourism is a further boost for olive producers and millers, in terms of turnover and visibility. Driven bywine tourism and by the constant growth of food and wine tourismIn general, oil tourism is increasingly carving out its own space, counting on a biodiversity unique in the world and on a series of distinctive elements.
The supply chain is, therefore, increasingly stressed and it is necessary to prepare to offer new opportunities to tourists, focusing attention not only on the experience of taste, but aiming to enhance history and culture of each territory, as well as all the properties deriving from the plant also for health and beauty aspectswith an eye always attentive to innovation.
Supporting the development of oil tourism means focus on local productionsgenerating economic value for the surrounding area, with a strong social and educational impact, highlighting the nutritional value of the oil and healthy eating, adopting healthier diets and lifestyles.
This diversity and depth of proposals must necessarily find everyone professionally ready operators And formats adequately, to ensure that different figures, with new skills, can redesign the way of doing tourism, outline a new business and encourage the dissemination, education and awareness of old and new values, territories and cultures.
Regulatory recognition through Guidelines and guidelines regarding the requirements and minimum quality standards for the exercise of the oil tourism activity and the implementing decrees that the various Regions are adopting (ed. Campania adopted its law on oil tourism a few days ago, to quote the last regulatory reference in chronological order) contributes to increasing awareness of this tourist activity.
Guidelines for carrying out oil tourism activities
The decree of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies of 26 January 2022, published in the Official Journal no., came into force on 15 February 2022. 37 of 14 February 2022, which indicates the “Guidelines and addresses regarding the requirements and minimum quality standards for the exercise of oil tourism activities”.
The decree arises from the awareness of the importance of origins and potential of oil tourism, as a cultural and economic phenomenon, capable of offering important opportunities for the growth of our country. Considering the importance of valorising the areas with a high olive-growing vocation and the olive-growing production of the territory, it was deemed appropriate, to qualify the hospitality within the context of an integrated tourist offer, to promote oil tourism as a form of tourism with of specific identity, indicating the minimum quality requirements and standards for carrying out the oil tourism activity.
Definition of Oleotourism
According to the definition of oil tourism, proposed by the Decree, the following are considered oil tourism activities:
- training and information activities aimed at local olive production and knowledge of oil, with particular attention to geographical indications (DOP, IGP), in whose area the activity takes place, such as, by way of example, guided visits to the olive groves belonging to the company, to the oil mills, visits to the places where the tools useful for cultivating the olive tree are displayed and to the production of oil, the history and practice of olive growing and the knowledge and culture of oil in general
- training and information initiatives, cultural and recreational carried out in the context of oil mills and olive groves, including the demonstration harvesting of olives
- the activities of tasting and marketing of the company’s olive production, also in combination with foods, having the requirements and standards referred to in the art. 2, paragraphs 1 and 2, excluding the administration of gastronomic preparations, as the provision of a catering service cannot be envisaged.
Minimum quality requirements and standards
Without prejudice to the general requirements, those of a hygienic-sanitary and safety nature, the following are considered requirements and service standards for operators carrying out oil tourism activities:
- weekly or seasonal opening for a minimum of three dayswithin which the days before holidays and holidays can be included
- tools reservation of visits, preferably computerized
- sign to be posted at the entrance of the company containing the data relating to the oil tourism reception, and at least the opening hours, the type of service offered and the languages spoken
- site or web page corporate
- indication of parking lots in the company or nearby
- information material about the company and its products printed in at least two languages including Italian
- exposure and distribution of information material on the production areaon typical and local productions with particular reference to productions with denomination of origin both in the olive growing and agri-food sectors, on the tourist, artistic, architectural and landscape attractions of the territory in which the oil tourism activity is carried out
- dedicated and adequately equipped environments forhospitality and for the type of activity actually carried out by the oil tourism operator
- competent staff and equipped with adequate trainingwith particular regard to the characteristics of the territory, which includes the owner of the company or the assisting family members, the company’s employees and external collaborators
- the activity of tasting of the oil inside the mills or dedicated rooms, must be carried out with suitable containers and tools not to alter the organoleptic properties of the product
- carrying out of tasting and marketing activities by personnel with adequate skills and training, including the owner of the company, supporting family members, employees and external collaborators.
The pairing with the company’s olive products for the purpose of tasting must take place with foods to be understood as agri-food products prepared by the company itselfeven manipulated or transformed, ready for consumption, excluding the administration of gastronomic preparations, in compliance with the disciplines and conditions and health and hygiene requirements provided for by current legislation, and mainly linked to local and typical productions of the region in which the process is carried out oil tourism activity: DOP, IGP, TSG, mountain products, products that fall within the regional certification systems recognized by the EU, traditional agri-food products present in the national list published and updated annually by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies of the region in question which the oil tourism activity is carried out.
The promotion
With this Decree, the Regions and autonomous Provinces of Trento and Bolzano can promote independently, or in collaboration with the most representative organizations in the olive growing and agri-food sectors, with the responsible or authorized bodies, as well as with the Oil and wine routesin the territories where they are present, theoretical-practical training for companies and employees, also in order to guarantee compliance with the minimum requirements and standards envisaged and to ensure the improvement of the quality of the services offered.
Understanding tourists’ desires
Understanding and anticipating travellers’ desires becomes an essential element to stand out and plan the offer correctly. According to the data released by the First Report on Oil Tourism, in which the National Association of Oil Cities, Unaprol Consorzio Olivicolo Italiano and the Italian Association of Food and Wine Tourism collaborated, it emerges that:
- The possibility of purchasing theoil at attractive pricestasting it during guided tours and seeing the production process are a series of proposals appreciated by 72%, 70% and 66% of travelers respectively.
- Just as the desire to is strong active experiences and engaging as tourists have become increasingly demanding and looking for proposals capable of involving, educating and transmitting the values and identities of the territory.
- In fact, the tourist wishes to combine simple tasting with discovery of local flavors and cuisine in unique and fascinating places like cene in the olive groves. This option captures 60% of the preferences of Italian tourists.
- The tourist is interested in actively participating in production activities, similarly to what already happens with wine. 54% would like to participate in the olive harvesting and producing your own oil.
The tourist, however, is also looking for proposals with a strong playful, recreational and creative character.
Age influences tourists’ expectations and demands
If the interest in oil tourism is generally high, it should be noted that it undergoes fluctuations based on the age of the tourist. According to the First Report on Oil Tourism it emerges that the over 54 they tend to appreciate more traditional proposals, such as visits, tastings and purchases of oil.
Most young people (25-44) show a higher than average attention to all active experiences, from dinners in the vineyards to the olive harvestpassing through foraging, survival and art courses, without disdaining the more traditional ones.
The exception is Generation Z. Their interest tends to be lower and this suggests the need to find new ways to make the on-farm oil tourism experience more attractive for this potentially important target.
Oleotheques and oil museums
The desire to discover this world in 360 degrees brings out new experiential forms such as oil libraries hey oil museums. 62% of Italian tourists would like to taste local productions and appreciate the characteristics of EVO oil, accompanying this experiential and tasteful journey with the reading of oil papers, so as to better direct their tasting and purchasing choices.
Interest is high regarding oil libraries (61%). Oil shops are places where there is the possibility of purchasing local products, but also of participate in workshopstaste EVO ice creams and cocktails, typical recipes of regional traditions.
It is also important to see how oil museums are becoming increasingly popular. Whether public or private, they set themselves the task of telling the story of oil in an engaging way and through different multimedia and multifunctional experiences.
