The food and wine tourism market - Italy (2023)

1.2 The global market

Globally, the food and wine tourism market is growing very fast. In ****, the global market reached a total value of $***.** billion and is expected to touch $*.* trillion by **** thanks to a compound annual growth rate (***)

Food and wine tourism market World, ****-****, in billions of dollars Straitsresearch

Regarding the segment related to wine tourism, this touches a total market value of $**.** billion in ****. Between **** and ****, a compound annual growth rate (***) of **.* percent is expected, thanks to which the global wine tourism market could reach $***.** billion in value.

Wine tourism market World, ****-****, in billion dollaria Futuremarketinsights

1.3 The Italian market

Tourism represents one of the main sectors of the Italian economy. Italy leads the world in the number of arrivals at accommodation services. In **** there were ***.* million arrivals while in **** these exceed *** million. The outbreak of the pandemic in **** has generated major repercussions on the Italian tourism sector. Between **** and ****, the number of arrivals dropped by **.* percent to **.* million. However, in **** and even more so in ****, the trend shows very positive numbers. In ****, the number of arrivals grows by **.* percent compared to ****, and in ****, the numbers are almost back in line with the pre-pandemic values, with arrivals standing at ***.* million.

Customer arrivals at accommodation establishments Italy, ****-****, in millions Istat

In terms of the food and wine tourism segment, Italy is a favorite destination for tourists from all over the world. In ****, the Italian food and wine tourism market reached a value of $**.* billion. Between **** and ****, a compound annual growth rate (***) of **.*% is expected, thanks to which the food and wine tourism market could exceed a total value of $*** billion in Italy.

Food and wine tourism market Italy, ****-****, in billions of dollars Futuremarketinsights

1.4 The consequences of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict

The outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict in February **** resulted in, among other things, a general increase in the consumer price index. The tourism sector, which also includes food and wine tourism, is not exempt from the increase. In particular, consumer prices for accommodation and food services will be analyzed, and further analysis will be provided for the latter in relation to industry producer prices.

Between January **** and September ****, the consumer price index for accommodation services increased by **.* points, from ***.* to ***.* points. This means that over the **-month period following the outbreak of the conflict, consumer prices for accommodation services increased by **.* percent for consumers, which is * times the increase during the entire ****-**** period. Compared to ****, the increase stands at **.*%.

Consumer price index for housing services Italy, ****-****, base ****=*** Istat

There are also important consequences dictated by conflict in the restaurant industry. Between January **** and September ****, the consumer price index increased by ** points, indicating a **.*% increase in consumer prices over ** months. Compared to ****, consumer prices for dining services increased by **.*%.

Consumer price index for food services Italy, ****-****, base ****=*** Istat The increase in consumer prices for restaurant services is mainly motivated by the increase in producer prices, especially related to the ...

2.1 Demand in Italy

Food and wine tourism is a new way of traveling that is winning over a growing number of enthusiasts in search of authentic flavors and traditions. Between **** and ****, the share of Italian citizens who traveled with the aim of experiencing the food and wine offerings of the destination grew by ** percent, from ** percent in **** to nearly ** percent in ****.

Italian tourists who have made at least one trip with main motivation related to food and wine Italy, ****-****, % RobertaGaribaldi

There are many activities attributable to food and wine tourism. Among the favorites of tourists in Italy are excursions, carried out by **.* percent of tourists, wine tastings (***).

Main activities of food and wine tourists Italy, ****, % Isnart Food and wine tourism in Italy is also characterized by a different distribution of expenditures. Italian and foreign tourists spend an average of **.* euros per day on accommodation and **.* euros per day on food and wine-related services. The difference compared to total tourists is -* euros per day for accommodation and +** euros per day for food and services. Average daily expenditure of food and wine tourists Italy, ****, in euros Isnart

2.2 Demand drivers

In terms of demand drivers, limited to the Italian tourist segment, it is possible to highlight that the population in the **-** age group is the most interested toward food and wine experiences, garnering ** percent of demand. This is followed by bay boomers and the over-**s with **% and younger people with a **% share of demand.

Profile of Italian food and wine tourists, breakdown by age group Italy, ****, % RobertaGaribaldi

Geographically, a correlation between demand and origin can also be seen. The population residing in the North of the peninsula collects **% of the demand for food and wine tourism by Italians; this is followed by the South and the Islands with **%. Finally, the Center covers an **% share of demand.

Profile of Italian food and wine tourists, breakdown by geographical area of residence Italy, ****, % RobertaGaribaldi

Regarding the segment of foreign tourists, it is possible to highlight a great interest in food and wine experiences especially among European citizens. In Spain, packages dedicated to food&wine in Italy cover a **.*% market share. This is followed by Norway with **.*%, Germany with **.*% and Austria with **.*%. Finally, in the United Kingdom, food and wine experiences occupy a **.*% market share of total package tour sales in Italy.

