Le urban vineyards as an example of regeneration of cities: it is the fulcrum from which the sixth will take shape World Wine Tourism Forum, scheduled from 19 to 21 September in Alba in Piedmont. Three intense days of debate to promote the urban vineyard as a new model of smart tourism and sustainable development for the city space.
For our country, wine is culture, history, tradition, but also the future. A world that has undergone many changes in recent years, accelerated by the pandemic and an increasingly necessary search for solutions be sustainable e innovative. And faced with the challenge of climate change, living in ever greener and more sustainable cities cannot and must not remain a utopia.
Urban vineyards: what are they?
These are small green lungs present within the metropolitan areas, caskets of biodiversity which preserve an agricultural heritage of historical, cultural and social value. Real corners of paradise that suddenly appear among the skyscrapers or city streets and offer postcard views. These city rows have survived to the present day, despite the abandonment and the unstoppable advance of cement. Then from the idea of a young Turin producer, Luca Balbiano, the Urban Vineyards Association (UVA) was born in 2019, which brings together urban vineyards in order to protect the wine heritage, but also the landscape and culture. Together with the increased attention of public opinion to the environment and the health of the planet, it has given a boost to many historic recovery projects and actions for the cultural, landscape and tourist enhancement of urban vineyards intended for the use of the community.
Thanks to the approximately 25 wineries open to the public, wine tourism is worth overall 2,5 billion euros a year, with about 14 million tourists. It is also a sector that represents a driving force for the development and enhancement of territories and villages, in addition to affecting an average of 27% of the turnover of wineries, wine tourists account for an average of 27% of the turnover, with 9 companies out of 10 that are equipped to offer wine tourism hospitality (74% all year round, 18% some periods/months of the year (data from the Wine Tourism Observatory and the Vinitaly-Nomisma Wine Monitor Observatory).
How many urban vineyards are there in the world?
As of today I am 11 the vineyards urban in the world: in Italy the Vigna della Regina of Turin, the Vigna di Leonardo of Milan, Laguna nel Bicchiere and San Francesco della Vigna of Venice, Vigna del Gallo of Palermo, Senarum Vinea of Siena and the Etna Urban Winery of Catania. In France Clos de Montmartre in Paris, Clos de la Vigne du Palais des Papes in Avignon and Clos de Canuts in Lyon. In the United States Rooftop Reds in New York.
In the coming months, new entries are expected within the Network which, in this way, will extend its roots even further throughout the world by promoting culture, resilience and a new approach to urban sustainability.
World Wine Tourism Forum
The World Forum, promoted by theWorld Tourism Organization and developed with the Ministry of Tourism, Enit and the Piedmont Region with the support of VisitPiemonte and Ente Turismo Langhe, Monferrato and Roero, provides, in addition to a busy program of meetings, reports and debates, also workshops and seminars in a stage d exception such as that of the Unesco heritage hills.
Wednesday 21 September at 11 am, the president of the Urban Vineyards Association and manager of the Vigna della Regina in Turin, will take part in the panel entitled “Wine Tourism: Understanding the Future”. An opportunity to take stock of the future of wine tourism, which will have to be increasingly sustainable, modern and resilient, through the story of innovative projects, based on creative intuitions and assisted by the essential support of technology and digitalisation.
As happened last March on the occasion of theDubai Expo, Balbiano will present the urban vineyard as an example of regeneration of cities both in terms of tourism and in terms of quality of life for citizens. A cultural heritage to be protected and promoted internationally.
In addition to the intervention of its president, the Rete delle Vigne Urbane will participate in force at the Alba Forum, thanks to the presence of representatives from New York, Milan, Paris, Catania, Avignon, Venice and Siena who on the opening day (September 19) will showcase, in a dedicated desk, their "urban wines" and will promote the unique heritage represented by their vineyards: a set of fascinating and ingenious stories, intuitions and entrepreneurial choices.
