Gastronomic value: the table olive

The Sevillian table olive as a gastronomic asset. The President of the Seville Provincial Council, Fernando Rodríguez Villalobos, today presented the Seville Table Olive Week. Table Olives from the Province of Seville. It will take place between 24 and 30 October. This will be the start of a tourism promotion plan.

Unique gastronomic value of the territory, what does this plan aim to achieve?

To disseminate, among visitors, both actual and potential, the knowledge of this product as a gastronomic value of the destination. Villalobos presented the new tourist guide 'El Aceite y la Aceituna de Mesa de la Provincia de Sevilla'. These actions are part of the Tourism Promotion Plan for the Province of Seville 2016. It is co-financed by the public company Turismo Andaluz.

"We are talking about one of the main sectors generating employment in the countryside. But also in the processing industry and in the auxiliary industry. So much so that it is traditionally one of the driving forces of the Sevillian economy", Villalobos indicated.

Seville is the leading producer, processor and exporter of table olives in Spain. Around 70% of national production comes from olive trees in Seville. Villalobos also states that 63% of all table olives produced in Spain are destined for export.

What does the Tourism Promotion Plan for Table Olives in the Province of Seville aim to achieve? To consolidate this product as an element of attraction to the province among the public interested in gastronomy, quality products and unique tourist experiences.

Table Olive Week in the Province of Seville

As part of the plan, the Provincial Council, through Prodetur, has organised the Seville Province Table Olive Week. It will be held between 24 and 30 October. The aim is to promote the gastronomic product, starting next Monday, 24 October.

Table Olive Gastronomic Days will be held in collaboration with the Association of Hotel and Catering Businesses. During these days, the associated catering establishments will offer tastings and special menus featuring table olives.

On Tuesday 25th, there will be a meeting with the media and food bloggers. They will take part in an olive tasting and attend a showcooking session. This meeting will take place at the 'Tragaldabas' restaurant, owned by the renowned television chef Enrique Sánchez, in the city of Seville.

On the following day, Wednesday 26th, Prodetur has organised a technical conference. It will collaborate with the different entities that make up the business and social network of the olive sector. The conference will be held at the Casa de la Provincia. It is aimed specifically at olive growers and companies in the sector. It will deal specifically with the quality designation as a strategy for the protection, promotion and marketing of table olives from Seville.

How long does it last?

A course entitled 'Gamification in the Table Olive Sector' will start on Thursday 27th. The aim of the course is to introduce the use of techniques and dynamics of games and leisure. In addition, methods will be taught to open up new lines of marketing in the promotion of the sector. It will be held in the municipality of Arahal until 11 November.

From Friday 28th to Sunday 30th, olives from Seville will be distributed in hotels in Seville and the province. This will be carried out in conjunction with the Business Association of Hotels.

At the same time, olives from the province will be distributed at different tourist hotspots in the capital. Olives will be available at San Pablo airport and Santa Justa station.

In addition to all this, throughout the week the network of tourist information offices in the province will be informing visitors about the celebration of this Table Olive Promotion Week. A tasting session will be offered to all tourists.

This week follows another held last May. The one held in May was dedicated to the promotion of extra virgin olive oil as a gastronomic value of the territory.

Guide to Olive Oil and Table Olives in the Province of Valencia

As part of the tourism promotion plan for both table olives and olive oil in the province, the reprinting of the Olive Oil and Olive Guide of the Province of Seville, which the President of the Provincial Council presented today, is included.

It is an agile and user-friendly catalogue, with a list of the main production areas in the province, organised by region, and with a list of the main companies in the sector, a total of 117, with special mention of those that offer industrial tourism activities, with visits to their facilities.

With respect to the one published by Prodetur-Turismo de la Provincia in 2008, the number of municipalities represented has been increased by 10, which is 52 towns.

What is the objective?

Gastronomic value: According to Villalobos, the aim of this publication is to "promote the practice of 'Oleotourism'. The aim is to promote knowledge of the olive culture in our territory through visits to olive groves and companies in the sector".

This guide explains the importance of the olive tree and its derivatives in the history and culture of Seville. The importance of oil and olives in the economy of the province; the benefits of oil in a healthy diet. The value of oil in the traditional recipes of Sevillian villages; and the varieties of olive that the province has to offer as well as the types of oil. "The quality of which makes us a benchmark in the market".

• Source: Prodetur