report of gastronomy

REPORT OF GASTRONOMYTOURISM IN ITALY TRENDS

2021

With the contribution of: With the patronage of:

Food and wine tourism consumption belongsto the past. The future is based on theuniqueness and emotionality of theexperience, in harmony with theenvironment in which the visited reality isinserted.

The agri-food company will increasinglypresent itself as an ambassador of anevolved territorial society, whoseattractiveness depends on its ability togenerate value for the tourist, for the residentand for the whole community connected to it,highlighting the ties of solidarity which it hasfortified over the years.

The ideas that bridge different environments(art, music, culture, well-being and newconnections between cities and rural areas),the communication focused on real corporatesustainability, the involvement of the visitor inthe good practices initiated by the company,and actions for social and environmentalimprovement will win. Tourists want toexperience a human relationship and connectwith people who live in a rural context.

Sustainability is an essential value in itsfull social meaning. The companies thateducate the consumers and make them partof an improvement process will win,integrating the direct experience withdigitization and adding to the well-establishedstorytelling, the innovative communicationthrough gamification, and through emotionalpodcasts.

The act of sharing appears as a new trendalso in rural hospitality on the horizon. Theworld that lived in a pandemic has acquired

world that lived in a pandemic has acquiredcooperation as a new value, favoring the birthof new human relationships and newtourist segments.

Behavior suitable to reduce environmental,social and economic impacts requiresawareness and sensitivity. Beingsustainable means taking care of yourself,loved ones, your community. Any behaviorcan generate positive spillovers which benefitthe community. Sustainability can be apowerful driver of choice. It guides people'spurchasing decisions - from primary goods totourism. It is therefore essential tocommunicate what is being done for theenvironment and the local community, sothat the consumer can choose them.Seeing sustainability as a marketing tool doesnot mean reducing it to a practice of greenwashing, of mere facade. Sustainability isrequirement (manifest or latent) for today’sconsumer. It should be seized to give you aconcrete and effective response.

Food is a connection between peoples, and ithas been an instrument of diplomacy forcenturies. Today it also acquires a socialvalue. The concept of "social gastronomy"sees food as a tool to achieve beneficialgoals.

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1THE TASTE OF VALUE

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ITALIANS ON THE ROAD

66% would be more inclined to visit an agriculturalbusiness when they get the opportunity to receiveinformation during the visit on the ethical choicesmade, from staff to breeding and cultivation methods.

64% would like to participate in experiences thatcombine food and wine with art when they visitagricultural businesses.

51% would like to have the possibility to “adoptfrom a distance” a vineyard, an olive grove, anorchard, and vinegar and receive their own final product(wine, oil, fruit, balsamic vinegar, etc.).

CareBonara: the story of a legendary recipe, Barilla and Food For SoulInternational campaign with intense and exciting storytelling to tell the origins ofthe recipe, as a union between different cultures. At the same time, thedonation of one million pasta dishes to Food For Soul, allowing consumers tosupport vulnerable people in Europe, America and Asia;

Coltivatori di EmozioniDigital Social Farming portal that allows consumers to adopt and supportfarmers with sustainable and organic production, who remain in small villagesand who are committed to promoting a more sustainable consumption ofproducts.

Borgo OfficeProject that connects smart workers with Italian farms. The people hosted stayfor free and in exchange buy the company’s products and experiences on site.

EXAMPLES

RiceHouseStartup engaged in the commercialization of rice processing waste as suitablegreen building materials;

1THE TASTE OF VALUE

The food and wine tourist is increasinglydemanding. Look for places with beauty andintegrity of the landscape, culture andtraditions, a welcoming local community, aswell as a quality food and wine offering.Search for new food, new recipes, newdishes, new experiences. They like to explore.They love to connect shopping, cultural visitsand sport to food and wine experiences.Creativity and continuous innovation willbe the mantra for companies in the sector.

Trekking through the vineyards, cycling alongthe white roads and the increasingly equippedcycle paths, interconnections with railtransport, stop traffic and travel in completefreedom. Driven by the wellbeing trend, the"active" approach of the food and winetourist is destined to grow, with benefits notonly for the organizers of innovative andassisted travel programs, but also for thetasting "pit stops" along the routes, for themanagers of bike shops and recharge pointsfor pedal-assisted bicycles (e-bikes).

