The rising opportunity of Wine tourism in Italy also for MICE and LUXURY
First time right ! Huge success for the first weekend of the cult event Cantine Aperte, most loved by the wine-tourists and wine-lovers from all Italy and beyond.
Wine tourism is more alive than ever and it can really become the engine that brings the Italian tourism back to its ancient splendor.
On 29th and 30th May 280 wineries in 14 Italian regions opened their doors to welcome wine-lovers from Italy – but we were very happy to see the first international visitors too – with visits to wine cellars, wine tastings, outdoor experiences, guided tours to amazing borghi and historical sites, picnic and themed lunches. The event was carried out in full compliance with anti-Covid regulations, social distancing and reservation was mandatory.
But it doesn’t stop here! Wine enthusiasts will have one more weekend of Cantine Aperte at disposal.
As a fervent promoter of experiential tourism – a type of tourism that offers stimulating, original and engaging experiences – I can’t help but notice how this event, founded and branded by Movimento del Turismo del Vino, but actually the whole enogastronomic world, is focusing more and more on immersive experiences and vineyards and cellars are becoming ideal places where to organize themed dinners and sports activities. Alongside of the classic wine- tastings guided with masterly skill by able sommeliers, but which look all very similar, there’s a new trend of authenticity that is emerging, in response to the demand for outdoor activities and for the wish of living as a local, in close contact with the land that you are visiting.
We now want to share stories and projects, discuss about sustainable farming practices, and about the philosophy that moves these family-run companies, we want to learn how much work, sweat and dedication lies behind every label, behind every bottle.
And we want to have fun! And fun is guaranteed!
Here follow the Best Unmissable Wine Experiences in Italy:
- Wine trekking (guided wine walks through the rows of vineyards)
- E-bike wine tours
- Open-air wine tastings paired with a local food product tasting
- Horseback riding through the vineyards with a guide
- Themed picnic
- Vineyards tour by vespa
- Yoga Classes among vineyards at sunset
- Meditative tastings
- Refined aperitifs with panoramic views
- Dinners and lunches with the Winemaker
- Live cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs from Italy
- Walk, wine and olive oil tastings at Sunset
- Itinerant Tastings in wine cellars (but also in historical locations, garden and vineyards)
- Vineyard grills
- Live music in the vineyard
- Art and culture
- And much more
But what about the luxury tourism and MICE (meetings, incentives, congresses and events) ? can wineries be also ideal locations to host private and corporate events ? The answer is yes!
In 2016 a report showed that the attractions related to food and wine are increasingly becoming a lifestyle experience even when the tourism has a more business purpose.
As Travel Designer and Events Organizer I often receive requests for planning private receptions, special dinners or even corporate meetings in unusual and original locations.
Can the winery be really ideal for these types of events? Of course it can.
Needless to say that the choice depends on the event’s purpose and on some more logistics aspects as the distance between the meeting venue and the Airport or the selected hotel.
Events organizers must obviously keep many aspects into account when suggesting venues and locations to their customers, not least their tastes.
And there are wineries for all tastes: from country houses, to villages with medieval charm converted into wine estates, from castles to real temples of architecture and design built with criteria of aesthetic quality, technique and sustainability.
So green light to the classic business meetings, press conferences, fashion shows combined with unique team building experiences such as “guess the wine” trying to find the ideal pairing with food, themed treasure hunts, grape harvesting with colleagues and customers, blind tastings, schools of real cooking, tours of vineyards by vespa and more.
Not to mention that dining in the vineyards among the rows or gathering in front of the breathtaking sceneries that often the wine landscapes offer, are experiences that certainly contribute to build team relationships. Or surely they boost employee morale.
And what about the luxury tourism ? The opportunities for your guests to live ultra-exclusive experiences are many. From tastings of prestigious labels of luxury brands, true wine jewels not available in the marketplace to exclusive access to “all private” prestigious wineries not usually open for the visits, from romantic vineyard dinners with unforgettable views to dinners with the winery owners – often belonging to noble families – and, last but not least, the possibility to enjoy a special staying in luxury wine resorts, heavenly places surrounded by grapes where guests can indulge in luxurious grape-based therapies, dine alfresco on the terrace, or simply relax by the vineyard-facing infinity pools.
We are now thrilled for a new niche trend which is emerging in the Mediterranean basin that is olive-oil tourism or Oleotourism.
“Olive oil themed experiences are gaining relevance within the context of tourism,” Roberta Garibaldi, a professor of tourism management at the University of Bergamo, said. “Olive oil is not only an element which connotes a territory, but it becomes a potential tourist attraction in light of a growing interest, demonstrated by the success of events like the Walk Through the Olives Trees.”
