"FOR THE 50th VINITALY AN 8 MILLION INVESTMENT FOR BUSINESS IS EXPECTED"

«For the 50th Vinitaly we planned to invest 8 million Euro to support the wine business, the incoming of foreign operators, the improvement of service infrastructure for our customers and to make even more clear the distinction between professional traders within the event in the exhibition center and wine lovers who will have as their reference point a dedicated event in the city center. All activities aimed at strengthening the trade fair business are the priority of the new board of directors», the Chairman of Veronafiere, Maurizio Danese, said, speaking this afternoon in the talk show of wine2wine 2015 (www.wine2wine.net, an event scheduled until tomorrow) entitled "From a great past a great future comes – waiting for the 50th Vinitaly", which was attended by Giovanni Mantovani, General Director of VeronaFiere, Domenico Zonin, Chairman of the Italian Wines Union, and Sandro Boscaini, Chairman of Federvini.

The road ahead for a sector that goes for Italy over 14 billion Euro and that, in 2015, is expected to reach a record level of exports to around 5.5 billion Euro, will be more and more that of internationalization. In this regard, as part of the national Program of support of the wine sector for the 2014/2015 campaign over 336 million Euro in favor of the industry, ie 99% of the funds allocated were paid out.

Vinitaly was also included in the Plan of extraordinary promotion for the internationalization of Made in Italy promoted by the government, which is an effective contribution alongside the Community resources of the CMO (Common Market Organisation). «The extraordinary plan – the General Manager of VeronaFiere, Giovanni Mantovani, reminded – has shown its effectiveness with another of the events leading to VeronaFiere: Marmomacc, which has increased the number of trade delegations and buyers from abroad and we expect from Vinitaly a further boost to the export of Italian wine in the world». Only in the latest edition of Vinitaly, Mantovani said, «the foreign presence has been more than 55 thousand visitors from 141 Nations, representing 37% of the total of visitors. The incoming will be strengthened, with specific actions on target Countries such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Scandinavia, Poland, the US and Canada, Russia, Japan and China, and for the natural and organic wines, with support for specific operators in markets such as Northern Europe, Scandinavia, Germany and Benelux. The goal is to bring 800 buyers, targeted and selected, more than those who traditionally visit Vinitaly».

Today Vinitaly is a network system which includes Vinitaly International, OperaWine, Vinitaly Wine Club, VIA – Vinitaly International Academy, wine2wine, Sol&Agrifood, Enolitech and the connected awards. Without forgetting Vinitaly & the City, which in 2016 will be the umbrella under which all initiatives will be linked to the "extra fair", during the days of the event.

Of course, will be strengthened even logistics (from the passableness to the inputs) and the services to operators (data connections, shuttles also from the Venice airport, fast track for foreign visitors etc).

The 50th edition of Vinitaly, scheduled for 10 to 13 April, «not only celebrates a story, but allows to build concretely a piece of future» the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Policies, Maurizio Martina, said in a video message, recalling the key role of Vinitaly in the creation and management of Expo Milano 2015 of VINO – A Taste of Italy, the first ever pavilion dedicated to wine in the history of a Universal Exhibition.

"These 50 years have told the story of Italian wine, from problems to opportunities, from difficult times to special occasions – Minister Martina said –. In every way, Vinitaly has been in recent years the agenda which allowed Italian wine to build, renew and tell itself to make quantum leaps forward.

We are here and we must work together and continue to work with a synergy that brings concrete results for the sector and for the whole country».

Fiftieth edition that, in effect, for Chairman Danese «will be a new beginning, with the firm intention of telling even the next fifty years of the story of Italian wine».

Among the novelties announced for Vinitaly 2016 there will also be the new "5 Star Wines" International Wine Award, by Ian D’Agata, scientific director of VIA – Vinitaly International Academy. «An award designed as a real business tool and a marketing tool for companies that are taking part – D’Agata explained – with an international jury of experts in specific areas of production, which will consider only wines coming from these areas and according to the modalities recognized by the market».

After 22 editions of the International Wine Competition, it is a sea change, further raising the bar of quality required to the participants. It will be no longer a competition, in effect, but an award intended only to wines that will reach and exceed the score of 90 cents in the opinion expressed by committees composed of international experts in the regions of origin of wines.



Source: PressOffice Veronafiere