France: a major wine producer and tourism player
France is THE world's leading tourist destination. For over 10 years, the country has maintained its position as the top tourist destination, despite strong competition from Spain and the United States. In 2017, France surpassed its previous record for visitor numbers (held for the past seven years) with over 89 million visitors, according to the World Tourism Organization. Following the tragic events of 2016, this favorite destination is recovering, particularly along the Mediterranean coast and in the capital.
The country with the tricolor flag is also the historic producer of prestigious appellations coveted by wine lovers worldwide. As the world's leading wine producer, France has nothing left to prove. Today, the challenge for institutions, businesses, and winemakers is clear: to develop a high-potential sector within France's finest industries. It was in this context that Hervé Novelli, former Minister for Trade, Tourism, and SMEs, created the High Council for Wine Tourism in 2008.
The first National Wine Tourism Conference lays the foundations for the sector's development
A few years after the creation of the organization tasked with supporting the development of wine tourism in France, the first National Wine Tourism Conference was held: an event organized by Atout France. It was in this context that the Palais des Congrès in Paris, requisitioned for the occasion, hosted the main players in the sector on November 20th to discuss wine tourism. Between conferences on cross-cutting themes related to wine tourism, wine professionals, winemakers, and representatives from various institutions were able to exchange ideas in a space specially designed for the event. At the stands showcasing the different wine regions, exhibitors and visitors shared ideas and envisioned the future of wine tourism. Some offered tours and tastings at their estates , others electric bike tours (Domaine Rieflé-Landmann) in Alsace, or stays in giant wine barrels (Domaine du Rocher des Dames) in the Côtes du Rhône.
Late in the afternoon, the President of the CSO announced the creation of a set of specifications outlining 20 areas for improvement that will make France the world leader in wine tourism.
A strong ambition commensurate with the capabilities of France
In France, in 2016, over 10 million people visited French vineyards. This market, with its strong potential, and its figures are encouraging for the future of wine tourism. Bordeaux , Champagne , Alsace , and Burgundy , the most popular wine regions, generated over €5.2 billion in revenue for France in 2016. Competing with the major wine regions of Napa Valley (USA) and Rioja (Spain), French vineyards must remain focused on developing the appeal of their offerings to surpass the ambitions outlined by Hervé Novelli.
At a time when the government aims to welcome more than 100 million tourists by 2020 - compared to 87 million last year - wine tourism seems to be the ideal lever to achieve these objectives.
Lucas Chartier
