Residents’ attitude and emotional response to Oleotourism: a case study of Extremadura (Spain)

ABSTRACT

Oleotourism is practiced and offered in areas with a strong tradition of olive oil production having ancient olive groves. While locals of olive growing areas often have a strong linkage with this cultivation, either for professional or personal reasons, scientific research about Oleotourism has little explored the residents' perspective, focusing on its demand. This research acknowledges that, due to the intense personal and professional connection that residents have with this cultivation, their attitude and positive disposition towards developing this kind of tourism cannot be ignored and may play a decisive role in its success. The paper explores the residents' attitude and their rational and emotional response to Oleotourism. The cognitive and affective factors are tested in a sample of 378 individuals using an online survey. Data have been analyzed with structural equations models (PLS-SEM). The results confirm that the rational perceived benefits induce the locals' supportive attitude, but affective and emotional elements are also influential that is the practices that locals love to do are also likely to be supported by them. These results show essential implications for the tourism management of olive-growing areas that seek the diversification of local economies through tourism practices.

KEYWORDS:

• Olive oil tourism
• host community
• emotions
• involvement
• support
• structural equation modelling-PLS

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

Project co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Junta de Extremadura (Spain) (Reference No. IB16104).

Notes on contributors

Elide Di-Clemente

Elide Di-Clemente is research personnel at the University of Extremadura, Spain. She holds a Ph.D. in tourism marketing and management. She is author of various publications in international scientific journals, with high impact factor, and book chapters. Her current research interests are in the fields of marketing and tourism management, as slow tourism, experiential marketing, culinary tourism and quality of life.

Ana María Campón-Cerro

Ana María Campón-Cerro is a Professor and researcher in the University of Extremadura, Spain. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Extremadura, and she is the author of various papers in Spanish and international journals, with high impact factor, and chapters in edited volumes. Her research interests include marketing and tourism management, as rural tourism, quality-of-life, culinary tourism, experiential tourism, or destination marketing, among others.

José Antonio Folgado-Fernández

José Antonio Folgado-Fernández is a Professor and researcher at the University of Extremadura, Spain. He was given a Ph.D. by the University of Extremadura. He has published various papers in Spanish and international journals with high impact factor, and chapters in edited volumes. His research interests focus on marketing and tourism management, tourism events, branding and destination management.

José Manuel Hernández-Mogollón

Jose Manuel Hernández-Mogollón is a Professor and researcher in the University of Extremadura, Spain. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics and Business Management, and he is the author of various papers in Spanish and international journals with high impact factor, and chapters in edited volumes. His research interests focus on marketing and tourism management, rural tourism, quality-of-life, culinary tourism, experiential tourism, or destination marketing, among others.