• 1 Among 1,199 properties listed in 2023.

1Since the turn of the millennium, UNESCO Member States have submitted an increasing number of candidatures for the inclusion of cultural landscapes in a renewed interpretation of the notion of "world heritage" (Brianso and Tebbaa, 2021). In 2023, 121,1 properties described as "cultural landscapes" were inscribed on the World Heritage List, bearing witness to man's interactions with his environment and natural surroundings (Luengo and Rössler, 2012). These assets, most often derived from an agricultural product (coffee, wine, sugar, olives, etc.), are now the subject of strong support from local residents (Bortolotto, 2011), as they make up a part of the cultural history of their territory with which they identify, based on family memories and social memories. What's more, these traces of identity produce living testimonies and sensitive narratives on which the application files are based, with the aim of justifying the tourist interest of the heritage process (Davallon, 2006 and 2023) by all the stakeholders in the area.

• 2 The five Spanish "cultural landscape" properties are: Pyrenees - Monte Perdido (1997); Aranjuez Cul (...)

2In Spain, five2 properties have already been inscribed in this category, including the Serra de Tramuntana Cultural Landscape (Balearic Islands, Mallorca), which is characterised by terraced farming including olive groves. This island property has a similar landscape designation to the Andalusian olive groves nomination, although it has distinct morphological characteristics. There has also been a strong mobilisation of local players in Spain, particularly in Andalusia, to enhance the value of two agricultural crops: olives and vines. In this context, Spain seems to be implementing a tourism strategy to include cultural landscapes (olive groves) in its territory, but what are the specific landscape and tourism features in Andalusia? We will answer this question by taking into account UNESCO's periodic evaluations of the candidature from Member States with similar landscapes. This approach will enable us to study the process of justification in the discourse (experts, local residents) regarding the inclusion of a 'cultural landscape' property such as an olive grove.

• 3 The fourteen geographical areas identified for the UNESCO candidature are : (1) Olivares del Cortij (...)
• 4 Ibid.
• 5 The UNESCO documents studied come from two platforms: the Paisaje Cultural del Olivar Andaluz como (...)

3Our aim in this article is not to retrace the history of Andalusia's olive-growing heritage (tangible, intangible and natural), but rather to identify the characteristic features of this cultural landscape on the basis of the candidature put forward by local stakeholders, in order to understand the dynamics of the landscape, its inhabitants and its tourist attractions. This landscape of olive groves in Andalusia extends over a vast territory divided into fourteen3 zones, covering a surface area of almost 15,711.52 hectares4 , right in the heart of the ancient Arab-Muslim routes (Al-Andalus Cultural Route) that promote rural tourism on the fringes of the major historical and artistic cities (Cordoba, Granada, Seville). Our research questions are as follows: what are the landscape features of Andalusian olive groves compared with other UNESCO candidatures of a similar nature (olive groves)? What are the stories told by the region's inhabitants during the nomination process? What are the alternatives for rural olive-growing tourism on the fringes of World Heritage cities? To answer these questions, we have analysed the documents5 produced for the application, in particular a Spanish-language survey of the inhabitants of the province of Jaén.

• 6 UNESCO’s Tentative List is an inventory of properties that each State Party wishes to nominate for (...)
• 7 The three criteria retained (out of ten possible criteria) are: (iii) bear a unique or at least exc (...)
• 8 The eight properties (culture, nature) included on the UNESCO list are: Alhambra, Generalife and Al (...)
• 9 UNESCO, (2021), Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention, Par (...)

4The Spanish application to UNESCO for the Landscapes of the Olive Grove of Andalusia was included (2017) on the World Heritage Tentative List6 on the basis of three selection criteria7 . Since 2021, it has been the subject of additional documentation by the organisation responsible for its inclusion, the Paisajes del Olivar de Andalucía collective, which is tracing the thousand-year-old history of this olive-growing landscape as a mar de olivos (olive grove park) with a view to having it included on the World Heritage List in the same way as the historic centre of Cordoba (1984) or the Alhambra in Granada (1984). It should be pointed out that Andalusia is a highly touristic region that already has eight8 World Heritage sites, of which only the landscape of the Elche palm groves (2000) has some elements similar to those of the olive groves of Andalusia, thanks to the know-how focused exclusively on a single crop, the Elche date palm, as an agricultural practice adopted in the Iberian Peninsula during the Arab occupation. These two landscape properties are characterised by their Outstanding Universal Value, which is based primarily on UNESCO criterion (v) as "an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment (...)". This criterion establishes the interpretative perimeter of the notion of "cultural landscape", which was introduced by UNESCO in the working document Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention (revised version, 2021) in the sense of a cultural property (article 1, 1972 UNESCO Convention) that traces the "combined works of nature and man"9 .

