Gambero Rosso – July-August 2019

COLLINE DEL PROSECCO

THE PROSECCO HILLS EXPERIENCE

The role played by tour operators also appears to be fundamental in the wine

tourism sector, with 42.2% of wineries declaring that they welcome visitors

highly interested in wine tasting and in wine tours organized by travel agencies

(an increase compared to 40.7%). of 2016) and 39.3% of visitors who take part

in more general tours organized by travel agencies where a visit to the winery

is one of the proposed territorial elements (an increase compared to 36.6% in

2016). And, in fact, the expectation of the recognition had already led to choral

experiences to create a system around wine, food and tourism. As in the case

of the Prosecco Hills, the network of companies, which just a few weeks ago

presented a digital portal that connects the 20 realities of the territory where

the visitor can find events and accommodation facilities but also different ex-

periential proposals, divided by theme and easily bookable online. On the other

hand, as the president of Prosecco Hills Federico Capraro reminds us, “we are

talking about a lively territory that is preparing to also be the location for major

international events such as the 2021 World Ski Championships and the 2026

Olympic Games. At only 70 km from Venice and the same diastance from the

Dolomites, the Hills of Prosecco of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene complete a

tourist and experiential offer that’s quite unique in the world, and that counts 3

world heritage sites in a very limited geographical radius.

The Unesco recognition charges us with responsibility and fills us with pride

because in this area of ours environmental peculiarities are intertwined with

very small hotel facilities and a wine and agri-food excellence”.

national Center for Studies on Tour-

ism Economics) which, analyzing the

growth data concerning other Unes-

co sites, predicted up to 50% more

visitors in the area over the next 10

years:

• Cautious scenario (+12% visitors
  in 10 years): + 1% average annual
  visitors to wineries; + 1% average an-
  nual attendance, due to the increase
  in tourists and the average stay of 1
  night; + 3% average annual turnover
  deriving from the expense of tour-
  ists thanks above all to the growth
  of arrivals and presences; growth of
  around half a percentage point each
  year in the average occupancy rate of
  accommodation facilities: from 35%
  to 37% after 10 years.


• Optimistic scenario (+50% visi-
  tors in 10 years): + 4% average an-
  nual visitors to the cellars; + 3% av-
  erage annual attendance, due to the
  increase in tourists and the average
  stay of 1 night; + 6% average annual
  turnover deriving from the expense
  of tourists, thanks above all to the
  growth of arrivals and presences;
  growth of around 1.5 percentage
  points each year in the average occu-
  pancy rate of accommodation facili-
  ties: from 35% to 47% after 10 years.
  “As President of the Consortium for
  the Protection of Conegliano Valdob-
  biadene Prosecco DOCG” concludes
  Nardi, “I really want to reiterate that
  the recognition was given to the terri-
  tory and not to wine. This is an element
  that strengthens our strategy to work
  on the value of the territory and on the
  quality of the product that originates
  in this area. We therefore hope to keep
  marketing the Conegliano Valdobbiad-
  ene Prosecco Superiore as a synthesis
  of a unique and well-defined cultural
  identity”. 