Jerez Hosts the 1st International Wine Tourism Congress

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Jerez has just hosted the 1st International Wine Tourism Congress, with the attendance of more than 300 delegates, including prestigious wine tourism experts from France, Portugal, Italy, Chile, Argentina and Spain. During the three-day congress, the future of this emergent form of tourism, which is becoming increasingly more popular the world over and which offers many opportunities for economic growth and job creation, has been the main theme of debate.

Prestigious keynote speakers from France, Portugal, Italy, Chile, Argentina and Spain have participated in the congress organised by the University of Cadiz, in collaboration with the Andalusian Regional Government, Jerez Town Council, Cadiz Provincial Authorities, Cajasol, and the Jerez Wine and Brandy Tour Association.

During the opening ceremony, which was held last Monday at the Asuncion Campus in Jerez, the Chancellor of Cadiz University Diego Sales stressed the need for “specialised higher education”, as well as pointing out that this emergent sector has to consolidate itself as important sphere “within companies related to cultural knowledge”, since it is a sector that will undoubtedly generate important revenues. Likewise, Jorge Pascual, president of the Jerez Wine and Brandy Tour Association underlined that wine tourism is a “basic strategic tool for the appellations d’origine”.

According to the experts, the foundations of wine tourism in Spain are being laid with the creation of “wine theme parks” in many of the country’s wineries and the promotion of the so-called “wine cities”.

Tueday’s programme include a roundtable in which those in charge of some of the most well-known and successful wine toruism projects in the world shared their experiences.

For further information on tourism in Spain, please contact Viavinum.

Published
05/12/2007