• 10 Geographical breakdown according to UNESCO: Asia/Pacific, Europe/North America, Latin America/Carib (...)

6The study of "evolving" cultural landscapes of an agricultural nature, already inscribed on the World Heritage List, enables us to identify two Mediterranean olive-growing landscapes (Croatia, Palestine) among the 1199 properties inscribed in 2023. We put them into perspective with the Andalusian cultural property in order to identify elements of comparison and/or differentiation of the Landscapes of Olive Grove of Andalusia nomination submitted to the World Heritage Committee (2023). It should also be pointed out that the group in charge of this UNESCO application has carried out a comparative study (2020) of the inscriptions of similar properties (Tentative List and World Heritage List) based on the categorical entry "cultural landscape" and its evolving sub-types. It shows that, since the end of the 1990s, there has been a clear upsurge in UNESCO inscriptions concerning agricultural landscapes (plantations, pastoralism) that highlight so-called traditional mono-agricultures (cocoa, wine, olives, rice, sugar, etc.) on all continents10 . Here again, criterion (v) is recurrent in the applications studied, which would indicate a categorical, more intangible evolution of heritage in line with the World Heritage Convention (1972).

• 11 Dancausa Millán, G., Sánchez-Rivas García, J. and Millán Vásquez de la Torre, G. (2023), "The Olive (...)
• 12 Statistical data from the Junta de Andalucía, source: https://www.juntadeandalucia.es/institutodees (...)
• 13 UNESCO, (2021), Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention, Par (...)

7In this context, the two olive-growing landscapes mentioned above (Croatia and Palestine) allow us to illustrate this categorical shift using the example of Mediterranean olive groves, and to recall that these two sites have been on the World Heritage List since the turn of the millennium on the basis of criterion (v), among others. Of these two Mediterranean examples of terraced olive cultivation, the Palestinian example seems to us to be relevant in this comparative perspective. The cultural property Palestine: Land of Olive Trees and Vines - Cultural Landscape of South Jerusalem, Battir (2014) is located in a mountainous area where cultivated terraces with irrigation canals have developed, encouraging the settlement of village families in rural areas. The Andalusian application does not fit into the same context of a fragile ecosystem, from both a societal and economic point of view. Indeed, el mar de olivos is a cultural landscape that developed intensive olive production in the 19^th and 20^th centuries, shaping the Andalusian landscape into a sea of plantations. By way of example, the province of Jaén (involved in the application) is the economic lung of this Spanish agriculture (588,252 hectares11 of olive oil production) in an area of almost 100 villages12 in rural areas. Similarly, the ancient irrigation systems identified as an element of authenticity in the Palestinian case cannot be applied in the same way as the application for olive groves in Andalusia, despite the fact that they are based on agricultural practices and historical know-how in the documentary sources identified (Moya-García, Cuesta-Aguilar and Sánchez-Martínez, 2016). These dynamics of scale highlight significant differences in the interpretation of the notion of authenticity of properties listed or applying for listing by UNESCO. Nonetheless, the integrity of these agricultural areas remains authentic, since according to UNESCO it is based on "(...) an overall appreciation of the intact character of the natural and/or cultural heritage and its attributes (...)".13 In the Croatian case, known as the Stari Grad Plain (2008), the integrity of this property is based on the geographical perimeter (a straight strip of land) delimited by this plain thanks to the historical layout of the Greek land register, whose agricultural activity (olive groves, vineyards) has remained constant over time. Here again, authenticity and integrity are one and the same, as the expert report (ICOMOS) on this UNESCO property indicates:

• 15 Op. cit.

8The Andalusian bid differs from the heritage vulnerability of the two previous examples (Croatia, Palestine) in that it covers a vast area (almost 100,000 hectares), spread over six provinces (of the eight identified), located in 37 municipalities with over 29,000 inhabitants. To these figures, we must add the UNESCO buffer zone, which significantly increases these indicators, enabling the overall bid to reach macro-data in terms of surface area (129,000 hectares15 ), number of inhabitants and municipalities. The originality of the candidature therefore lies in the evolution of the geographical extent of this mono-agriculture in Andalusia and its close links with the local population, particularly in the province of Jaén.

• 16 This is Paisajes del Olivar de Andalucía (https://www.paisajesdelolivar.es/quienes-somos), an insti (...)

9In this context of World Heritage listing, local residents now play a decisive role in the UNESCO application process (Watremez, 2008 and 2022; Brianso and Cassaz, 2022). It should be remembered that they represent a legitimate source of power, in terms of identity and citizenship, throughout the entire inscription process, and they are frequently called upon by the local body16 in charge of drafting the application through participatory workshops, citizens' meetings or online surveys. This collection of empirical data is a resource for local citizens that supports the application.

