**3. Landscapes and cultural heritage, a case study: the olive oil tourism in Italy**

Olive tree is the most typical Mediterranean plant and olive oil, other than the symbol of a millenary culture, and is considered since the twentieth century as a fundamental food for the health of people (Mediterranean diet). Moreover, olive tree and oil are two clear examples of environmental and social sustainability. Given this cultural value, in recent years, following the wine model, tourism too has begun to look with interest at the attractiveness of the olive-covered landscapes as well as to the possibility to be acquainted with the olive oil production techniques. A specific tourist offer has, therefore, been created, which is strongly linked to both the territory and the history of the Mediterranean countries.

There are numerous studies that highlight a relationship between tourism and olive oil; initially the international literature, in particular in Australia, has highlighted how oil tourism is essentially an expression of the wider phenomenon of rural tourism [40, 41]. Furthermore, the study of tourism related to olive oil has been investigated in Europe, especially in Italy and Spain [42–45] where the researches have not only enhanced the rural aspect but also highlighted how the interest in olive oil can give value to the tourist image of a destination becoming a new narrative of the territory that underlines the link between landscapes, culture, typical products, and tourism [46]. Oil tourism does not just become a further expression of the activities linked to rural tourism and to the agri-tourism, but also to cultural tourism and for its organoleptic qualities, that of health [47]. The results of the first studies on oil tourism conducted by Ruiz Guerra [47] show how initially, the interest of tourists in the olive oil industry was linked above all to the sale of products connected to it, which then activated new forms of economy for the territory, as had already happened for wine tourism [48, 49]. However, the researches that highlight the interest of tourists increase not only for oil production, but also for production sites and landscapes [40]. Furthermore, oil tourism refers not only to representational images and to visual perceptions of places, but also to a perception relative to the other senses. In fact, the results of a recent research [39] highlight how tourists show a particular interest in visiting the mills that become a new resource for tourism development linked to the world of olive oil.

The implants for the production of oil, as well as being the places that are characterized by the proposal of emotional content and *sense making*, constitute a concrete case to be placed in the broader concept of heritage cultural [50]. In fact, oil mills are to be considered a testimony to the time of the oil production processes. As a result of the standardization imposed by industrialization, oil mills handed down the specificity of the individual territories, for example, thinking to the high historical value of the mills in the grottoes existing in the Italian region of Puglia. The historical oil mills can thus constitute fundamental architectures for the enhancement of the territory, because they allow the visitor to get closer to realities that bear witness to the knowledge and the productive know-how of a community, the relations with the territory where they insist, contributing with their presence and activities to an economic and social enrichment.

With this in mind, buildings that still retain particular architectural values must be protected and enhanced through initiatives that support the agricultural production of services (tourism, recreational, educational, and social). New forms of use of the mills are established in which tourism activity is taking a leading role, as demonstrated by the results of the research that will be presented in the following paragraphs. Olive oil tourism is certainly a recent phenomenon of tourism; it is a matter of following in the footsteps of wine tourism that has managed to place the

cellars (new and old) at the center of public attention, attracted now by the valuable historical buildings now from the shapes created by modern architects [51, 52]. For olive oil tourism, the experience of wine tourism should offer points of comparison to exploit the mill in that building and not only as a working space. Next to the conventional museums (Olive oil Museums), the mills have the characteristics to transform themselves into real museums aimed at describing to the public all aspects related to the production of oil, fundamental aspect that distinguishes the needs of the new tourist related not only to the dimension of seeing but also of learning and knowledge. One could speak of a museum with a high didactic impact where to combine the value of olive oil with the weight of history and tradition.

In this new context, the dynamics of tourism, linked to the characteristics of the tourist experience, also applies to the tourism of the olive oil and to the possible and manifold offers that the tourist system connects to it. The activities that may be linked to the development of olive oil tourism involve several subjects, primarily tourists who have the opportunity to know the territory through a typical product and the tourist experiences connected to it, the producers that can enhance their business with a new way of marketing their product, and finally the tourism system that has the opportunity to redevelop and characterize its offer with specially prepared tourist itineraries with the involvement of the hospitality and catering sectors. Although a part of the literature [43] argues that the tourist itineraries linked to oil do not have a great development, in Italy, there are many experiences of territories that have activated paths of knowledge of the oil, made by both producers and institutions, which present oil as a qualifying element of the territorial offer. For example, the regional route of the POD Umbrian olive oil, whose characteristics will be presented later, qualifies as a possibility of knowledge, promotion, marketing, and enhancement of the oil throughout the territory involved in the itinerary.

