Jochen Erler, Journalist & Wine Consultant

What’s great about the Wine Pleasures Wine Tourism Conference is that it is not about listening to a bunch of dreary beaurocrats talking about wine tourism theories but rather it’s about listening to interesting humble people who talk about their experiences in wine tourism, who want to share their successes and failures and who want feedback from participating delegates so they too can gain some new food for thought.

UK based, Jochen Erler, Journalist,  Wine Consultant and member of the Circle of Wine Writers will be travelling to Spain to share his experience as a wine tour leader. Simple topic you may think but you will find it very enlightening and will surely recongnise yourself or not as you ponder on his things to do and not to do in wine tourism.

His talk is titled:

My Experience as a Wine Tour Leader: Things to Do and Not to Do.

Monday 1st February 2010 at 11.30

Here’s an insight into the many areas to be touched upon in the talk. “There are three different categories of wine tourism: personalized, individual, and group (including corporate). Personalized wine tours are offered by a few tour operators, but are not used much: quite expensive. Individual wine tours are offered by some tour operators. But most individual wine touring is done by locals who organize the trips privately. Importance of wine travel guide books and “wine routes”. Mainly for car travel, but some also for walking. Door sales. Individual wine tourism is highly developed in mainly New World countries; used in Australia and New Zealand for family outings on weekends; cultural/social reasons; importance of restaurants and overnight accommodation; also groups from abroad; the “Cellar Door Pass” in Australia. In some wine producing countries wine tourism is still in its infancy; few wineries have facilities for visitors; few wineries cater for tourist groups (not necessarily wine tours). Wine tours organized by wine shops for their customers: wine producers should encourage and sponsor such trips. Wine schools/wine academies: they are not well known and should therefore advertise their activities. Wine therapy: potential reservoir of wine tourists for nearby wineries. Wine festivals: they offer an attractive incentive for wine travel. Things to do (and not to do!) in wine tourism. Important points for the tour operator, the tour leader, the PR person of the winery, and the Restaurant Manager as to how to deal with wine tourism.

The Wine Pleasures Wine Tourism Conference will bring together wine and tourism professionals from around the world to discuss, refelct on and develop ideas.  Time is running out so click on the Registration Form