The Potential of Olive Oil for Creative Tourism Experiences in the Northern Region of Portugal

Abstract

In a context where constant demand for new tourism-related experiences supplies the emergence of a new offer, tourists encounter the ‘rural world' looking for new and memorable tourism experiences (Murgado, 2013). Tourists' motivations and behaviours have changed over the years, and today, their expectations are enormous and diverse (Alonso & Krajsic, 2013), while increasingly looking for environmental, cultural and heritage-related experiences. In this context, rural-based regions stand out, given the opportunity to contact with nature and with the traditions of communities (Partidário, 2003), in particular with food and local gastronomic traditions (Stewart, Bramble & Ziraldo, 2008). This context links local products, food, gastronomy, and tourism, a perfect symbiosis, with the ruralbased regions providing opportunities to the development of various creative activities and unique experiences, as it is the case of olive oil and tourism. Based on a literature review, and on a content analysis of websites and social media (of olive oil tourism-related activities), this study aims to analyse the potential of olive oil to the development of new Creative Tourism experiences, while contributing to sustainable development of tourism in rural-based areas. The geographic context is the northern region of Portugal, where the olive oil production has economic and social importance and where the tourism in rural regions has gained increasing interest and demand, creating an opportunity for the development of new creative experiences.