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2.3 Geographical distribution of demand

In order to visualize the geographic distribution of demand, a map was created with the number of arrivals in accommodation establishments in Italy in **** for each macro-region.

The Northeast collects the highest number of tourists: there are **.* million arrivals in accommodation facilities in this area in ****, thanks mainly to data recorded in Veneto (***), respectively. In the South there are **.* million arrivals in **** while in the Islands the figure drops to *.* million.

2.4 New demand trends

One of the main trends found in the tourism market, and strongly related to food and wine tourism, is that of sustainable tourism. The World Tourism Organization defines sustainable tourism as an innovative way of traveling and exploring territories, which meets the needs of travelers, local communities, the environment and businesses, safeguarding not only environmental, but also social and economic balances, while offering new opportunities for long-term development and for the future of the next generations. Food and wine tourism aims to bring tourists directly closer to the processes of production and harvesting of products, to the point of making them protagonists in the processes of transformation of raw materials, generating a considerable economic return for inhabitants and companies, which will be more inclined to develop sustainable projects in agriculture, but also in tourism and in the care and maintenance of the landscape.(***)

In ****, the Italian sustainable tourism market is estimated at $**.* million. Between **** and ****, a compound annual growth rate (***) of **.* percent is expected, thanks to which the Italian sustainable tourism market could reach a total value of $***.** million.

World, ****-****, in trillions of dollars Alliedmarketresearch

Cycle tourism represents one of the main segments of sustainable tourism. Cycle tourism not only ...

3.1 The market structure

In order to analyze the structure of the food and wine tourism market in Italy, the main sectors are considered: catering (***), wineries and breweries.

Catering

Between **** and ****, the number of active enterprises in the catering sector in Italy is increasing. During the surveyed period, the total number of businesses increased from ***,*** to ***,***, a growth rate of *.* percent. The outbreak of the pandemic in **** had major repercussions for the restaurant industry: between **** and ****, the number of businesses dropped by *.**%. However, in **** the trend is positive and the recorded values are in line with the pre-pandemic ones.

Active enterprises in the restaurant and mobile food service business sector Italy, ****-****, in thousands Istat

Regarding the agritourism segment, one of the most popular among food and wine tourists, the total number of businesses grew between **** and ****. While in **** there were **,*** businesses, in **** these number **,***, up *.* percent. Unlike the more general restaurant industry, the agrotourism sector seems not to have been affected by the pandemic, as shown by the continuous growth recorded in recent years.

Agritourism farms Italy, ****-****, in thousands Reterurale

Italian gastronomic excellence has also maintained its vibrancy and inventiveness in recent years. Between **** and ****, the number of restaurants of excellence grew by ...

3.2 Agrifood excellence: certified products (GI)

Geographical Indication productions (***). Between **** and ****, the number of GI products in Italy increased by *.* percent from *** to ***.

PDO/IGP/STG products Italy, ****-****, in number Qualivta

Breaking down GI products by type, it can be seen that wines are the main protagonists of Italian excellence although the food segment shows greater growth. Between **** and ****, certified wines increased from *** to *** while foods grew by *.* percent, from *** to ***.

PDO/PGI/STG products, breakdown by product type Italy, ****-****, in numbers Qualivita

Consortiums for the protection of PDOs or PGIs or TSGs are established pursuant to Article **** of the Civil Code and exercise the functions of protection, promotion, enhancement, consumer information and general care of the interests related to the designations, on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Forestry and Tourism and pursuant to Law No. *** of **/**/****. Between **** and ****, the total number of protection consortia grew by *.* percent, from *** to ***.

Protection consortia for PDO/PGI/STG products Italy, ****-****, in number Qualivita The geographical distribution of the production of PDO/PGI/STG products is uniform across Italy. The South, with *** products, collects the largest number of IG wines and foods. It is followed by the Center with *** products thanks mainly to the contribution ...

3.3 The actors

The following are some of the major players in the food and wine tourism market. In particular, the main wine cellars and vinegar producers, two of the favorite destinations for wine and food tourists in Italy, are highlighted.

Most beautiful wine cellars in Italy according to Travel***

Cantina Tramin Soc.Agr.Coop: founded in **** from a small project with a few families, it has become over time one of the most established cooperatives in the region and a recognized example in the world.today the company has*** families working a total of about *** hectares thanks to which the winery produces an average of *.* million bottles per year, **% of which are destined for the domestic market, and the remaining **% for the foreign market.

Ceretto Aziende Vitivinicole s.r.l: founded in the ****s, the winery that began its activity by vinifying grapes purchased from other producers. The company's turning point came with the entry of the younger generation, who introduced the concept of the importance of the land in wine production. The company officially became a wine producer in ****. The company has greatly expanded its production, reaching an annual output of about ***,*** bottles of wine. Their wines include several controlled and guaranteed ...

