A nice early boost for Jelsa tourism for 2017, as it has been announced that Hotel Hvar will be hosting the upcoming 19th international manifestation of olive growers and olive oil producers from 23 to 26 March in Hotel Hvar in Jelsa, a time when hotels are closed the town is sleeping before Easter. With Easter Sunday on April 16 next year, the arrival of participants at the conference will be an encouraging start to the new season, as well as raising the profile of Hvar's olive oil industry. Great job, Hotel Hvar! Slobodna Dalmacija reported in more details of the event on December 22, 2016:
This international event with over 1.500 participants who meet on Hvar island where there is a large number of olive growers and olive oil producers who grew together with this oldest olive manifestation which many consider the most important in Croatia.
It will be a good opportunity to present companies, products and taste olive oil. Naturally, the quality and appearance of olive oils will be rated (packaging and open olive oils), as well as an exchange of not only oils, but also products from olives and medicinal herbs.
Along with olive growers and olive oil producers, present will also be numerous media, companies, politicians and scientists.
In the research tour guests will visit interesting olive and tourism localities in the area, an excellent promotion for the hosts in the off-season.
All this was announced at the meeting of the organisers of the event, Cooperative Alliance of Dalmatia (ZSD) and the most important olive oil producers, as well as olive growers associations of Hvar island. It was also said this Noćnjak has the conditions to be the best on yet.
Such an estimate is based on the fact the island is full of truly excellent extra virgin oils. It was concluded this meeting will be the place to begin the procedure of securing protected authenticity of Hvar oil.
The programme’s focus will be on ecological olive growing, protection of olives and joint projects of all participants in the education of consumers on the national level.
“Olive oil of Croatia needs the highest quality it can get and we cannot compete with plantation mechanised operations of Spain, but we can have superior unique oils with a story of production and origin. This goal is aligned with ecological production. To justify the higher price of our oils, we need to educate consumers what healthy olive oil is and how to recognise it. After consumers learned there is a better, healthier oil, just slightly more expensive than the rancid one, we often hear extra virgin is “the bitter oil,” which is not true. Oil, just like wine, has a range of tastes which the oil maker can influence through many factors in production. Extra virgin oil, especially one with a larger share of Oblica variety, is in general of mild taste, while it’s interesting Croatia’s consumption is 20 percent below of its production,” said Lordan Ljubenkov, ZSD President.
Around 150 international guests have already confirmed their arrival to the Noćnjak, with Hvar island and especially Jelsa and Hvar town greeting them with their renowned hospitality and globally recognised beauty. May this island be equally known by its oils.
