The Oil Tourism Movement (MTO), a national consortium that for the next six years will be led by the tandem composed of Donato Taurino (President) and Vittoria Cisonno (Director and creator), supported by the Vice President, Count Franco Silvano Toni di Cigoli (Umbria), by the councilors Piercarmine Tilli (Abruzzo), Raffaele Maria Maiorano (Calabria), Nicoletta Manestrini (Lombardy), Sebastiano de Corato (MTV councilor) and by the president of the technical committee, Angela Canale.
The main objectives of the Oil Tourism Movement are, following the example of the Wine Tourism Movement, the promotion of the extraordinary olive-growing territories of Italy and the enhancement of the culture of Italian extra virgin olive oil. The Apulia region, in particular, was the first to feel the need to systematize the work and passion of all the millers by establishing a Consortium, MTOlio Puglia, which created the events ABC Olio and Ulivo Day aimed at gourmet tourists curious to discover the olfactory and taste qualities of extra virgin olive oil. The overall project of oil tourism thus originates from a locally conceived project that today aims to extend to all the quality olive-growing regions of Italy.
“The official establishment of the Oil Tourism Movement as a national Consortium – said the new president of MTO, Donato Taurino – represents not only a formal act but the implementation of a real team effort and clearly shows all of our willingness to open the doors of our companies to tourism. For us, this means creating a system to promote the excellence of our agri-food sector with the conviction that tourism related to the lands of Extra Virgin oil, just like wine tourism, represents a flagship of made in Italy and thus a strategic driver for the economy of our country, which boasts a unique olive-growing heritage worldwide in terms of variety (about 500 cultivars) and landscape charm. But there is still huge untapped potential that we intend to enhance through the commitment of the Oil Tourism Movement, which aims to actively involve quality companies and all the regions of the country“.
The future of the Oil Tourism Movement, according to Vittoria Cisonno, creator and Director of the National MTO, is based on four key words: sustainability, new technologies, in-formation, networking.
A board, that of the consortium members, currently led by Apulia, Umbria, Calabria, Lombardy, and Abruzzo (founding members together with the Wine Tourism Movement): regions with a strong olive-growing vocation, capable of best synthesizing the objectives behind the MTO.
What is the Olive Oil Tourism Movement
His Majesty theExtra Virgin Olive Oil. Many years have passed before anyone realized the importance of this extraordinary Italian product. In recent years, only the Wine Tourism Movement Puglia has made some small steps opening up to member millers, bringing extra virgin olive oil along with major wine events such as Cantine Aperte and Calici di Stelle. A product that for years has been valued and promoted through the commitment of consortium members and the community funds provided by the Agriculture Department of the Puglia Region. The excitement and passion of all the millers of MTOlio Puglia gave rise to the ABC Olio and Ulivo Day events, aimed at gourmet tourists curious to discover the olfactory and taste qualities of extra virgin olive oil.
The overall oleotourism project was born from my idea in Puglia and today aims to involve all of Italy’s quality olive-growing regions. Just as an orchestra is a collection of many instruments, so too the Italian cultivars of our regions must come together in a single magical concert to share with the world. This has always been my dream, which today is becoming a reality thanks to the establishment of the National Olive Oil Tourism Movement, a consortium reality that is receiving positive support throughout Italy.
It is important to understand that to compete in the global market it is necessary to preserve the biodiversity and experience of Italian farmer-artisans who make the difference. In Italy there are about 500 varieties, a unique genetic heritage in the world that offers our chefs the possibility to make each dish different according to the territories and gives inimitable aromas. The enthusiasm of all the Italian millers marks a good beginning. (Vittoria Cisonno, Director MTO)
