Current status and opportunities for cheese tourism in Italy

Cheese plays a significant role in Italian cuisine and culture. A wide variety of flavor and aromatic notes in this deliciously fabulous product allow people to experience it over and over again. And the "delight" of trying what a certain region has to offer through well-organized routes, so-called “cheese roads”, will not only interest people who travel this way in genuine interest in Italy, but will also reinforce knowledge, interest in the product, and willingness to discover all types of this unique food. Hypothetically speaking, if we properly organize events such as the cheese road, then it is worth keeping in mind that attracting tourists to an area also attracts capital, and that in turn leads to the development and recognition of that area. The goal of this thesis is to explore the available materials and literature on cheese tourism, including the cultural, historical and economical aspects in order to provide a comprehensive guide to route plans. Additionally, the research investigates the various Italian regions well-known for their cheese varieties, digging into the traditional production methods, the influence of its geographical characteristics and the cheesemaking evolution over centuries. As an empirical support, an online questionnaire among partakers was conducted to collect the necessary information on aspects associated to the cheese tourism and cheese touristic routes.