FINE, the International Wine Tourism Fair, aims to put more focus on the international markets in its second edition, to be held in Valladolid on February 9 and 10, 2021.
Since this pioneering project was launched, Alberto Alonso, managing director of Feria de Valladolid, has emphasised FINE’s international character and goal to become a leading business forum for wine tourism professionals.
In the first edition, Portugal played a prominent role with the participation of 25 wineries, five wine tourism routes from the Centro region and ViniPortugal, and for 2021, FINE is also working in the Italian and French markets.
Thus, entrepreneur Milena Veronesi will be coordinator of FINE in Italy, given her extensive experience in the wine sector and fair management. ‘Italy is undoubtedly one of the places we look towards when it comes to wine tourism, because of its tradition, innovative experiences and number of visitors… and we are very interested in adding FINE participants from that country, including wineries, wine routes and buyers’, says Alberto Alonso.
‘In fact, one of the participants in the FINE training sessions was an Italian winery, Rocca di Frassinello, part of the Renzo Piano company, which told us about how they understand and develop wine tourism’.
And in the French market, FINE’s representative will be Brigitte Hocquet, a marketing expert ‘who will help us meet the challenge of adding companies and professionals from France to the second edition of FINE’. Two representatives from the Bordeaux region participated in the BeFine sessions in February, specifically the director of the Grands Crus Classés council and the head of wine tourism at Château de Rayne.
FINE had significant Portuguese representation at its debut, and Paulo Amorim, an entrepreneur with more than 30 years’ experience in the international wine markets and the promotion of wine tourism in Portugal, will continue his work as the country’s ambassador in 2021.