- Major agricultural, regional, and tourism stakeholders—including SEDIK, the International Olive Council, and the Region of Crete—gathered in Heraklion to explore the future of olive tourism (agrotourism centered on olive oil).
- Experts emphasized that Cretan olive oil is not merely a commodity but a living thread connecting the island’s ancient history, monumental olive trees, archaeological sites, and modern gastronomy.
- While olive oil quality remains exceptionally high, producers highlighted ongoing industry hurdles, including climate-induced fruit drop (karpoptosi) and high harvesting costs.
- Tourism and guide associations stressed the need for certified, knowledgeable guides to prevent unqualified operators from leading thematic olive tours.
Crete has no shortage of olive trees, olive oil, ancient olive-growing traditions or tourists willing to taste just about anything with a story behind it.
The question now is whether the island can turn all of that into a proper olive tourism experience — rather than another tourist stop where visitors taste three oils, buy a bottle and move on.
A conference in Heraklion focused on the cultural and health value of Cretan olive oil and the potential of olive tourism, with speakers from agriculture, tourism, archaeology, gastronomy, and the guiding profession.
The event was jointly organized by SEDIK, the International Olive Council, the Region of Crete, the Municipality of Heraklion, GEOTEE, the Association of Tourist Guides of Crete and Santorini and the Heraklion Olive Millers Association.
Crete’s Olive History Is Already There
One of the strongest ideas to emerge was also the most obvious: Crete already has the raw material for olive tourism.
Archaeological sites connected to olive cultivation, monumental olive trees, olive museums, historic mills and other visitor attractions could all become part of organized routes across the island.
Stavros Stavroulakis of SEDIK said the organization has been developing olive tourism routes for years, including visitable olive mills, olive museums and monumental olive trees.
For Prodromos Afthonidis, president of the Heraklion Olive Millers Association, olive oil is more than an agricultural product.
“It is culture,” he argued, “a thread connecting Crete’s past, present and future.”
Imagine Gortyna as Part of an Alive Story
Archaeologist Antonis Vasilakis argued that Crete needs to pay much greater attention to the archaeological history of olives and olive oil.
His proposal is refreshingly concrete: create permanent local museums that tell the history of olive cultivation at or near key archaeological sites.
He specifically mentioned ancient Gortyna, Eleftherna, Aptera and Ancient Zakros.
Multidisciplinary exhibitions could connect archaeology, agriculture, food and everyday life, while schools could use them for educational visits.
And, naturally, tourism could become another major part of the equation.
Tourists Are Interested. Very Interested.
Olive miller Vangelis Protegerakis said foreign visitors already show considerable interest.
“They come with their families, ask questions, and leave satisfied. Even an olive oil mill can do this right. We can create spaces we won’t be ashamed of.”
His point was that even an ordinary olive mill could do this properly, provided the facilities and experience are developed to a standard operators can be proud of.
That sounds simple. It also sounds like an opportunity Crete has been sitting on for quite some time.
But Please, Know Your Olive Oil
Not everyone at the conference was convinced that the sector is getting everything right.
Eleni Samaritaki, president of the Association of Professional Tourist Guides of Crete and Santorini, warned that olive-oil themed excursions are sometimes conducted by people without the necessary knowledge or expertise.
“We have seen information and guided tours about olive oil and olive tourism being conducted by people with zero knowledge or background,” Samaritaki warned.
In other words, putting “olive tour” on the itinerary does not magically turn someone into an olive-oil expert.
For a destination trying to build a serious food and cultural tourism product, that matters.
From a Koutsouna to a Cooking Class
George Apladas, a professor in the Hellenic Mediterranean University’s Department of Tourism Management, argued that Crete could do “incredible things” with olive tourism—but only if the experience creates real added value.
That could mean connecting olive oil with traditional tools, cooking techniques and local history.
His vision stretches from the humble koutsouna, the traditional Cretan shepherd’s crook, to cooking classes showing visitors how previous generations prepared food with little more than stones and a wooden cooking pot.
The idea isn’t to romanticize poverty, but to turn Cretan history and food knowledge into experiences visitors can understand and remember.
And Then There’s the Health Story
The conference also explored olive oil’s nutritional value. Professor Nikos Tzanakis highlighted olive oil’s importance in a healthy diet, while chef and entrepreneur Manolis Papoutsakis discussed how to use extra virgin olive oil correctly in professional and home cooking.
Nutrition professor Giorgos Fragkiadakis suggested that the Cretan diet could become an important public-health asset and proposed that SEDIK consider creating olive oil schools.
That would take olive tourism beyond tasting sessions and souvenir bottles and turn it into education about food, health, and Cretan culinary culture.
Crete Already Has the Ingredients
The interesting thing about olive tourism is that Crete does not need to manufacture a new attraction.
It already has:
- Ancient olive-growing history
- Monumental trees
- Archaeological sites
- Traditional olive mills
- Museums and collections
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Cretan cuisine
- Professional guides
- Millions of visitors looking for experiences beyond the beach.
What is missing is the organization and professional packaging that connects these pieces into a coherent tourism product.
