Wine tourism becomes a wine experience and enhanced by the territory
20 July 2022
Wine trekking, yoga, concerts and picnics between the vines, cooking classes, night harvest — Assovini Sicilia promotes a holistic wine tourism vision based on values where wine becomes an experience that includes well-being and focuses on factors such as attractiveness, art, environment, culture, landscape, territorial identity, wine resort, quality, gastronomy, and protection of the rural landscape.
According to a 2021/2022 survey, 98% of Assovini wineries offers tastings, 50% have a restaurant business within the winery. The Members of Assovini Sicilia with hotel accommodation represent 33 percent.
More than half are able to offer a 360-degree experience to wine tourists: from tasting to cooking classes, bike tours, aperitifs in the vineyard, and cooking classes.
“Wine – a symbol of excellence of Made in Sicily, is a complex cultural factor – comments Laurent Bernard de la Gatinais, President of Assovini Sicilia. Our association, continues de la Gatinais, wants to enhance Sicilian wine tourism in a variety of dimensions that support the production of the associated wineries. Wine tourism becomes a 360-degree experience, based on well-being and a vehicle for promoting the territory, quality wine, as well as the uniqueness of Sicily’s historical-archaeological heritage “.
Aware of the growth of Sicilian wine tourism, the partners of Assovini Sicilia have invested in the combination of tourism and wine, on the premium experience, and successfully contribute to driving the Sicily brand by enhancing its link with the territory. According to the survey that involved 71 out of 90 associates over the last 5 years, the Assovini Sicilia companies have recorded an increase in attendance of over 30%, with 58% of foreign tourists leading the incoming visits to the wineries.
The geographical distribution sees the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Sweden and France in the lead, among the countries of origin of the wine tourist who chooses the Assovini Sicilia companies.
“The associates have a double recognition – continues the president of Assovini Sicilia – travel around the world to make the Sicily a brand known and promote the Sicilian territory and culture through wine hospitality and experience. Behind every wine there is always a great story to discover “- concludes Laurent Bernard de la Gatinais.
Assovini Sicilia is an association that brings together 90 small, medium and large Sicilian wineries, which mainly share three elements: complete control of their supply chain from the vineyard to the bottle; the production of quality bottled wine; and, an international vision of the market.