A "slow" wine tourism that will gain moreand more success, thanks to the completionof the great European routes of cycle tourismsuch as the Ciclovia del Sole from Verona toBologna.

In addition to green mobility, the involvementof the food and wine tourist in thecompanies’ daily activities willincreasingly develop collective harvest, butalso sowing, pruning, milking and holidays incontact with animals as a form of pet therapy,for medium-term stays and also fordaytrippers in local tourism sites.

daytrippers in local tourism sites.

Agri-food companies can get this opportunity,in safety and with insurance policies foraccidents, through a new setting for the visitsand a viral communication via social networks(Instagram and TikTok in entertainment mode)of the activities carried out during the visits.

The safety issue will also remain central inthe medium term. The investments made toencourage visits this year will also be useful inthe future, for example, of all-round touchlesssystems.

2ACTIVE, DEMANDING,INNOVATIVE FOODAND WINE TOURIST

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Trabocchi coastBike route among the “trabocchi” of the Abruzzo coast, many of which havebeen transformed into restaurants, and the inland wineries with the organizationof related services.

Wine Tourism for Kids, “Lo Gnomo delle Vigne”, Città del VinoA comic story for children starring the "Lo Gnomo delle Vigne", which tells thestory of wine, its culture, the value of the traditions of the rural territories of theBel Paese; through 3D goggles it is possible to see the comic in three-dimensional form.

Tuscany Treasure Hunting A treasure hunt to discover the resources and beauties that the Tuscany regionhas to offer. Each of the participating teams is given a different path, includingmuseums, accommodation, restaurants and vineyards, but with common stopsto enjoy time together and strengthen the team building.

55% have made at least one trip with primarymotivation food and wine experiences in the last 3years.

66% would be more inclined to visit an agriculturalbusiness when they interact with the localcommunity, spending a day with local producers (e.g.,in the vines during the harvest, in the rice fields, etc.).

54% would like to participate in tours of vineyards,olive groves, orchards by bicycle or e-bike.

53% would like to be able to participate in playfulproposals such as escape rooms and treasure hunts inproduction companies, to discover local products andrecipes.

61% of Italian tourists define themselves as"innovative".

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EXAMPLES

2ACTIVE, DEMANDING,INNOVATIVE FOODAND WINE TOURIST

3NEVERENDINGFOOD TOURISM

The journey does not end with the journey.There is a before and an after that becomeelements of preparation, accompaniment, andindelible memory of the experience. The newtechnologies, which became familiar andusable during the pandemic, will increasinglyoffer the food and wine tourist access toresources to find stimuli, know and decide inthe phase preceding the trip and then shareexperiences on their return and increase theirloyalty to the company visited, maintaining,and strengthening the relationship over time.

In the before, with the help of digitaltechnology, the tourist will virtually visit thewineries, farms and other similar places todecide which ones are worth a direct visit.Instagram, with the take-off of Reels, will stillacquire relevance and food and wineinfluencers, with chefs at the forefront, willbecome sources of inspiration for the choiceof destination. The take-off of digital tasting,offered by the most far-sighted companies toexceed the limit of lockdowns, will establish arelationship before the visit, delivering thecompany's products directly to the virtualtourist's home and stimulating the desire for asubsequent "in presence".

The during will accelerate the change. Theactive approach of the food and wine touristwill be expressed in a new awareness of foodand its contents, which we could define asintangible: traceability, sustainability, productethics.

The visit will therefore become an educationaland communication moment on the

and communication moment on thecompany’s values, which are affirmed as oneof the reasons behind the purchase decisionsand consumer loyalty. The visit will also betransformed from a one-way moment,according to the “I speak you listen” modality,to an opportunity for comparison andexchange through practices involving thetourist in an educational and fun way(edutainment).

In the after, the tourists conquered by theexperience become ambassadors of thefarms visited, sharing with friends and familythe pictures and videos of what they saw andtasted (social effect), but also making themtaste the products purchased online andsharing the experience with a digital tastingwith a company ambassador, joining loyaltyprograms such as food/wine clubs, purchasingthe products tasted in the company thanks toe-commerce.

Neverending food tourism is a trenddestined to grow and companies andterritories that want to intercept it will haveto invest in digitalization: apps, augmentedreality, e-commerce, funnels, discounts linkedto tastings at home.

