Wine & food, still a niche travel purpose, but a commodity that enriches every itinerary

Food and wine represent the main travel purpose only for a niche group of visitors (from 2 to 4%), but it is an important commodity, that enriches every itinerary. For this reason, tourists have various experiences, but 38% of interviewed people in different countries made more than one food and wine activity during the holiday stay, and even 76% at least one. Moreover, a higher quota of Italian silvers (those over 65 years old) made wine tastings, visited local markets, and took part in country festivals, fairs, and food and wine events. Also during the holiday, Americans confirm to be fast food lovers (53%), but together with Swiss people, confirm to be regular clients of starred restaurants (24% for Swiss people, 35% for Americans). Aside from their home country and from the destination, travelers look for authenticity and tradition mainly, and the favorite activity during the holiday is shopping, and, therefore, the visit to local markets is the second food and wine activity for all travelers (after visiting commercial dining places). Food and wine experiences are searched on digital channels and not, paying great attention to word of mouth, and, therefore, to the reputation. The implementation of generative AI during the inspirational phase is more widespread overseas, with 38% of Americans implementing Artificial Intelligence services for inspiration, service search, or for the creation of an itinerary. This is the photo taken by the Travel Innovation Observatory of Politecnico di Milano about tourist behavior in different international markets, with a particular focus on Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and the USA, in No. 7 “Food & Wine Tourism Forum”, promoted by Ente Turismo Langhe Monferrato Roero under the scientific direction of Roberta Milano, and exceptionally hosted, in the last days, in Cantine Gancia in Canelli. The central theme, “Re/Action”, for “Take Action and React” is represented by the ever-increasing complexities, the threads of climate change towards agriculture, and towards life in general, to Artificial Intelligence challenges in tourism, and in work, with confronting walks, and reflection in “underground Cathedrals”, Unesco heritage of Gancia, Bosca, Contratto, and Coppo, under the exceptional guide of professor Mario Tozzi, first Cnr researcher, and science communicator about climate change, and its impact on the world of wine.
After the first two events held in May in Pollenzo (about gastronomy, culture, and creativity), and in June, in Grinzane Cavour (dedicated to natural and cultural heritage), in Cantine Gancia, the Forum drew the attention of the audience to the theme of promotion, and of the communication of the food and wine tourism in the world, between tradition and digital innovation and not only. Waiting for the beginning of the works, conducted by journalist Chiara Buratti, Roberta Milano, and the CEO of Ente Turismo Langhe Monferrato Roero Bruno Bertero, the presentation of the research by Politecnico di Milano, which has highlighted the deep changes that characterized the world of food and wine tourism in the last years, between a significant characterization of touristic services, and price increase, the proliferation of new solutions for the overnight stays in the destinations – from rented houses to campings, to glamping – and the importance of the experiential component, which becomes a fundamental part of the holiday, which wants to be in the spirit of relax, sharing, authenticity and fun more and more.
During the meeting “Il profumo della carta”, Go Wine president Massimo Corrado offered some previews about the imminent publication of 2025 edition of “Cantine d’Italia” Guide, also explaining an interesting survey conducted by the association about 540 Italian realities, with specific focus on the average cost of visits to wineries, “which increasingly present tourists with a true experience card.”. With the two experts of Regiondo GmbH platform, Tommaso Peduzzi, head of sales Emea, and Francesca Vitali, sales manager, the constantly increasing aspects of digital reservations in the winery, were deepened, basing on the trend of tourists to look for information before the travel, and to plan the events, with the advice of operators “to begin to work on a modality of variable prices basing on hours, dates, weekdays”. And, still, amongst the proofs of international best practices, Marta Teixidor by Catalan Tourist Board explained the experience in Spain, between guides of food and wine tourism, the network of Food & Wine Ambassadors, and the main assets on which Catalan tourism communication leverages: culture, inspiration, creativity, and emotion. However, to present the difficult and effective reality of Portuguese winery Quinta da Pacheca was dg Álvaro Lopes, representing Portugal, which was the guest of honor country of the 2024 edition of the Forum. To follow, Lavinia Furlani, president of online magazine “Wine Meridian”, who proposed a technical reflection addressed to wine operators who are willing to develop, or improve their wine tourism offer. For this aim, it is important – and to avoid “the boredom effect” which begins to be declared by 50% of tourists choosing to visit a winery - “it is necessary to understand the increasingly diverse sensitivities of wine tourists, avoiding to conform, but rather always trying to remain true to oneself and to ensure in communication one's identity. Namely, the visit to the winery is only the beginning of a longstanding relationship with consumer, going beyond the welcoming moment, and it transforms into a bond which continues in time”. Sold-out, in addition to the walk in “underground Cathedrals” with Mario Tozzi, also the guided visit to “PalazzoIrreale”, the new project of contemporary art wanted by Bosca wineries, hosting the solo exhibition of Patrick Tuttofuoco, curated by Giorgio Galotti and Diana Berti.
“Enoturismo e Comunicazione” initiative, which has seen Canelli hosting the Forum, is part of project “Un patrimonio da raccontare” funded by Tourism Ministry, which sees the town as the pioneer of a partnership made up of 20 towns of Unesco Core-Zone (Agliano Terme, Barbaresco, Barolo, Calosso, Castelnuovo Calcea, Castiglione Falletto, Diano d’Alba, Frassinello Monferrato, Grinzane Cavour, La Morra, Monforte d’Alba, Neive, Nizza Monferrato, Novello, Rosignano Monferrato, Santo Stefano Belbo, Serralunga d’Alba, Vaglio Serra, and Vignale Monferrato). 2024 Forum, supported by Enit-National Agency of Tourism, with, amongst others, Piedmont Region, and Cnr Foundation, explained Roberta Milano, “concluded the cycle with a meeting with a great scientific value, and a significant usefulness for wine tourism, two aims that are pursued tenaciously. On the one hand, we want to fly high, including always the great global themes, climate change primarily, international debates, and exclusive research papers, in order to understand how the supply and the demand of tourism connected with taste change; in parallel we add practical interventions to “put on the ground” some actions immediately. Particularly, in Canelli, we understood how many shadows of purposes, and behaviors characterize food and wine tourists. It is wrong to consider them as a unique category: only a personalization both of the supply and of the communication, also with the support of digital tools, will make our promotion effective”. For the territory of Langhe, Roero, and Monferrato, Unesco heritage, there are great perspectives to interpret data presented in Canelli, according to Bruno Bertero: we have the basis to plan an effective strategy, and to work on new touristic models which see food and wine as a model of transversal fruition of our territories, symbol of Unesco recognition which was obtained ten years ago”.