Portugal sets stage for 5th UNWTO global conference on wine tourism

The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Visit Portugal and the city of Reguengos de Monsaraz in the Alentejo region is holding the 5th UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism, in collaboration with the Government of Portugal from today.

Following the success of the past four years, the two-day conference is being under the theme ‘Wine Tourism – a driver for rural development’. It will focus on the contribution of wine tourism to social and economic regional integration and its great potential to generate developmental opportunities in remote rural destinations.

The event is a key opportunity for experts from across the different fields of wine tourism to work together to find solutions to build a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient future for rural communities.

The Alentejo region is one of the top wine regions in Portugal due to its wide range of soil types and the different varieties of grape that can be grown. Guests of the conference will take part in numerous wine tourism activities and experience the beautiful rolling hills and vast plains of Alentejo covered with olive trees and cork oaks.

UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili says: “It is now more important than ever to support wine tourism and I am confident that this event will represent a unique opportunity to share experiences as we face up to these challenging times and place the two sectors at the centre of recovery, particularly for the benefit of rural communities. I thank Portugal’s support to help accelerate the recovery of the sector.”

Portugal is a country with a strong wine tradition, and the excellent quality of its wine is recognised across the world. Wine is a fantastic way to discover the varied Portuguese landscape, heritage, culture and the people who live there.