The 2022 Sixth Global Conference on Wine Tourism opens
PRESS RELEASE
FROM THE 6TH GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON WINE TOURISM COME NEW GUIDELINES FOR THE SECTOR
Italy is at the centre of the world with the Global Conference on Wine Tourism. The wine-related tourism sector is changing strategy.
This is what emerged from the sixth Global Conference on Wine Tourism held in Alba, promoted and organised by the UNWTO in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, ENIT, the Piedmont Region, Visit Piemonte, Visit Langhe Roero Monferrato and the Municipality of Alba.
Held for the first time in Italy (the next host will be Spain), this event lays the foundations for new development strategies and the direction of the sector. It extends the reach of “Made in Italy” products and the outstanding qualities of the Bel Paese in oenology, tourism, territory, landscapes, culture and business. The event brings together the elites of international wine tourism and institutions to define a unified perspective for future prospects and development of the sector through dialogue between experts and operators.
The three key words are innovation, creativity and sustainability.
In Italy, wine pairs with history, design and the arts for unique expressions of culture. Wineries located in historic mansions and castles as well as in contemporary buildings designed by nationally and internationally renowned architects, companies with art installations that can be visited by the public or with musical, literary or theatrical events. Wine also finds new meanings in its combination with culinary pursuits, with gourmet restaurants and cellar wine bars, and with business, transforming wineries into spaces for meetings and corporate activities surrounded by the rural landscape. These new tourist products and new pairings are increasingly appreciated by the wider public, not only wine enthusiasts.
Minister of Tourism Massimo Garavaglia opened the proceedings, together with UNWTO Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili, Pau Roca, Director General of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), the Mayor of Alba, Carlo Bo and the President of the Piedmont Region, Alberto Cirio, with the ceremony hosted by Maddalena Fossati, Director of La Cucina Italiana and Conde Nast Traveller. The key drivers, data, and new horizons of wine tourism were the themes of the speech by ENIT CEO Roberta Garibaldi.
Italy boasts 526 certified wines, 6 tangible and intangible assets recognised as World Heritage, 3 UNESCO Creative Cities for Food and Wine, and 2 FAO-recognised Landscapes.
There were moments of insight with UNWTO Head of Tourism Market Intelligence and Competitiveness Sandra Carvao, in dialogue with writer and director of the Wine Future and Green Wine Future programme David Furer.
Carlo Petrini, Founder and President of Slow Food, gave a speech on sustainability, and a memorandum of understanding was signed between Slow Food and the UNWTO.
Tomorrow, Wednesday the 21st, there will be a keynote speech by Julia Zuccardi of the Argentinian winery Bodegas Zuccardi, as well as the panel “The Future of Wine Tourism” moderated by UNWTO Regional Director for Europe Alessandra Piante and featuring six countries: San Marino, Bulgaria, Greece, Moldova, Portugal and Serbia. The event will conclude with the presentation of the 7th World Forum, to be held in 2023 in La Rioja, Spain with the symbolic ceremony of “passing the amphora” from Italy to Spain, which will mark the end of the entire event tomorrow.
Francesca Cicatelli
ENIT Press Office
Phone: (+39) 392.9225216
e-mail: francesca.cicatelli@enit.it