This is an area where we need added value. And a city like Porto, which is not a wine producing city, but is nevertheless recognised as a Great Wine Capital. There’s a potential that we have been working on and that has been accentuated by private agents and that allows us to increase value. By raising the value, this has an impact not only on the country, but also on the region and on a city that identifies itself with its product. The city of Porto cannot stop investing in its traditional product, which is wine. Being a wine capital is increasingly important in a time when there is great international competition. At the same time, it is clear that the markets are increasingly articulating with each other. Therefore, having a showcase like this, where we have not only Portuguese wines, but also foreign wines, is crucial for a city that wants to be a trade centre.  Cities today are exactly that, trade centres where various trends intersect.

I had the opportunity to speak with several producers who told me that they had made many contacts, some very interesting contacts. At the Forum, the topics were very good, the digital area, sustainability, very interesting. I think it’s a magnificent first edition; it’s also a way of putting the country, and Porto as well, on the map. It’s good for us, given the geographical proximity to Vinho Verde, it’s a great proximity to the event. And it’s a groundbreaking initiative worldwide that is very positive for the promotion of wines together with tourism.

Wine tourism was a very important step in the development of our marketing proposal, because it makes the process, in the company, much more sustainable. It’s a very important source of revenue and marketing and brand development, because most of the wine tourism visitors in Argentina are foreigners. We, at Susana Balbo Wines, export over 90% of our production and this has brought us a very strong impact in terms of a greater amount of visits to the winery and also a brand development process that is "word of mouth".

As an international network, we are delighted to be a privileged partner of the first Porto Wine and Travel Week. The stakes of this event in terms of networking, sales and promotion are very important for us.
With 200 hosted buyers welcomed from all over the world, hundreds of BtoB pre-scheduled meetings and 2 forums where best practices in innovative wine tourism and sustainable wine tourism will be presented, no doubt that business will be around the corner!
The Great Wine Capitals will attend with numerous representatives from our 11 member cities and wine regions to highlight our wine tourism destinations of excellence but also to open the global market to our regional private operators, wineries and tourism companies.

We are enthusiastically looking forward to the first edition of Wine & Travel Week in the city of Porto, which will reaffirm its position as a city of wine and a leading wine tourism destination. This is a key segment for the development of the territory and for the preservation and enhancement of its historical and cultural identity. This event on an international scale will be an excellent opportunity to share knowledge and good practices, to create new synergies and even to develop business. We are therefore very pleased to also host, in this context, the Best Of Wine Tourism 2023 awards ceremony, which singles out excellent wine tourism projects. This awards ceremony demonstrates the Municipality's commitment to this segment and its engagement with the Great Wine Capitals network.

Celebrating wine tourism asks for three ingredients: people, regions and experiences. Longing for travel can be awakened by opening a bottle of wine. Back in the 90’s and globetrotting wine regions, I got the insight of what was being done in wine tourism and how countries could benefit from it. Since then, the idea of creating a concept dedicated to global wine tourism trade emerged. WTW is the result. An event made up of 4 events, each owning a specific programme and audience, taking place in iconic venues and gathering the most emblematic wine tourism destinations. With the support of Turismo de Portugal and the partnership with the Great Wine Capitals, we took the first step. To assert a leading event, we now count on your participation. So, join us to live and celebrate the world wine tourism.

As president of the Great Wine Capitals, once Wine & Travel Week was announced, I very quickly wanted our international network to be a partner of this major event. The trade show will allow us to speak to tourism professionals from all over the world and to sell our destinations of excellence to tour operators and agencies globally. The means provided by the organizers, supported by Turismo de Portugal for this first edition are significant and I am sure that the meetings between exhibitors and hosted buyers will be crowned with success. The “experience” part of the week will showcase beautiful Portuguese wine regions. I’m very much looking forward to this great event taking in Porto, a Great Wine Capital!

As an international network, we are delighted to be a privileged partner of the first Wine & Travel Week, in Porto.

The stakes of this event in terms of networking, sales and promotion are very important for us.

With 200 hosted buyers welcomed from all over the world, hundreds of B2B pre-scheduled meetings and 2 forums where best practices in innovative wine tourism and sustainable wine tourism will be presented, no doubt that business will be around the corner!

The Great Wine Capitals will attend with numerous representatives from our 11 member cities and wine regions to highlight our wine tourism destinations of excellence, but also to open the global market to our regional private operators, wineries and tourism companies.