Wine tourism has always been something for travellers and their travel advisors to ‘cheers’ about, but the UNWTO says its star is ‘sparkling’ more brightly than ever.
In anticipation of World Tourism Day on 27SEP, the UNWTO - United Nations World Tourism Organization - held its fifth global conference on wine tourism. This year, the theme is “Wine Tourism - a driver for rural development.”
Conference attendees noted that wine tourism is increasing in demand in the post-pandemic era, as the pre-pandemic trend for ‘authentic’ tourism experiences converges with a new interest in open-air and rural travel experiences due to COVID concerns.
Being able to meet winemakers, taste and talk about their wines, walk in vineyards, purchase wines travellers have developed a connection with, and participate in wine- and culinary-related activities in the region all contribute to the sense of wine tourism as an authentic travel experience.
Wineries are expanding globally, beyond traditional ‘Old World’ wine regions and even established New World wine destinations to off-the-beaten-path areas just developing wines, vineyards, and wine cultures.
The UNWTO conference discussed, according to Caribbean News Digital, how “innovation, partnerships and enhanced coordination are essential for making wine tourism a driver of rural development,” and tourism offering, especially in regions not (yet?) known for their wine.
The conference “stressed the importance of developing the whole tourism value chain to complement the activities at the wineries as a means to create more jobs and businesses, promote local products and improve the visitor experience.”
Addressing the conference, UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili said, “The pandemic has strengthened the role of tourism in advancing rural development. Wine tourism and its connection with the territory, local products and traditions opens new opportunities to advance jobs and inclusiveness in rural areas”.
Conference host country, Portugal, announced the launch of a “Portuguese Wine Tourism” web site, as well as the first Wine & Travel Week for its most celebrated wine region, Porto, in FEB next year.
“Wine tourism is at the forefront of our National Plan for Tourism,” affirmed Portugal’s Minister of State, Economy and Digital Transition, Pedro Siza Vieira,” Its mission is to reach more visitors, from more countries, around the year, all over Portugal.”
Next year’s UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism is set to be held in Piemonte, Italy. And while wine tourism is well-established already in that country, its Minister of Tourism, Massimo Garavaglia, acknowledged, “The wine and food sector is increasingly proving to be a fundamental lever for Italian tourism. And it will be even more so in the future.”
Travellers who love wine and wine travel now have even more reasons to feel good about ‘sip and swirl’ vacations: enjoying coveted authenticity in a travel experience that also fulfills perceptions of post-pandemic health and safety in rural communities and outdoor winery settings, as well as supporting community development and sustainability in both traditional and upcoming wine regions.
Their savvy advisors can also toast this new trend as they highlight the enhanced value of wine travel - and the increasing opportunities to book it - world wide.
