UIV at wine2wine: diversify and promote wine tourism

by Redazione 11/27/19 |

The president of UIV (Unione Italiana Vini) Ernesto Abbona spoke at wine2wine.

"There are four ways to pursue to give strength and support to the Italian system of the sector: increase in the value of exports, diversification of outlets, push on internationalization and promotion of wine tourism. The first braking of sparkling wines, the locomotive of our export, in Great Britain and Germany makes immediate action urgent. Export value is not recovered simply by trying to increase prices which, alone and unrelated to a strategy, risk losing market share. The increase in value is achieved through rigorous and consistent quality policies, marketing strategies - at country, DO and company level - designed over the long term to build and strengthen the reputation and positioning and enhance the territorial identities of wines related to incoming tourism. With these words Ernesto Abbona, president of Unione Italiana Vini, spoke at the opening event of wine2wine 2019 in the panel "wine2export: overview 2019 for the seven sisters of wine" which was held Monday, November 25, in Verona.

"65% of the value of Italian wine exports is concentrated in only 5 markets (3 of which are European) and when these are in decline, the whole system is affected - noted the president of UIV -. We must therefore encourage producers and direct promotional actions to encourage the diversification of commercial outlets, an urgent issue in an international context of geopolitical instability dominated by the persistence of protectionist logic. We need to increase the value of our products and institutional promotion initiatives such as the "Extraordinary Plan for Made in Italy". But we must also promote a relaxation of transatlantic relations and avoid a worsening of the trade war with the United States, we must speed up negotiations to close the free trade agreements still under discussion and finally, we must intensify the fight against Italian sounding that affects many great Italian wines in different markets. In this sense, ICE's action becomes strategic and with the agency we will have to define priorities and target countries for promotion activities. We welcome the convening of the "wine table", to which we intend to give a serious and effective contribution".

It is necessary to work as a "country system" to direct investments abroad, defend wine in all European and international fora as an integral product of the Mediterranean diet, enhance the system of "wine-territory-tourism-agro-food production" and defend wine from attacks by international organizations and NGOs that consider it like other alcoholic beverages, demonizing consumption, regardless of how and how much it is consumed". The problem, as the president recalled, "is not the consumption but the abuse of alcohol, a subject that worries us and for which the sector is concretely engaged with consumers and institutions, through training and education to responsible drinking".

Finally, the President of UIV, after thanking the Minister Teresa Bellanova for her proposals to simplify and speed up the 5 decrees implementing the Consolidated Act, launched an appeal to the policy to obtain "clear answers and to ensure that the implementing decrees on historical or heroic vineyards, on the recognition or modification of wines DO and IG, on the markings, the vineyard register and labeling, soon become reality.

Source: Unione Italiana Vini