Sicily of wine increasingly bets more on wine tourism (winning). Assovini focus

If, for the entire modern wine world, bringing people directly into wineries and enabling them to discover the territories, also from a historical, cultural, and landscape perspective, and not only through a glass of wine, has become no longer a secondary lever but an increasingly fundamental asset for the business of companies , there are areas where wine tourism has long been regarded as strategic, heavily invested in, with clearly rewarding results. This is the case in Sicily, a region which has now firmly established itself in the qualitative firmament of Italian wine and has become a land of excellence specifically for wine tourism, thanks to that “mosaic” of wines and territories that Sicily itself represents, from Noto to Mount Etna, from Marsala to Pantelleria, and beyond, as well as thanks to the many efforts undertaken by the island wineries. As shown by the data presented in recent days in Verona, during the focus event “Viaggio in Sicilia: le nuove frontiere dell’enoturismo” - “Journey to Sicily: the new frontiers of wine tourism”, hosted by Tg1 director Marco Chiocci and organized by Assovini Sicilia, the association of the one hundred most virtuous Sicilian wineries, led by Mariangela Cambria, “wine tourism today represents one of the most effective tools for telling the story of the identity and biodiversity of Sicilian wine. As Assovini Sicilia, which brings together over one hundred wineries across the territory and represents a large share of the island bottled wine production, the association works to strengthen Sicily international positioning and to build an increasingly integrated system connecting wine, culture, and hospitality”.
According to the data presented by Filippo Galanti, co-founder of WineSuite, the average value of wine tourism bookings, for example, increased from 28.8 in 2022 to 39.4 euros in 2025, with overall growth of more than 35%. At the same time, the sector shows strong digital evolution: today, 68.7% of bookings are made online, confirming a structural shift in how winery experiences are accessed. From an audience perspective, there is a predominance of women (60.7%) and a strong concentration in the 31-45 age group, which represents the most dynamic segment. In Sicily, the average value per person stands at 34.4 euros in 2025, still below the national average (39.7 euros), but with significant room for growth linked to the qualitative positioning of the offer and to the territory’s growing international appeal. Sicily also ranks among the most attractive destinations in the sector: it is Italy second food and wine destination after Tuscany and is among the most sought after in major international markets, with interest levels exceeding 60% among French and U.S. tourists.
The growing demand for authentic experiences linked to wine territories - from Mount Etna to the island’s main wine-growing areas - confirms Sicily role as an increasingly recognized and competitive destination. The strengthening of international connections, such as direct flights between Sicily and New York City, can also help expand high-quality tourist flows and generate new opportunities for local businesses. Data on seasonality is particularly significant: the peak in visits occurs during the summer months, with August accounting for 18.4% of total attendance, exceeding the national average and confirming the region strong tourism vocation. “We must continue to invest in quality of offerings, diversification, and collaboration among businesses to make wine tourism a stable engine of development for the entire region”, added Cambria.
Francesca Planeta, head of the historic Planeta winery and a board member of “La Sicilia di Ulisse”, underlined that “today traveler is far more aware and is not simply looking for a destination, but for an experience capable of creating a connection with the territory. Well-being, authenticity, gastronomic identity, and a deep relationship with places have become central elements of a new way of experiencing travel. In Sicily, all of this has always existed, not as something constructed for tourists, but as a natural expression of our identity. We don’t need to invent anything: we need to recognize what we have and tell it well. This is where the specificity of our association is defined: a great dish is not complete without the right wine; a meal is not truly successful without a welcoming context, and true well-being arises precisely from the harmony among these elements”. “Data confirms that wine tourism is no longer a complementary activity, but a strategic lever for wineries. The growth in average booking value and the increase in online sales show how digitalization and the quality of the experience are now decisive. In Sicily, we see great potential: the territory is already competitive at the international level, but it can grow further by working on diversification of the offer, pricing, and deseasonalization”, commented Filippo Galanti.
Wine tourism is also a sector in which the Sicilian Regional Government firmly believes, as highlighted by the Regional Councillor for Agriculture, Luca Sammartino. “The data presented today confirms that Sicily is an increasingly attractive destination for wine tourism and that this sector represents an extraordinary growth opportunity for our businesses and for the entire territory. For this reason, the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Mediterranean Fisheries will continue to provide maximum support to the sector, promoting measures aimed at strengthening business competitiveness, enhancing production quality, and supporting investments in hospitality and innovation. The strength of Sicilian wine tourism stems from the synergy between the winegrowing heritage, food and wine culture, landscape beauty, and cultural assets of the island: a unique identity which makes our region recognizable worldwide. The true ambassadors of Sicilian excellence are the tourists who choose Sicily, experience it, and tell its story. Even in a phase of international uncertainty, we will stand alongside businesses to support the growth of wine tourism and consolidate Sicily role among the great Mediterranean destinations”.
From figures, the discussion then moved to the storytelling of experiences and future perspectives of the sector, starting with the increasingly close link between wine and territory, through the testimony of Federica Fina, president of the Movimento Turismo del Vino Sicilia. “Wine tourism is one of the most powerful communication tools: it is our opportunity to tell the story of wine and bring people closer to this world again, sparking curiosity even among those who have so far remained distant from it”.
The perspective then broadened to the international viewpoint, with a focus on foreign travelers choosing Sicily as a wine tourism destination, presented by Filippo Magnani, founder of Fufluns Wine Tours and writer: “we are receiving a growing number of requests from wine enthusiasts and collectors from all over the world, eager to get to know Sicily. This is a clear sign that Sicilian wine has now achieved global status, while still offering strong value compared to more inflated denominations”.
Federico Geremei, journalist, spoke about “Foodscape, Mediascape and Tourism”: “land and territories, soils and terroirs: the variable geometries of travel mediascapes and wine and food storytelling are constantly shifting. Between consolidated dynamics, bursts of creativity, bold experiments, and new languages, publishing - both specialized and general, in Italy and abroad - is being challenged by yet another new revolution in news you can use”. Publisher Giulio Perrone closed the conference with a contribution dedicated to the literary gaze on Sicily and to the value of storytelling about territories, explaining that “in our “Passaggi di dogana” - “Customs procedures” series, we try to tell stories of places through an artistic and emotional lens. Sicily, with its magic and its multicultural tradition, represents from this point of view a unique narrative opportunity, which can range from the sensory matrix of Andrea Camilleri characters to the metaphysical atmospheres of Franco Battiato songs, revealing itself, to the attentive observer, as always itself and at the same time new and different”. Just as the great wines of Sicily do, in their own way.