Assovini Sicilia at the Valladolid Wine Tourism Fair promotes Sicily as a wine destination

Itineraries, wine tourism routes, wine experiences. The wine tourism offerings of Assovini Sicilia members will be presented during the FINE International Wine Tourism Fair, from 5 to 7 March in Valladolid, Spain. The sixth edition of the Wine Tourism Expo confirms itself as a strategic event for industry professionals and an opportunity for discussion through conferences, round tables, workshops that will analyze the different marketing models and success stories developed by wineries and territories in different countries. Assovini Sicilia, in addition to enhancing the quality production of its associated wineries, aims to promote wine destinations as an integrated heritage of the tourist and cultural offering and as a driving force for the island's economy. For the one hundred wineries of Assovini Sicilia , wine tourism represents one of the most authentic expressions of the union between passion for wine and discovery of the territory. According to the 2024 Assovini Sicilia Report , edited by the University of Messina, 84.8% of member companies have already implemented wine tourism services in their company. The data confirm that wine tourism in Assovini wine companies extends beyond simple wine tasting, including accommodation facilities, to offer a complete immersion in the territory and a varied and diversified offer. The wine tourism offer is completed by the various wine experiences. With 91% offering guided tours of the cellar and the production process , the visitor has the opportunity to truly understand the life cycle, from the vineyard to the table. Wine trekking is instead proposed by 30% of companies: it is a way to connect the wine tourist to nature and the terroir, to create an authentic relationship with the resources of the place. 15% also allow wine tourists to participate in the grape harvest, offering them the opportunity to rediscover the oldest and most traditional winemaking practices. But the commitment of Assovini wine companies also aims to establish a link with food and wine tradition and culture. This is confirmed by the data in the Report: 26% of companies offer cooking classes to experience regional gastronomy, with a view to sustainability and the protection of biodiversity, while 46% promote concerts and cultural events in the cellar. Finally, 10.9% have a restaurant inside the cellar and 19.6% have accommodation facilities such as rooms or wine resorts. “Today, the wine tourism of Sicilian companies is not only aimed at integrating revenue and increasing brand awareness, but above all at promoting a healthy wine culture and creating a memorable experience for the customer – comments Mariangela Cambria, president of Assovini Sicilia – This is a unique opportunity for Sicily and an occasion to share our wine tourism offer that is not limited to tasting but is integrated into the territory involving various elements such as culture, gastronomy and nature. Wine, for its symbolic and synthesis capacity, reveals its uniqueness in narrating territories, history, people, becoming an ambassador of places” – concludes Mariangela Cambria. During the event, buyers and visitors will have the opportunity to discover the wine tourism offer of the different wine-growing areas of Spain, France, Portugal and Italy. The fair also includes a program of conferences, round tables and workshops that will analyze the marketing models and success stories developed by wineries and territories in the various countries and will put buyers and sellers in contact through B2B meetings.