March 29th and 30th 2014 will see the International Wine Tourism Conference (IWINETC) bring together a unique blend of wine industry professionals from around the world in the 5* star venue Tbilisi Marriot.
The event, organized by Wine Pleasures is an interactive and dynamic 2 day program during which time is spent building new business relationships, learning from global experts, exploring an emerging Georgian wine industry, and of course, tasting wine!
Tour operators/agents and wine experience providers specialized in wine and culinary tourism have dedicated time to meet at the Wine Tourism Meet Up. Professional and enthusiast wine lovers can devour the knowledge of over 30 guest speakers. Wineries can showcase their latest release or special classic vintages. It’s all about growing the wine tourism industry!
George Sigua Head of the Georgian National Tourism Administration kicks off the festivities with a look at wine tourism in the cradle of wine. Many discoveries have left historians in no doubt that Georgia is the birthplace of wine. Ancient wine vessels made of clay, bronze and silver; gold cups for drinking wine; wine barrels dated to the 2nd or even 3rd millennium BC; and vine seeds found in the ancient tombs of the Bronze Age all leave a continuous story of the history of Georgian wine. A unique grape escape location indeed!
Below is a sampling of the top quality guest speakers who promise to make IWINETC 2014 a memorable experience.
IWINETC welcomes back three wine tourism experts to the conference. Laurence Cogan, professor at the ESC Dijon- School of Wine & Spirits will demonstrate how wine tourism can boost/reboost wine sales with specific reference to Beaujolais. Authors of the book Georgia, Sakartvelo: the Birthplace of Wine, Terry & Kathy Sullivan will be stressing the importance of telling heart-warming stories to visitors: Chicken Soup for the Wine Tourist’s Soul
Guest speaker, professor, and co – owner of Antigua Tours Sarah May will be dealing with the common issue of how to get visitors out of the major cities into the nearby wine regions. Case Study: Rome – Lazio
Veronika Raetchi, President of the Ass National Center for Promotion of Wine Tourism Moldova will unveil how Moldova is fairing as an emerging wine tourism destination.
A look at wine industry updates and wine tourism opportunities in India, Okanagan, Texas, Quebec and Georgia. Including a tasting of Wines of Georgia led by Irakli Cholobargia of the National Wine Agency, Georgia
And, several more celebrated wine travelers, bloggers, and experts in their fields will speak to topics like Managing the Guest Experience & Avoiding Hospitality Mistakes, Re-Inventing Tradition: Qvevris, Amphorae, Concrete Eggs, and the Natural Wine Movement, The Dos & Don’ts of Wine Tourism and Using Sensory Analysis as Games for a Memorable
Don’t forget to arrive early and stay late to take full advantage of the tours around wine, food, and culture of Georgia. As the Georgian slogan says:
“Georgia – for the best moments of your life”
Add in wine and food and you’ve come then you should find yourself in heaven.
Join us for the 6th International Wine Tourism Conference!
