VINITALY – ANOTHER RECORD FOR INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITORS
Figures indicate 45,000 international professional operators (even better than the record attendance of 43,000 set last year) from more than 110 countries. Preliminary closing results indicate more than 150,000 visitors: with one in three international. Vinitaly expressed its solidarity with the Abruzzo Region and its exhibitors, and also confirmed its availability to promote effective action in support of the people struck by the earthquake.
Verona, 6 April 2009 – Another record for international visitors at Vinitaly. So much so that the 43rd edition has been defined by exhibitors as the most surprising and important ever.
The most important International Wine Exhibition closed today with 45,000 international operators (the absolute record for the event) compared to 43,000 last year.
Attendance was confirmed from more than 110 countries and closing data indicate an overall attendance total in excess of 150,000 visitors; There were about 4,200 exhibitors from around thirty countries, occupying a net area of 91.000 thousand square metres. Impressive figures also for journalists, with more than 2,400 from around fifty countries.
“VeronaFiere and Vinitaly,” said Luigi Castelletti, President of VeronaFiere, “express profound solidarity to producers from Abruzzo attending the event and the Abruzzo Region as a whole for the dramatic earthquake that struck their homeland. We are extremely willing to promote effective action in support of people struck by this tragedy”.
In commenting the results the event Piero Antinori – President of Marchesi Antinori and the Italian Quality Wine Major Brands Institute – said “there was excellent attendance and a great deal of interest among operators. It can safely be said that we saw an atmosphere that was far better than expected, with the sensation that Vinitaly 2009 may truly represent a turn-around in current trends”.
“Vinitaly,” said Gianni Zonin, “is increasingly establishing itself as the world landmark for wine and I am very satisfied by this edition of the exhibition. The Vinitaly World Tour also plays an important role for the internationalisation of the exhibition and to launch Italian wine-makers in new market niches.”
“Given the current situation,” said Antonio Virando, export manager at Tasca D’Almerita, “it was natural to expect a low-key Vinitaly – yet on the other hand it fully confirmed its status as a business exhibition. I saw many international operators interested in continuing investments in order to be ready when the economic recovery gets underway. As far as we are concerned, this was the best Vinitaly ever.”
An optimal summary was also expressed by Michele Bernetti of Umani Ronchi, with “very good attendance by international operators, in particular from South America, Australia, Canada, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Seoul and Japan”.
The exhibition was also positive for Castello Banfi and Enrico Viglierchio, who highlighted “optimal attendance by national and international operators, the latter in particular from Europe and Asia. There was a drop, as was to be expected, from the USA, although our main partners of course attended the appointment.”
Important, qualified and serious contacts were seen in particular with Scandinavian countries, China and even Aruba for Anna Abbona of Marchesi di Barolo. “We saw not only enthusiasm but also no requests for lower prices and discounts: this is a sign of a healthy market.”
“Even better than last year,” was the comment on this edition of Vinitaly by Jacopo Biondi Santi, who said he closed more contracts than in 2008, thanks to the very many international operators present.
“In times of economic crisis,” said Pia Donata Berlucchi of Fratelli Berlucchi, “seeing such astonishing and important attendance by Italian and international operators, importers, retailers and experts in any case experts in the wine sector was truly far beyond every forecast. Negotiations were even more surprising, since these people were ready to launch projects and innovations, with hope and optimism for the near future. An injection of entrepreneurial spirit that stimulates the intellect and a more positive approach.”
Sandro Boscaini,, President of Masi, said “Vinitaly performed very well, especially because of the evident enthusiasm and desire to overcome the crisis – that still has to be monitored but at least today we know its perimeters. The situation is perhaps not so dramatic now and we must not be frightened. Naturally, we saw a drop in attendance by operators from the ‘crisis areas’ (USA, England, Germany and Japan) but our sector still performed well. The last three years,” Boscaini commented, “have been vital for the wine business and inasmuch restructuring was in the air – but the enthusiasm at this Vinitaly was a signal that we can emerge from these difficulties stronger than ever. Over the last few years, we have lived on the borderline luxury of widespread consumption. Now consumers are beginning to say ‘It’d be nice but I can’t’, while wine holds on: a luxury where one can still say ‘It’d be nice and I can’.”
“Vinitaly can by no means cancel the general crisis,” said Fausto Peratoner, Managing Director of La Vis Cellars, “but despite this there are strong positive signals for the future of wine: from the USA and northern Europe, to countries in the East and Asia; we met buyers from these countries during the exhibition.”
This analysis continues with Emilio Pedron of GIV, who said that the crisis affecting wine more likely arises from a need to re-organise the sector rather than from the international situation.
Moreover, Antonio Motteran, Director General of Carpenè Malvolti, said “We had meetings with our importers and distributors and an encouraging general situation emerged, since – despite obvious caution over business and sales programmes – 2009 is sustainable and substantially in line with 2008. At times like these, it is much more important to follow up clients and monitor current activities every day rather than to worry about a negative general market situation, that must absolutely must not prevent the search for new ideas, new strategies and new opportunities for growth.”
“Precisely such difficult times put our convictions and our values to the test,” said Vittorio Moretti, owner of Bellavista, Contadi Castaldi and Petra (Moretti Group), “and we must be bold in moving forwards and believing in the progress and growth of the wine sector.”
“The perfect organisational machine at Vinitaly,” said Gianluca Bisol, Director General of Bisol, “managed to astonish us yet again: we hardly expected this year to meet so many professionals and such great international interest from historic markets, such as the USA, Europe and South America and especially from China, Russia and South Korea.”
Press release – VeronaFiere Press Office
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E-mail: pressoffice@veronafiere.it – www.vinitaly.com
