The Latest Trip to Europe
The journey began on November 4 with the arrival of the delegation in Rome which was welcomed by the representatives of Italia Olivicola and Unapol. After settling in the hotel, the delegation attended a meeting to receive detailed information on the activities to be carried out during the incoming. At the end of the meeting, the shopper containing publications and promotional materials of the TAICHI project was delivered to the participants. The first day ended with a dinner at the Hostaria Luce with tasting of typical Roman cuisine specialties enhanced by the use of extra virgin olive oil.
The second day began with the departure to Tuscany with the first stop in Vinci at the Montalbano – olive oil company - to view the production process and the olive oil bottling and packaging department. During the visit there was a lunch based on typical local products and the tasting of different types of olive oil produced there including a monovarietal olive oil of Leccino. The day ended with dinner at the typical Tuscan restaurant Molo 23.
During the morning of the third day, thanks to a sunny weather, the delegation visited the olive fields and the olive harvesting. Afterwards the group moved to Florence for lunch in a typical restaurant and to visit the iconic places of the Tuscan capital. The day ended with the return to Rome.
The fourth day began with the transfer from Rome to Athens. After a short stop at the Elia Ermou Athens Hotel, the delegation was joined by Vasilis Pyrgiotis, President of Copa Cogeca Olive Oil Greece and tutor for incoming in Greece. After lunch, carried out thanks to the lunch boxes set up for the occasion, the day continued with a visit to the Acropolis. The day ended with dinner at the Strofi restaurant with a panoramic view of the Acropolis.
During the morning of the fifth day, the delegation went to the mill and olive grove in Zevgolatio Korinthias, a location about an hour from Athens. The delegation was able to evaluate the differences in the type of cultivation with what was seen in Tuscany in the previous days, especially as regards the part of production (plant and, in general, production aspects). A local restaurant based on fish products was chosen for lunch. Return to Athens in the late afternoon. For the last evening of the incoming dinner was organized at the By The Glass restaurant.
The incoming ended on the sixth day with a follow up meeting, during which the ex-post questionnaires were completed, and with the transfer of the delegation to the Athens Airport. All the activities during the six days of the incoming were assisted by the presence of a Chinese native speaker / guide who guaranteed the various conversations between the Asian participants and the local representatives, both in Italy and in Greece.
The incoming of the third year of the TAICHI Project took place from 4 to 9 November 2019. Specific objectives of the activity were the following: • optimization of the image of olive oil with intermediaries and opinion makers; • improved knowledge of olive oil among intermediaries and opinion makers; • creation and strengthening of the networking between the operators of targeted markets and the representatives of the EU olive sector.