The road of typical products thus becomes an instrument for the promotion and diffusion of local culture and traditions linked to oil [53]. In Italy, these roads are highly specialized and concern single local productions, wine, oil, cheese, apples, etc. But in some territories, a different orientation is starting to prevail, perceptible by the same road names, more generally defined roads of flavors, where the degree of specialization decreases, highlighting territorial experiences of itineraries that include wine, olive oil and other quality agri-food products. The presence of tourist itineraries on the olive oil is certainly one of the important tools of promotion and local valorization, along the routes the tourist has the opportunity not only to meet points of direct sale of the oil, to make visits to the mills, to taste the oil of olive, but also to observe the landscape in which the itinerary develops. In this context, olive oil tourism can help to activate development processes aimed at reconstructing the local cultural identity understood as the identification, protection, and enhancement of all the factors that contribute to creating the specificity and uniqueness of the places and the environment. There are tourists who seek and ask more and more landscape, more and more nature, and desire a deep and direct contact with the values of rural culture; the heritage inherited from the past becomes an element of interest and also of tourist interest. The olive oil, the rediscovery of the values and traditions linked to it, therefore represents the possibility of development of the territories, especially those of a rural nature, and can become the fulcrum around which to propose and/or redesign cultural tourism offers [54, 55]. Olive oil in some territorial contexts is a heritage in which a community identifies itself and makes the place in which it presents unique and can develop around itself interesting experiential tourist practices that contribute to making the tourist feel, even if temporarily, part of the history of a place. Olive oil tourism can also offer interesting answers to the question of authenticity that characterizes important and growing

**157**

*Rural Tourism and Territorial Development in Italy DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.85774*

segments of tourist demand [56], proposing tourist experiences that trigger a knowledge and a comparison between the tourist and the identity of the territory. In this framework, the University of Perugia carried out a specific research devoted to this innovative tourism custom by relating it with a significant initiative aimed at the promotion of olive oil, named Frantoi Aperti (Opens Oil mills), which takes place in Umbria. This research, titled "Oil tourism as a tool for enhancing the action of rural territories: the case of the PDO Umbria Oil Road"represents in Italy the first attempt of reflection and study on the theme of olive oil tourism. The main objective of the research was to understand how innovative initiatives to promote the territory as *Frantoi Aperti* (Opens Oil mills) can identify in the oil product a possible driver able to promote the development of tourist flows related to the environment, the culture and the discovery of rural areas. With reference to the methodology adopted, the research activity has contemplated the administration of a questionnaire to tourists present during the six weekends of the 2013 edition of *Frantoi Aperti*. There were collected 228 questionnaires aimed at understanding the profile of the tourist who participates in *Frantoi Aperti* investigating the reasons for his visit. The investigation and survey activities were carried out in the municipalities participating at the event "Frantoi Aperti" in 2013, which involved 30 mills with guided tours to the oil plants in process-

ing, to the new oil tasting, and to other regional products and activities.

the behavior and daily habits of food consumption of the tourist.

possible instrument, which could contribute to the promotion

and de-seasonalization of the territories involved.

