Olive oil tourism as a productive diversification instrument in olive cooperatives

Abstract

Motivations which pull enterprises to diversify their activity by adding a new business line may be determinant as to the success of their proposal. Besides, these motivations highlight the enterprises' interests regarding that diversification, since it implies the development of a new product and facing a new market. In this paper, reasons behind the startup of an olive oil tourism project as strategy of diversification of olive oil enterprises are analyzed, as well as the way they confront this change. By the same token, Corporate Social Responsibility has been analyzed and the management of online resources to position the olive oil tourism offer. A survey to 33 olive oil grower most advanced cooperatives has been carried out. The results evince olive oil tourism is in an initial phase and requires of a larger involvement by the offering firms.