3.4 The organization

The following is a list of some of the leading food and wine tour organizers in Italy.

Ciao Florence Tours & Travels s.r.l: a leader in the incoming sector for many years now, it was founded in Florence and relies on the collaboration, professionalism and experience of a historic Tuscan bus company, Giotto Bus, which has been working in the field of tourism for more than ** years.nationwide tours are offered throughout the peninsula and particularly in Florence, Rome, Venice, Naples, Bologna and Sorrento.

Eating Europe: founded in ****, a company dedicated to organizing culinary tours and immersive dining experiences. The company began its operations in Rome and later expanded to other major European cities such as Florence, London, Amsterdam, Prague, Paris, Lisbon, Naples, Strasbourg, and Porto.eating Europe offers different types of culinary experiences, including small group tours, cooking classes, wine tastings, truffle hunts, craft beer tours and more. To date, it is considered one of the largest and most established culinary tour operators in Europe.

Walkabout Florence: founded in ****, the company is a small, local, independent tour operator in Florence with a global reach. It focuses on discovering the food and wine culture in Tuscany, and available tours can ...

4.1 Type of the offer

Food and wine tourism represents a mode that in recent years is experiencing a strong rise, attracting an increasing number of travelers interested in getting to know the beauty of a territory not only from a cultural and naturalistic point of view, but also by going to discover the local culinary art as well as the wines associated with it. Food and wine tourism is a dynamic set of products, services and tourist experiences that are declined in the context of each territory emphasizing its peculiarities. Although in general the offerings combine the wine tourism and gastro tourism aspects, it is possible to highlight the peculiarities of each:

Enotourism

Enotourism mainly focuses on exploring the world of wine, from production to tasting. Specifically, the main activities related to wine tourism are:

Winery visits and vineyard tours Guided tours: vineyard walks and visits to wineries with explanations of the winemaking process. Wine tastings: tastings of different wines, guided by experts.

Immersive experiences Participation in the grape harvest: hands-on experience in grape picking. Oenology courses: lectures on wine tasting techniques and wine knowledge.

Events and festivals Wine festivals: local celebrations with a focus on wine. Wine markets: where local producers display their ...

4.2 The prices

Below are prices for some of the main activities related to food and wine tourism. The different activities were chosen based on the "most popular" rankings on Tripadvisor.

Food and wine tours

Visits to the winery

Other experiences

4.3 New supply trends: organic

As far as trends in the food and wine offerings in Italy are concerned, one of the main trends is organic wine. A wine is said to be organic when it comes from ***% organic grapes grown without the use of synthetic chemical agents in the vineyard and whose vinification in the cellar has taken place thanks to the use of certified organic oenological products and a limited amount of sulfites.this definition has been official since ****, when EC Regulation ***/**** came into force, sanctioning that it is possible to talk about organic wine, and no longer just wine "from organic grapes," thanks to the possibility of certifying the entire winemaking and grape processing process as organic.(***)

In Italy in **** organic vine cultivations have an extension of ***,*** hectares. Compared to ****, the growth is **.* percent. The penetration of the organic segment is **.*% of the total number of cultivations under vines. Sicily, Tuscany and Apulia lead the organic wine segment in Italy, collecting **%, **% and **% of the cultivated hectares, respectively.

Area planted with organic vines Italy, ****-****, in thousands of hectares

5.1 The legislation

General regulations for the tourism sector

Legislative Decree No. ** of May **, **** (***): establishes state legislation on tourism regulation and market. Directive ****/***/EC: on the protection of consumers in respect of certain aspects of timeshare contracts, long-term vacation product contracts and resale and exchange contracts Legislative Decree No. **/****: this is the code of state legislation on tourism regulation and market.

Specific regulations for food and wine tourism

National Law No. *** dated **/*/****: establishes the "Strade del Vino, dell'Olio e dei Sapori" as a tool through which wine territories and related productions can be publicized, marketed and enjoyed in the form of tourist offerings. Ministerial Decree **** of **/**/****: establishes guidelines and directions regarding the requirements and minimum quality standards for the exercise of wine tourism activities.

However, regarding specific regulations for wine and food tourism, there are no national laws dedicated exclusively to this sector, but general tourism regulations and regional policies also apply to wine tourism and gastrotourism. Italian regions, with their legislative autonomy in tourism, can develop specific regulations to promote and regulate local food and wine activities.

6.1 Segmentation

• Ceretto Aziende Vitivinicole s.r.l
• Cantina Tramin Soc.Agr.Coop
• Gran Deposito Aceto Balsamico Giuseppe Giusti s.r.l
• Monari Federzoni s.p.a
• Ciao Florence Tours & Travels s.r.l
• Raphael Tours & Events s.r.l