Vinitaly Tourism 2026 Expands With New Format to Boost Wine Tourism Industry

Vinitaly Tourism 2026 will return to Veronafiere from April 12 to 15, introducing a new area and operational format aimed at strengthening wine tourism as a key part of Italy’s global travel offering. The event, now in its second year, will be held in a central location within the 58th International Wine and Spirits Exhibition, specifically in the gallery between Halls 2 and 3. This area will host a full schedule of events, seminars, tastings, and business meetings throughout the four-day show. Additional sector-focused conferences will take place at Palaexpo.

Gianni Bruno, Deputy General Manager of Veronafiere, stated that this edition marks a strategic shift for Vinitaly Tourism. He emphasized that wine tourism is now considered a permanent and central component of the exhibition, reflecting its growing importance for Italian wineries. According to Bruno, this move positions wine tourism as a competitive asset with clear business potential, rather than just an add-on activity.

Preliminary data from the Wine Suite Report 2026, which will be presented during the event, shows continued growth in wine tourism. In 2025, the average booking value per adult reached €39.4, with an annual compound growth rate of 11% over the past four years. Structured wineries saw their annual visitor numbers increase by 16.8%, while direct sales rose by 21.4%. This indicates that wineries are not only attracting more visitors but also converting them into customers at higher rates.

Vinitaly Tourism is organized by Veronafiere in partnership with Wine Tourism Hub, Wine Suite, Wine Meridian, and Winedering. The initiative aims to serve as an operational infrastructure connecting wine tourism providers with buyers from both domestic and international markets. The incoming program will host tourism professionals from countries including the United States, Brazil, Croatia, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Thailand. These guests include tour operators, travel designers, and specialists in outdoor, cultural, luxury, and experiential travel.

A dedicated Business Point in the gallery between Halls 2 and 3 will facilitate meetings between these buyers and Italian wine tourism companies. The thematic gallery will also feature an exhibition area for businesses active in wine tourism and related services. A Tourism Room will be available for seminars, tastings, and industry talks.

The event program is designed to offer both content and practical tools for industry professionals. It begins on Sunday, April 12 with a session on administration and taxation in wine tourism at 2:30 pm. Daily experiential tastings are scheduled from 1:00 to 1:30 pm. On Monday, April 13, sessions include “Celiac Disease and Wine Tourism: Figures, Trends, Demands and Opportunities” at 11:30 am and “The Impact of Wine Clubs and Direct-to-Client Strategies” at 2:30 pm. A masterclass on Italian cooperative wineries’ wine tourism offerings will also be held.

Tuesday’s agenda features a preview of the survey “Hospitality Managers and Tour Operators” at 11:30 am. This session will share insights from hospitality managers and tour operators about challenges and opportunities in Italian wine tourism. Later that day are sessions on “Wine Bars: From Pouring to Experience” at 2:30 pm and “Human Resources, HR Recruiting and Career Opportunities in Wine Tourism” at 4:00 pm.

The program concludes on Wednesday, April 15 at 11:30 am with a seminar focused on digitalization in wine tourism. Topics will include logistics management, guest experience solutions, and software tools for wineries.

A second thematic hub for wine tourism will be located at Palaexpo (Sala Vivaldi). Four major sector sessions are planned there. On Monday morning (10:30 am – noon), Movimento Turismo del Vino will discuss “Wine Tourism in Italy: The Value of Proximity.” That afternoon (2:00 pm), Roberta Garibaldi will lead a session on “Italian Wine in Global Tourism: Attractiveness and Positioning in the US Market.” On Tuesday morning (10:30 am – noon), Unicredit-Nomisma Wine Monitor will present research on “The Role of Wine Tourism in the Development of Italian Wineries.” The final session on Wednesday morning (10:30 am – noon) is titled “MetodoContemporaneo. Observatory on Art and Wine Landscapes,” organized by the University of Verona with BAM Strategie Culturali.

With its expanded format and focus on business development, Vinitaly Tourism 2026 aims to further integrate Italian wine tourism into global travel trends while providing practical resources for industry growth.