Stefano Soglia's presentation used during the #WBIS conference held in Brussels on 19th Jan 2013. What are the benefits - and risks of wine tourism and how can wineries develop their activities? For further information info@stefanosoglia.it

1. from products
to experiences
Stefano Soglia
www.stefanosoglia.it
Bruxelles, 19/1/2013

2. The long tail of travel
Source Chris Anderson (GM of Wired Magazine)

3. SHORT wine tourism
HEAD
LONG TAIL

4. visits in wineries

5. Possible experiential paths

6. wine tourists in Italy
Wine tourists by chance - 1,900,000 people
35-45 years. More than a real interest in the cellars just the
opportunity to be there as suggested by friends
Wine tourists - 2,100,000 people
Prevalence of adult male with good spending power. Good
knowledge about wine, interest in winery tours, courses and
shopping
Talent scout - 600,000 people
Collect wine tourism destinations and very knowledgable. They
live the wine experience like appearance. They are always
looking for something new
Luxury lovers - 400,000 people
High spending power. Sometimes very knowledgeable about
wine, places, labels and prices.
Source: F. Taiti 2008
6

7. top Italian wine destinations
Source: F. Taiti 2010

8. On top of the rank, six provinces
represent the harmony between food and quality
wines: Cuneo, Siena, Verona, Bolzano, Trento
and Florence
After these: Asti,Brescia, Udine, Gorizia, Pavia,
Treviso, Alessandria, Perugia, Ancona, Ascoli
Piceno, Grosseto, Avellino and Palermo.
Source: 10th “Rapporto sul turismo del vino “
– February 2012

9. Drivers for wine tourism
networking
multifunctionality

10. Suggested strategies

11. Advantages for producers
• Increased consumer exposure to the product
• Opportunity for marketing survey and enrichment of the
customer data base
• Building brand awareness and loyalty
• Promotion of company branded merchandise
• Increased margins through direct sale to consumers, due to
the absence of distributors
• Ease of producer-consumer interaction and spreading of
education and experience of products and regions

12. Tourism revenues for a “non top” destination
(Romagna – North of Italy, 2011)

13. Disadvantages for small operators
• Increased cost and management time
• Seasonality
• Capital required for facilities
the balance depends on investments

14. Increasing graduation
Milziade
Antano

15. Scacciadiavoli

16. Caprai

17. Carapace
Lunelli

18. ITALY TUSCANY Siena Area
Montepulciano Area
The entire territory cover 16.500 hectares
Montepulciano is not in Abruzzo!

19. Different approaches

20. A networking approach

21. Touristic tours
from 1/1/2012 to 3/9/2012
thematic tour nr. groups total people average p.
standard wine tour 68 296 4,4
old town cellars 28 319 11,4 75%
special wine tours 16 49 3,1
New Moon tour 14 61 4,4
cooking course 9 21 2,3
goumet tour 8 29 3,6
other interests 7 48 6,9
Montepulciano tour 4 61 15,3
154 884 6,4

22. Related income

23. Winetourism? Yes, if….
• The tourist can find my wine when he goes back home
• The visitor lives a unique and memorable experience ->
sensorial experience
• Visit it is conceived as an “act of communication”
• There is coherence between my winetourists and
normal price of my wine
• It is possible to increase loyalty -> visitors are
testimonials
• I can purpose souvenirs and “cash cow” services
• The wine is an excuse to sell the territory
• I consider wine tourism as 24x7 business

24. Holistic experience
(source: Pine&Gilmore)

25. • Just in time: do the right things at the right
time (better a bit before)
• Do not stay in midstream: if you do not have
the conditions and the resources to jump,
better to avoid it and to concentrate on
something else
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