Furthermore, the research activity has provided the creation of in-depth interviews to a representation of privileged stakeholders of the territory (local authorities, entrepreneurs, producers, bloggers, etc.) in order to understand the motivations that led them to join "the Frantoi Aperti," the advantages and opportunities of their participation as well as their contribution to the realization of the event. The stakeholders interviewed highlighted how the increase in visibility and knowledge of both the territory and its companies is the main reason behind the adhesion to "Frantoi Aperti" on the part of local authorities, producers, and owners of accommodation facilities, who evaluate positively the initiative and consider it a

This research allows to observe that a specific profile of the olive oil tourist begins to take shape: the empirical survey emphasizes as this new figure considers the interest in the oil product in itself as one of the main travel motivations and as a tourist experience to be practiced. The olive oil tourist is also interested in the knowledge of food landscape in which the relationship between gastronomy and tourism is linked to the enhancement of the landscape as an expression of all its identifying elements including food. The food and culture of the territory connected to it thus form an ideal harmony for tourists who express their interest not only for the gastronomic product itself, but also for all the aspects that characterize the landscape, its history, and its traditions [20]. Attention to food is increasingly

The exploratory survey was carried out on a sample that is not statistically representative, however, able to elaborate interesting elements of reflection about the links among territory, oil and consumption styles that could be analyzed in order to provide useful information to administrators and operators of the territory and able not only to increase but also to enhance and "spread" the quality of the initiative and therefore also its tourist visibility. The administered questionnaire provided for four different thematic sections includes: profile of the interviewed tourist; permanence and hospitality: in the second area, it is represented by the duration of the visit and the type of accommodation chosen; the motivation that pushes the tourist to participate in the Frantoi Aperti event and its level of satisfaction regarding the organization and reception and hospitality of the territory; and styles of consumption and oil product: the last section of the questionnaire was dedicated to

### *Rural Tourism and Territorial Development in Italy DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.85774*

*Sustainability Assessment at the 21st Century*

involved in the itinerary.

cellars (new and old) at the center of public attention, attracted now by the valuable historical buildings now from the shapes created by modern architects [51, 52]. For olive oil tourism, the experience of wine tourism should offer points of comparison to exploit the mill in that building and not only as a working space. Next to the conventional museums (Olive oil Museums), the mills have the characteristics to transform themselves into real museums aimed at describing to the public all aspects related to the production of oil, fundamental aspect that distinguishes the needs of the new tourist related not only to the dimension of seeing but also of learning and knowledge. One could speak of a museum with a high didactic impact where to combine the value of olive oil with the weight of history and tradition. In this new context, the dynamics of tourism, linked to the characteristics of the tourist experience, also applies to the tourism of the olive oil and to the possible and manifold offers that the tourist system connects to it. The activities that may be linked to the development of olive oil tourism involve several subjects, primarily tourists who have the opportunity to know the territory through a typical product and the tourist experiences connected to it, the producers that can enhance their business with a new way of marketing their product, and finally the tourism system that has the opportunity to redevelop and characterize its offer with specially prepared tourist itineraries with the involvement of the hospitality and catering sectors. Although a part of the literature [43] argues that the tourist itineraries linked to oil do not have a great development, in Italy, there are many experiences of territories that have activated paths of knowledge of the oil, made by both producers and institutions, which present oil as a qualifying element of the territorial offer. For example, the regional route of the POD Umbrian olive oil, whose characteristics will be presented later, qualifies as a possibility of knowledge, promotion, marketing, and enhancement of the oil throughout the territory

The road of typical products thus becomes an instrument for the promotion and diffusion of local culture and traditions linked to oil [53]. In Italy, these roads are highly specialized and concern single local productions, wine, oil, cheese, apples, etc. But in some territories, a different orientation is starting to prevail, perceptible by the same road names, more generally defined roads of flavors, where the degree of specialization decreases, highlighting territorial experiences of itineraries that include wine, olive oil and other quality agri-food products. The presence of tourist itineraries on the olive oil is certainly one of the important tools of promotion and local valorization, along the routes the tourist has the opportunity not only to meet points of direct sale of the oil, to make visits to the mills, to taste the oil of olive, but also to observe the landscape in which the itinerary develops. In this context, olive oil tourism can help to activate development processes aimed at reconstructing the local cultural identity understood as the identification, protection, and enhancement of all the factors that contribute to creating the specificity and uniqueness of the places and the environment. There are tourists who seek and ask more and more landscape, more and more nature, and desire a deep and direct contact with the values of rural culture; the heritage inherited from the past becomes an element of interest and also of tourist interest. The olive oil, the rediscovery of the values and traditions linked to it, therefore represents the possibility of development of the territories, especially those of a rural nature, and can become the fulcrum around which to propose and/or redesign cultural tourism offers [54, 55]. Olive oil in some territorial contexts is a heritage in which a community identifies itself and makes the place in which it presents unique and can develop around itself interesting experiential tourist practices that contribute to making the tourist feel, even if temporarily, part of the history of a place. Olive oil tourism can also offer interesting answers to the question of authenticity that characterizes important and growing

**156**

segments of tourist demand [56], proposing tourist experiences that trigger a knowledge and a comparison between the tourist and the identity of the territory.