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3NEVERENDINGFOOD TOURISM

BEFORE48% of Italian tourists believed that digital tastings canbe useful before the site visit, because they help toprepare for the experience;

DURING65% of Italian tourists would be more inclined to visit aproduction company when it can receive informationduring the visit about the techniques that the companyadopt to impact less on the environment;

AFTER50% of Italian tourists believe it can be interesting toparticipate in digital tastings after the experience onsite, so that they can share with family and friends.

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Lavazza Museum, TurinAudio guide to the museum on Instagram with a radio-television speaker toguide the visitor through the exhibition itinerary.

Arigato Food Tours JapanJapanese tour operator offering digital experiences to discover the teaceremony and Japanese food and wine culture before the trip.

Campari Gallery, Sesto San Giovanni (Milan)Virtual meetings and 3D guided tours on the theme “Art and Mixology” led by anart historian of Galleria Campari and a bartender from Campari Academy.

Amazon ExploreOnline section to buy private virtual tours, with personalized and digitalexperiences and travel sessions.

EXAMPLESITALIANS ON THE ROAD

4NEW PLACES ANDNEW SPACES

Smart working will encourage the relaunchof rural tourism in a bleisure key,combining work and play. The smallvillages (whose recovery is included within the“Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza”),which will have to build network projects tocommunicate their uniqueness, will developas ideal places not only to live and workclosely with nature, but also for networkingactivities. What is better than beingimmersed in nature to make groupbusiness decisions or encourageaggregation?

Wineries and farms will be able to equipthemselves to host more events safely linkedto companies, but they have anothersignificant prospect of growth in daytimehiking, thanks to the rediscovery of proximityterritories, triggered during the pandemic dueto the restrictions of movement betweenregions. Here, for example, the growth of winebars and restaurants in wineries or smallevents for the midweek after-work.

Hotels will have to invest resources to re-equip the spaces in a multifunctional vision,for a tourism of small groups that no longerloves imposing structures; gastronomy in thehotel will be able to experience a new season. Thanks to technologies, services can beredesigned, while we will see the typicalproduct become, for example, a welcomegadget. The demand for thematic hotels andstructures that are part of the glamping trenddestined to further expansion is increasing.

In catering, the restart will benefit local cuisinerestaurants over gourmet ones, which will

restaurants over gourmet ones, which willhave to reduce their offer to contain costs inthe absence of a large part of the internationalclientele. The success of the hybrid formatsbetween in-person dining, delivery and takeaway will necessitate a review of the serviceformulas on the part of more traditionalvenues to remain in the market and offer aservice in line with the times.

Digital tastings appear as a winning formulaand will determine the need to invest intechnological tools (latest generationmicrophones, advanced cameras and spacesto be used as recording studios) bycompanies and in particular by protectionconsortia, possible new hubs for the digitalpromotion of the territories to which theybelong. The creation of gastronomic hubsin the territories, intended as informationcenters on possible activities (includingcooking classes and guided tours), will boostinbound tourism.

The return of tourism in presence will seea more aware and mature food and winetourist, in search of places and flavors’authenticity, with a significant growth potentialfor the historic premises of the cities as anobligatory stop during visits, similar to easilyaccessible monuments, as well as for thequality markets in urban centers, which willbecome more and more “caskets” of locallyproduced food and wine treasures.

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47% believe the wineries are places to holdbusiness meetings and company meetings, thanks tothe amenity and relaxing atmosphere of theenvironment.

25% would like to stay in a glamping facility duringtheir next food and wine holiday.

60% consider it interesting the possibility of findinga place that acts as an information center on foodand wine tourism in the area.

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Masseria Amastuola Wine Resort, Crispiano (Taranto)Wine resort, ancient oil mill, but also vineyards resembling sea waves and olivetrees like islands structured as if it were a painting by the landscape architectFernando Caruncho.

Ceretto, San Cassiano (Cuneo)After the union with contemporary art, the wine trekking route starts from thegarden of the three Michelin star restaurant “Piazza Duomo”, where chef EnricoCrippa goes personally every day to select and collect vegetables, herbs andflowers.

La Collina dei Ciliegi, Grezzana (Verona)Wine cellar with wine hotel and the possibility of staying in a glamping tent onthe terrace of the barrel cellar, as well as excursions on horseback or by bicycleand picnics in the vineyard.

