UN Tourism's Global Conference on Wine Tourism highlights the value of culture

From 6 to 7 October 2025, the city of Plovdiv, Bulgaria, hosted the 9th UN Tourism Global Conference on Wine Tourism, under the theme "The Art of Wine Tourism." The event highlighted the close relationship between wine, culture, and art, and their potential to promote local development and tourism diversification.

With the participation of government authorities, representatives from the wine industry, academic experts, and tourism professionals, the event established itself as a key space for the exchange of experiences and public policies aimed at strengthening wine tourism as an economic and cultural driver.

During the opening ceremony, UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili emphasized that “wine tourism is not just about tasting, but about celebrating the culture, art, and identity that each region expresses through its wine.”

For his part, Miroslav Borshosh, Bulgaria's Minister of Tourism, emphasized that "wine is culture, history, and identity; combining it with tourism allows us to tell the story of Bulgaria in a modern and engaging way."

Highlights of the meeting:

Wine and Cultural Heritage: Emphasis was placed on the role of wine as an expression of local identity and the intangible heritage of the territories.

Innovation and creative experiences: New trends in wine tourism were presented, combining gastronomy, art, and technology to enrich the visitor experience.

Sustainable development and inclusion: Wine tourism was addressed as a tool to generate employment, strengthen rural communities, and promote responsible practices.

Public-private coordination: The need to coordinate efforts between governments, wineries, and tourism stakeholders to design comprehensive strategies to strengthen the sector was highlighted.

Projection for Latin America

The conference's message resonates especially in Latin America, where wine-producing regions such as Mendoza (Argentina), the Colchagua Valley (Chile), and the Guadalupe Valley (Mexico) already combine wine, culture, and landscape as part of their tourism offerings. UN Tourism's vision reinforces the importance of continuing to develop products that integrate sustainability, authenticity, and immersive experiences.

Source: UN Tourism