In this framework, the University of Perugia carried out a specific research devoted to this innovative tourism custom by relating it with a significant initiative aimed at the promotion of olive oil, named Frantoi Aperti (Opens Oil mills), which takes place in Umbria. This research, titled "Oil tourism as a tool for enhancing the action of rural territories: the case of the PDO Umbria Oil Road"represents in Italy the first attempt of reflection and study on the theme of olive oil tourism. The main objective of the research was to understand how innovative initiatives to promote the territory as *Frantoi Aperti* (Opens Oil mills) can identify in the oil product a possible driver able to promote the development of tourist flows related to the environment, the culture and the discovery of rural areas. With reference to the methodology adopted, the research activity has contemplated the administration of a questionnaire to tourists present during the six weekends of the 2013 edition of *Frantoi Aperti*. There were collected 228 questionnaires aimed at understanding the profile of the tourist who participates in *Frantoi Aperti* investigating the reasons for his visit. The investigation and survey activities were carried out in the municipalities participating at the event "Frantoi Aperti" in 2013, which involved 30 mills with guided tours to the oil plants in processing, to the new oil tasting, and to other regional products and activities.

The exploratory survey was carried out on a sample that is not statistically representative, however, able to elaborate interesting elements of reflection about the links among territory, oil and consumption styles that could be analyzed in order to provide useful information to administrators and operators of the territory and able not only to increase but also to enhance and "spread" the quality of the initiative and therefore also its tourist visibility. The administered questionnaire provided for four different thematic sections includes: profile of the interviewed tourist; permanence and hospitality: in the second area, it is represented by the duration of the visit and the type of accommodation chosen; the motivation that pushes the tourist to participate in the Frantoi Aperti event and its level of satisfaction regarding the organization and reception and hospitality of the territory; and styles of consumption and oil product: the last section of the questionnaire was dedicated to the behavior and daily habits of food consumption of the tourist.

Furthermore, the research activity has provided the creation of in-depth interviews to a representation of privileged stakeholders of the territory (local authorities, entrepreneurs, producers, bloggers, etc.) in order to understand the motivations that led them to join "the Frantoi Aperti," the advantages and opportunities of their participation as well as their contribution to the realization of the event. The stakeholders interviewed highlighted how the increase in visibility and knowledge of both the territory and its companies is the main reason behind the adhesion to "Frantoi Aperti" on the part of local authorities, producers, and owners of accommodation facilities, who evaluate positively the initiative and consider it a possible instrument, which could contribute to the promotion and de-seasonalization of the territories involved.

This research allows to observe that a specific profile of the olive oil tourist begins to take shape: the empirical survey emphasizes as this new figure considers the interest in the oil product in itself as one of the main travel motivations and as a tourist experience to be practiced. The olive oil tourist is also interested in the knowledge of food landscape in which the relationship between gastronomy and tourism is linked to the enhancement of the landscape as an expression of all its identifying elements including food. The food and culture of the territory connected to it thus form an ideal harmony for tourists who express their interest not only for the gastronomic product itself, but also for all the aspects that characterize the landscape, its history, and its traditions [20]. Attention to food is increasingly

characterized by sociocultural, political, and economic elements that are contributing to the affirmation of the concept of food of the territory, foodscape, not only as a vehicle of tradition and memory but also as a food landscape, which represents not only the complexity of production, but also of the conservation and enhancement of local productions [50]. In conclusion, olive oil tourism can contribute to the local development of rural territories with the networking of local resources and skills, through a participatory project that activates sustainable processes of value creation not only for tourists but also for the local community.
