The 48th edition of the event closes today - the next event is scheduled 22-25 March 2015
PRIME MINISTER MATTEO RENZI VISITS VINITALY
AND LAUNCHES WINE EXPORT CHALLENGE: +50% BY 2020
MORE THAN 155,000 VISITORS (+6%) - INTERNATIONAL ATTENDANCE 36% OF TOTAL
Verona 9 April 2014. For the first time ever, a Prime Minister has visited Vinitaly: Matteo Renzi travelled to Verona for the last day of the International Wine and Spirits Exhibition, held alongside Sol&Agrifood (Exhibition of Quality Agro-Foods) and Enolitech, the Wine-Growing and Olive-Growing Technology Exhibition.
The event confirmed its leadership as the main landmark for the international wine business, with a 6% increase in visitors for a total attendance of 155,000 people over the 4 days of the event. There was also impressive growth in numbers and quality of foreign buyers, up to 56,000 compared to about 53,000 in 2013, by now representing 36% of the total.
Vinitaly saw Prime Minister Renzi launch the objective of a +50% increase in wine exports by 2020 and announced an 18-point simplification plan for agriculture alongside support for agricultural enterprises and young people. "We have created a special hashtag - "#campolibero" - which will go on-line in the afternoon through the website of the Ministry of Agriculture. It will remain on-line until 30 April for comments and by 15 May there will be a major investment undertaking focusing on these two topics."
"The Government is doing a great deal for wine," said Ettore Riello, President of Veronafiere, during the meeting with Renzi, "and the appointment we received from Minister of Agriculture Maurizio Martina on the opening day of Vinitaly concerning the implementation and management of the Wine Pavilion at Expo Milano 2015 is important because it acknowledges that Veronafiere and Vinitaly play a central role in the promotion of Italian wine world-wide."
"Attendance by international buyers at Vinitaly has seen constant growth over the years," said Giovanni Mantovani, CEO of Veronafiere , "and clearly demonstrates the central status of our event for professional operators from all over the world. With international attendance of 56,000 people this year out of a total of 155,000, international buyers now represent 36% of total. The top ten this year saw Germany take top place, barely ahead of the United States; then came Great Britain, Canada, Russia, Switzerland, Asia with Singapore, Hong Kong and China, France in seventh place, Austria and Japan. Eleventh place went to Scandinavian countries with Denmark, Sweden and Norway."
"On the eve of EXPO that we are already preparing with all the other players involved in the project," saidRiello, "we cannot but express our deep and sincere gratitude for the support we have received at the highest institutional levels. Another evident sign of this close attention was impressive involvement at the 48th edition by the President of the European Parliament Agriculture Commission, Paolo De Castro, the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Giuliano Poletti, the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Policies, Maurizio Martina, the Minister of the Interior, Angelino Alfano, and Under-secretary of State, Giuseppe Castiglione. Minister Martina, in particular, not only attended the exhibition every day but, with all his staff, helped bring topics and events of great significance for the sector to Vinitaly - further confirmation of the effective support of the Ministry for the real needs of the wine field."
The appointment with the 49th edition of Vinitaly is scheduled at Veronafiere 22-25 March 2015.
