Conferences and seminars

Wine tourism has grown in importance as a means of driving tourism to many rural destinations over the years. With this comes more institutional support and structuring. The UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism was thus created in 2016. Held annually, the conference aims to highlight the importance of wine tourism for the socio-economic development of destinations and to serve as a platform to exchange experiences, identify good practices, and promote wine tourism as a tool for sustainable development.

The 6^th edition was held in the Piedmont region of Italy on 19^th-21^st September 2022. Under the theme of “What’s next? Wine tourism pairs with Innovation…”, the conference brought together 300 experts from across the globe to discuss the future of the industry and the role technology can play in it, as well as the importance of forging partnerships and cooperation to improve sustainability and ensure local community development.

“Well-managed tourism is a powerful tool for rural development, innovation, and the preservation of our culture and our nature. This Conference is part of our work to take the benefits of tourism and create new opportunities for rural areas. The past two years have brought major shifts in the world and in tourism. They have accelerated many challenges already in motion – from digital to sustainability. Wine tourism is no exception,” declared UNWTO Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili in his welcoming speech in Alba, Piedmont.

Organised on a biannual basis by Atout France, Destination Vignobles brings together international tour-operators specialised in wine tourism, vineyards, accommodation providers, and French tourism promotion bodies. The 9^th edition was held in Aix-en-Provence on 4^th-5^th October 2022.

Numerous regional and local tourism committees, including Occitania, Var, and Lyon, were present at the trade fair to promote their...