Terry Sullivan speaker at IWINETC Croatia 2013

Terry Sullivan

Terry Sullivan, a former college lecturer, is a wine travel writer and author and co-owner of Wine Trail Traveler LLC, a winery and vineyard virtual visitor center. Terry and his wife Kathy travel to wineries throughout the world and write articles about the experiences on the website https://winetrailtraveler.com. To date we have visited and written about more than 1000 wineries. To view a sample of our articles visit: https://winetrailtraveler.com/italy/italy.php

We had our first book, A Wine Journey, published in November 2012. The book explores what interested wine enthusiasts can do to learn about wine, make wine and travel to wine regions. They are now working on a second book that is an informational book for wine travelers about visiting winery tasting rooms.

In addition to the articles on the Wine Trail Traveler site, Terry & Kathy crafted and bottled a barrel of 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon at Vint Hill Craft Winery in Virginia. Terry has taken online winemaking courses through Washington State University. A companion website: https://winemaking.winetrailtraveler.com chronicles the adventures in winemaking and the vineyard. Currently the couple are crafting a barrel of 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon at Tin Lizzie Wineworks in Maryland.

Terry & Kathy attend several wine conferences a year. In January 2012 Terry attended and presented at the International Wine Tourism Conference (IWINETC) in Perugia, Italy. Terry presented at the Eastern Winery Exposition in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in March 2013. A week later they presented in Zagreb, Croatia at the International Wine Tourism Conference.

Terry delivered a talk titled:

Chicken Soup for the Wine Tourist’s Soul

A number of books have been published called Chicken Soup for the Soul. The main purpose of these books is to share real stories by real people that touch the human heart and soul. These heart-warming stories are remembered and shared long after hearing or reading them. This seminar will explore ways that wineries and tour operators can provide stories that touch the heart. After a day of wine tasting at several wineries, wine tourists will have a challenge to remember all the wines.They will remember the chicken-soupish stories they hear at wineries and from tour operators. Making a connection to the human side of the winery or tour is one step in providing a great experience and creating return customers.

The seminar will explore the art of storytelling. Story examples are wine-related. The first story centers on a wine grower in Ontario, Canada, and relates how an entire wine region reached out to help the grower’s family in a time of need. The second story spans Italy and Michigan and is about winery children; they know more about wine than one might believe. The third story is about a wine tourist visiting a winery in Virginia and how a tasting room staff member turned prejudice into a teachable moment.

Participants will learn the sources they can use to develop stories, including: history, family, inspiration, other people and many others. The presentation will include practical methods of story telling that can readily be used by tour operators and winery employees. The aim is for the winery or tour operator to be more personal and less corporate and business-like.

Attendees will gather ideas to create stories that will enhance a wine tourist’s experiences while visiting the winery or taking a tour. People do like to hear stories, and they are more likely to remember a story at the end of a day of wine travel.

Get the speaker notes here>>

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