In 2024 Vinitaly will focus on a
'country project' for Italian wine, with a programme of
promotion and incoming (roadshows and previews) in 15 countries
across three continents in order to map evolving markets,
according to discussions on Monday at the opening session of
wine2wine, the networking event of the International Wine
Exhibition running at VeronaFiere until Tuesday, on the theme
"Export Maps. Vinitaly's activities in favour of the
internationalisation of Italian wine. Focus USA, Asia and
Eastern Europe".
It is a genuine call from the exhibition brand to institutions
and companies, aimed at a shared promotion strategy on
international markets with efficient use of resources, based on
the check-up of the sector provided by the UIV-Vinitaly Wine
Observatory, which continues to highlight a mobile global
scenario.
If on the one hand the picture in 2023 confirms the difficulties
for Italian wine forecast at the end of 2022, UIV head Carlo
Flamini says on the other it highlights the need to make a step
change in order get the sector back on track as it grapples with
a difficult season.
In fact, according to UIV estimates, this year will close with a
2.9% drop in turnover compared to 2022.
The reduction in operating costs as a result of the partial
reversal of tensions linked to the supply of energy and raw
materials has not been sufficient to preserve the fundamentals
of a sector that, like others, has seen interest rates double
and an increase in the rate of insolvency of the hotel and
restaurant (HORECA) industry.
On this front, the UIV-Vinitaly Observatory predicts a less
drastic end to the year than was forecast 12 months ago in a
potential scenario of global recession: sale volumes will drop
just under 3%, thanks to the resilience of demand in Western
Europe (+1%) and, to a lesser extent, to the leap in Eastern
Europe (+20%).
All other macro-regions will contract, starting with North
America (-14%), Japan and Korea (-23%), the Far East (-20%) and
South America (-16%).
Overall, the domestic market will drop 3.7% and exports 2.4%.
"The 2023 market trend presented today confirms the difficulties
announced a year ago by our Observatory and validates the path
taken by the new governance at the event since last April's
edition: i.e. a Vinitaly that is increasingly oriented towards
business in Verona and, at the same time, at the centre of a hub
capable of truly aggregating the promotion of Italian wine
abroad," said Veronafiere President Federico Bricolo.
Meanwhile, Veronafiere CEO Maurizio Danese explained that the
new 2024 promotion programme envisages "important investments
aimed at further consolidating the role of the event".
He said there will be a "strengthening both in Verona (the
crossroads of international activities) and abroad where, in
addition to fairs in China and Brazil, we envisage the creation
of Vinitaly USA 2024 in Chicago and another new b2b event in
Japan".
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