Oleotourism in Mediterranean Islands: Malta as a case-study

The growing potential of integrating olive heritage with tourism has grown exponentially in recent years. Several Mediterranean countries, particularly islands, have recognized how this value chain generates significant benefits in rural regions, opening other destinations in areas that, until recently, were considered less favourable for conventional tourism. Developing a tourism model based on olive groves, their heritage and olive oil can replicate the experiences of wine tourism, elevating the rural destinations while promoting local and authentic quality products. Through effective educational programmes, visitors can increase their awareness of olive oil while gaining additional knowledge on its history, health, product characteristics, and heritage. It also provides opportunities for tourists to interact directly with the farmer and purchase quality products directly from the farmer. (López-Guzmán et al., 2016). As such, strategies supporting local and regional development that integrate tourism with olive heritage offer substantial opportunities for entrepreneurship, serve as significant sources of employment and income for local communities, and contribute to revitalizing rural areas. These strategies also diversify the product offerings from olive oil farms, attracting new consumer segments and markets.