Requirements for development of olive tourism: the case of Croatia

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to identify necessary requirements for development of olive tourism and compare the findings with the situation in Croatia in order to provide guidelines for the future development of this particular form of tourism. Design/methodology/approach – In this preliminary study, the method of secondary sources data analysis was used. The data includes searching of relevant scientific articles and official web sites such as web pages of the Ministry of Agriculture, Tourist Boards, etc. Findings –The analysis revealed the existence of eight requirements necessary for olive tourism developments, such as: oil mills open for visitors, museums and interpretation centers dedicated to olives and olive oil, olive farms, protected geographical indications, olive groves, events/fairs devoted to olives and olive oil, Olive Oil Roads, specialized shops for olive oil – oleotece. The results could help in future research for planning and development of olive tourism in other countries. Olive tourism requirements already exist in Croatia, but there is insufficient available information about stakeholders who offer activities related to olive tourism. Originality of the research – This study has identified necessary requirements for olive tourism development. It is oriented to olive tourism in developing countries, which have received little prior research attention.