• 17 Some 2,655 people signed and commented (or not) on the public consultation document, the results of (...)

10In October 2021, the Paisajes del Olivar de Andalucía organisation, which brings together most of the region's institutional players, will be conducting a consultative survey of local residents on the olive grove landscapes of Andalusia. The main aim of the survey is to provide quantitative evidence17 of the public's commitment to the inscription project. The survey is also presented as a charter of support from local residents for a project that will bring the region together. In other words, the document takes two forms: on the one hand, it is a questionnaire of scientific interest designed to gather the views of local residents, and on the other, it is a list of the names of people who have taken part in the inscription process.

• 18 The methodology used is that of thematic content analysis: in particular, I studied the profile of (...)
• 19 El Diario de Jaén, 1 November 2022. Link: https://www.diariojaen.es/opinion/xtra/97-municipios-173- (...)
• 20 Adrián Serrano-Pérez points out that "Jaén needs a helping hand to exploit its tourism potential to (...)
• 21 Citizen consultation, p. 72.
• 22 Citizens consultation, p. 3.
• 23 Citizen consultation, p. 68.

12Several points emerge from the discursive analysis18 of the comments that we would like to clarify. First of all, the people who have signed up to the bid are mainly from the city or province of Jaén, which is less well known than the urban areas of Cordoba, Granada or Seville, despite having a major historical heritage, but is partly located in a rural area. The city has self-proclaimed itself the olive oil capital of the world, due to its leading economic activity in this agricultural sector, with some 65 million trees19 dedicated to olive production. Situated slightly outside the Andalusian golden triangle of cultural tourism (Seville, Cordoba, Granada), which attracts international overtourism, Jaén20 is nevertheless struggling to establish itself as a tourist destination, despite its long history. The people of Jaén therefore took part in the citizens' consultation to explain the specific features of their province's olive-growing landscape, and how it conveys a sense of pride and identity. The profiles of these residents are diverse, some coming from olive-growing families, others simply living in the area, but they all share the values stemming from olive-growing that are highlighted by the candidature of these landscapes, as well as the benefits that such a listing could bring to the region. For example, Francisco-Javier Cañada-Cueto, who feels "proud of my land, proud of my culture, proud of my people"21 , or Pablo Cubillo-Manzanero, whose family originates from Baeza (province of Jaén), who insists that "olive groves are not just for the town of Baeza, but for the whole region, the biggest source of income for (...) farm workers [and] the people who work the land".) the farm workers [and] the people who devote themselves body and soul to the olive oil production sector. "22 . Finally, Maria Bruque-Camara points out that, in her opinion, "the olive grove landscape is part of our history and has conditioned our way of being and feeling, of working and thinking. Jaén, Andalusia, Spain would not be the same without olive groves, without their work and their stories"23 .

• 24 Olive trees are an artistic subject for the painter. Vincent Van Gogh painted around fifteen canvas (...)

13An analysis of these comments shows that the olive groves of Andalusia form a remarkable landscape for the locals, and that they also condition a way of life and a sensitive, even inspiring, reading of the area. They refer to poets, Impressionist artists such as Vincent Van Gogh24 and famous writers to justify their statements. Jesús-Daniel Claver-Muriana is from Jaén:

• 26 Citizens’ consultation, p. 3.

14This testimony makes it clear that the sensitive referential of this territory seems to be part of a more emotional approach, based on memories and intimate enchantment (colours, smells). We note that many of the comments refer to their memory experience (memories, family, friends) of this landscape to evoke the beauty, authenticity and benefits of olives (health, gastronomy, cosmetics) that should be preserved for future generations. Pablo Cubillo-Manzanero, for example, recalls family memories: "I have my second home there. I spent my childhood and holidays there with my closest friends and family".26 The emotional dimension of this landscape heritage can be broken down according to the typology of emotions outlined by Nathalie Heinich (2013):

• 27 Citizen consultation, p. 70.
• 28 The application identifies six attributes: (1) Form and design (2) Materials and substance (3) Uses (...)
• 29 UNESCO, (2019), Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention, Par (...)
• 30 UNESCO, (2022), Basic Texts of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural (...)

