Wine tourism professionals come together to improve the sector

Profitability, Internationalization and Wine Tourism Legislation will be the highlighted topics in the second edition of the Meeting of Wine Tourism Professionals organized by the Portuguese Wine Tourism Association (APENO). New projects, partnerships and other news for 2024 will also be revealed at this event.

The 2nd National Meeting of Wine Tourism Professionals will be held on January 31st, with the support of the European University, at the Carnide hub, Quinta do Bom Nome, Estr. da Correia 53, 1500-210 Lisbon, from 2:30 pm.

This annual event brings together professionals from the sector working in wineries, travel agencies, tourist entertainment companies, restaurants, wine stores, hotels or other spaces that practice wine tourism, in a rural or urban environment. With a national and international component, it is already the sector’s reference event due to the pertinent and relevant topics it presents and debates. The event is attended by experienced professionals who bring us contributions and visions for improving the sector, as well as influential public figures linked to the world of wine and tourism, with decision-making power in this area.

«Our objective is to discuss and debate topics that contribute to raising the quality level of wine tourism services in Portugal. This year we will show that Wine Tourism is a profitable business, we will address the internationalization of Portuguese Wine Tourism, and reveal projects and partnerships that will have a positive impact on the sector. And also to present, first hand, the steps we are taking towards the creation of national legislation for Wine Tourism, talk about existing global legislation, among other pertinent and urgent topics that will contribute to the organization of the sector» , said Maria João de Almeida, Executive President of APENO.

«In addition, it is an annual event that promotes moments of sharing, brainstorming, conviviality and good spirits among professionals from all over the country», he concludes.

The program this year includes, in addition to national panels that will focus on two strong themes in Wine Tourism – the internationalization and profitability of the sector – it will feature the presence (online) of two special international guests, professor Chiara Tincani , from the University of Verona (Italy) and lawyer Oscar Barney (from Cruz Barney Perez Cuellar Abogados), who will present the legislation relating to Wine Tourism that already exists in their respective countries. «We know that legislation for Wine Tourism in Portugal will eventually emerge, and that Wine Tourism will one day be an organized sector, it is a natural evolution, APENO and its members have been demanding this for a long time. It’s a shame that the Government insists on not opening its eyes and that we have to go after other countries, when we could have been pioneers in this matter. But, better late than never!”, ironizes, Maria João de Almeida

Finally, the event will also feature a special moment – the Recruitment Opportunity Program. During this moment, which will take place at the end of the event, candidates from all over the country will have the opportunity to sign up to work in Wine Tourism, and also to meet some of APENO’s members. «There is a great demand for Wine Tourism professionals, for this reason, APENO invested in this platform where professionals who have already worked in the sector for some time but also people with training who want to start dedicating themselves to this area are registered. The Recruitment Opportunity Program is internal and only our members have access to this platform, it is one of the advantages of belonging to APENO, and I am very proud to inform that we have already managed to place many of these professionals in our members’ companies», says Salvador Salazar Leite, one of APENO’s vice-presidents and responsible for managing the platform.

In addition to the support of the European University, the event also has other partner companies, including Ageas Seguros, Alug’Aqui, Delta Café and Gifts4Wine.