The orchestrator and its role in the birth and development of a niche-tourism ecosystem

Frame of the research: Oleotourism, an emerging opportunity for rural diversification, is thriving in Mediterranean regions. This niche caters to the rising demand for authentic tourism products and creative experiences that enhance agricultural livelihoods. Purpose of the paper: The paper explores characteristics and activities of facilitator-orchestrator organizations that further the growth and development of niche-tourism ecosystems. Methodology: Primary and secondary data were collected from the case study of the oleotourism niche in Italy. In particular, the Italian National Association of Oil Cities has been selected as the case study due to its preeminent work in supporting the birth and development of oleotourism in Italy. Findings: The analysis reveals the facilitator-orchestrator role played in developing the oleotourism ecosystem. Findings unveil three orchestrator characteristics (embeddedness, agility, and capability) and six activities (lobbying, participant recruitment and engagement, regulation, research and development, capacity building, and promotion). Findings support the growth of oleotourism stakeholders and develop the oleotourism business ecosystem. Research limits: The paper analyses only a single case study and examines only the orchestrator’s perspective. Practical implications: This study supports practitioners as well as policymakers in several ways. It offers implementation mechanisms to support a fragile and fragmented niche-tourism ecosystem. It also highlights possible obstacles to overcome. Originality of the paper: Oleotourism is a topic of particular interest to advance cultural and creative industries as drivers for local tourism development and innovation. However, it reveals a fragile ecosystem composed of a plethora of stakeholders and proposals that are still in an infant stage. Unveiling the main orchestration mechanisms that support the development of such an ecosystem is of great importance in boosting the sustainable growth of the oleotourism business ecosystem.