15We apply these three forms to our case study. Firstly, the authenticity of the landscape is mentioned in the comments: Maria-Esperanza Marrique-Lara states that "such an authentic Andalusian landscape, representative of a whole culture, should be recognised by the competent authorities and thus make this treasure known to the whole world".27 This complex criterion of authenticity, as defined by UNESCO (Brianso and Tebbaa, 2021) and developed in the application file, refers to two types of authenticity: on the one hand, historical authenticity, based on sources (documentation, texts, maps, etc.) produced since Roman times, and on the other, the authenticity of attributes28 relating to the olive grove landscapes of Andalusia, which includes a sensitive dimension (6th attribute). It should also be noted that the World Heritage Convention (1972) states that "in terms of plan, materials and location, the heritage property meets the criterion of authenticity"29 ; similarly, the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003) states, in its ethical principles relating to its implementation, that "the dynamic and living nature of the intangible cultural heritage must be respected at all times. Authenticity and exclusivity must not constitute concerns or obstacles to the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage".30

• 32 Regional development agency (tourism, culture, sport), Andalusia.
• 33 Fundación Pública Andaluza.
• 34 Website : https://www.legadoandalusi.es/

18The city and province of Jaén lie at the heart of the ancient Arab roads of the former Al-Andalus, where this medieval Arab-Muslim civilisation flourished from the 8^th century until the end of the 15th century. The Arabs and Berbers actively settled alongside the inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula, shaping the countryside by laying out traffic routes linking the great medieval Arab-Andalusian cities in the throes of a cultural, artistic and scientific boom (Granada, Cordoba, Seville). Recently, these historic routes have been the subject of a great deal of interdisciplinary research in Spain (Varela Romero, 2021; Araque Jiménez, 2017, López Martínez de Marigorta, 2012), with a view to their transformation into tourist products by local authorities, in particular the Junta de Andalucia32 . They are presented as a tourist alternative to the historic centres over-visited by mass tourism, and their development has been entrusted to an Andalusian public foundation33 called El legado andalusi. This body is in charge of the34 Itineraries of the Al-Andalus heritage, certified by the Council of Europe (1997) in the same way as the Olive Tree Routes, but whose European character is still under study due to Andalusia's history, which is oriented towards the Maghreb. Nevertheless, the Mediterranean identity of this Cultural Route is fully demonstrated by the olive groves and vineyards that dot these medieval routes, between agricultural territories and places where olive-growing crafts are produced (Jaén, Martos, Bailén, Baena, etc.).

• 37 Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/RutadelCalifato
• 38 Agency website : http://www.rutadelcalifato.com/la-ruta
• 39 Andalucía region website: https://www.andalucia.org/fr/routes-ruta-del-califato

21These routes offer tourists an exceptional olive-growing environment. However, we need to take a closer look at olive oil tourism via social networks to understand its limitations. Despite the fact that olive groves and olive oil varieties feature prominently in tourist guides, it seems that communication strategies focusing on olives are struggling to establish themselves in the face of another Andalusian local product, wine. A study of the Ruta del Califato's Facebook pages shows a notable absence of communication about olives, despite the fact that bodegas and wine-making (know-how) in the vineyards are regularly featured. Since January 2020, there has been no post on the Ruta del Califato Facebook page37 about olives, unlike the region's wine producers, who offer gastronomic tastings (casas rurales) based on advertising spots in the form of short videos. In addition to this, there is a great deal of ambivalence about the content of social networks, particularly with regard to the tourism operation of the Ruta del Califato, which is run by a tourist agency38 of the same name, with no apparent institutional link to El legado andalusi, which is itself responsible for European certification (Cultural Route). Similarly, the Facebook page of this Andalusian public body only promotes its institutional activities, all categories taken together, without any real strategy for promoting the routes as tourist attractions. There are also three39 routes on the Ruta del Califato proposed by the Andalucía region, based on routes laid out by El legado andalusi. This communication fog makes it difficult to promote tourism in these rural areas on the fringes of the major World Heritage cities (Granada, Cordoba, Seville), even though the ancient Arab-Muslim routes are well identified. Tourists receive a multitude of different types of information from a variety of institutional players in the area, which is detrimental to the development of rural olive tourism in the region.

• 40 The Spanish press (El País) announced the definitive withdrawal of the UNESCO bid on 29 April 2024 (...)
• 41 Montoro (Córdoba), Molino Ducal (Córdoba), Soledad y Guzmán (Sevilla), San Ignacio (Sevilla), Taver (...)
• 42 Citizen application form Adhesión a la declaración de los paisajes del olivar de Andalucía como pai (...)

25After more than ten years of work with the region's socio-economic players, the Andalusian Olive Landscapes group is hoping to be included on the World Heritage List in 2025. The listing has recently been undermined by farmers40 , despite the fact that it underlines the agricultural values, local participation and sustainable productivity of the project, which is seeking recognition for its olive-growing heritage, both in local gastronomy and in other economic sectors. In all, fourteen41 cultural landscape areas have been identified as Andalusian olive groves by local stakeholders, with the support of local residents. Citizen participation is fully recognised in the appendices to the application, in the form of a membership form42 online, as an integral part of the olive grove heritage process. A study of the stories told by the local people reveals a local approach that focuses on the senses, showcasing the olive tree and its landscape in the words of novelist and playwright Antonio Gala (1930-2023).