WOW Porto, PortugalA district that gathers six museums, including The Wine Experience and TheChocolate Experience, nine restaurants, exhibition spaces, shops and a schoolentirely dedicated to wine.


EXAMPLES

4NEW PLACES ANDNEW SPACES

5WELLBEING

Cloiseterd at home, with the family or alone,we had no more excuses for not taking careof ourselves. The desire to follow a healthydiet has grown, with food that has, therefore,become a sort of "comforting good" toregain both a psychological and physicalbalance. The effect of this transformation willcontinue in the coming years, when theconsumer will become more and moredemanding and attentive, placing their dietas one of the determining factors for thechoice of an itinerary or a destination. Healthhas become today more precious than ever agood, to be protected, to be preserved, to beimproved. Holidays will increasinglybecome a central element and newpossibilities are opening for ruralbusinesses.

Agri-food companies must be able tograsp the change, strengthening everythingthat is internally linked to the values of well-being, which has become a mega trend.

An innovative way for wineries could be tocreate alternatives to tasting-only visits andtechnical explanation of the productionprocess (considered repetitive), alsohighlighting investments in sustainability andcircular economy.

The approach of those who visit the ruralareas has changed, the visit could alsobecome an opportunity to carry outregeneration activities, recover mental well-being such as yoga courses in the vineyardsand physical activities such as wine trekking.The rural environment could become the ideal

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The rural environment could become the idealscenario to be guided in a wellbeing path, withthe use of tourist routes and products toregenerate and re-program one's habits.The olive oil companies will become beautyfarms, communicating the characteristics ofthe product and the benefits of extra virginolive oil compared to lower quality oils. Thepossibility of making wine, beer and oil-basedtreatments and enjoying dedicated wellnesscenters affects half of Italian tourists and is arapidly growing trend. The farms will betransformed into iconic places for animalwelfare.

The restaurants will weave increasingly closerelationship with local suppliers, becomingtheir ambassadors communicating thetraceability of products, strategic choice toreassure customers about the quality of thedishes prepared.

The trip will become an opportunity toregenerate and reprogram one's habits; as aresult, the pristine places will be rewardedbecause, as the principles underlying theJapanese Forest Bathing state, connectionwith the natural world relieves physical andmental stress.

And the food and wine journey become theperfect combination between the curativedimension of well-being linked to food andtourism.

65% pay much attention to nutrition, because it is away to take care of themselves and to feel good;

53% would like there to be wellness centers / SPAsin olive oil companies to do oil-based treatments;

51% would like to benefit from wellness activities(e.g., massages, whirlpools, and SPAs) in thevineyards; 58% would like to find opportunities and activitiesin wineries, to regenerate and reprogram their habits,adopting a healthier lifestyle.

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5WELLBEING

EXAMPLESOlio&Benessere: alla scoperta degli effetti benefici dell'olio, ValdichianaLiving (Siena)Route between oil mills, olive groves, bike and beauty farm with oil massages;

MAPPAE ProjectTwelve tourist itineraries on the route of medicinal herbs, from basil in Liguria, tolemons on the Amalfi Coast, to almond trees in bloom in the Valley of theTemples in Agrigento or the fragrant flowers in the apple orchards in Molise.

Cantina Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Martillac (France)In addition to being a place of wine production, hotel and restaurant, it hosts awine themed SPA and offers their own line of beauty products, Caudalie. Thepomace is processed to produce cosmetics, approaching zero waste in itsproductions.

Parco del Respiro, Fai della Paganella (Trento) Forest Bathing following one of the four thematic paths to breathe the healthyair and the aromatic scents released by the beech trees.

Umbria Food Cluster - I Potti de Fratini, Piedicolle (Perugia)New project of a design oil mill that uses blockchain technology to guaranteeproduct excellence and traceability of raw materials.


Roberta Garibaldi is professor of Tourism Management

She is in the Board of Director of World Food Travel Association, in theAdvisory Board of the World Gastronomy Institute and of the Italian SocietyTourism Science (SISTUR)

Author of the Report on Gastronomy Tourism in Italy

She works on applied projects for the development of food and wine tourismdestinations and networks in Italy and worldwide

[email protected]

With the contribution of: With the patronage of:

report of gastronomy

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