In the iconic Casablanca Valley, Corfo's Enotourism Chile presented the results of the National Wine Tourism Cadastre 2024The report reveals the growth and transformations of the sector, consolidating the country as a world-class wine tourism destination. This report, considered a strategic tool for the development of wine tourism, highlights key advances and challenges that project the future of this activity.
The sector has reached a record high with 219 vineyards open to tourism, representing a growth of 5% compared to 2023. This dynamism is also reflected in the renewed offer: 39% of the wine tourism areas are less than five years old, while 66% are less than ten years old, reflecting the impact of the strategies implemented by the Corfo's Enotourism Chile Programme.
In addition, the report notes a significant increase in the proportion of domestic tourists, who now account for 59% of visitors, up from 35% recorded in 2017.
"The 2024 Cadastre not only confirms the sustained growth of wine tourism, but also evidences its consolidation as a strategic area within the vineyards, for the development of the territories and the promotion of Chile as a world-class wine tourism destination," said Claudio Cilveti, president of Enoturismo Chile.
The report highlights important advances in innovation, sustainability and digitalisation. More than 70% of the wineries have integrated gastronomic experiences into their offer, while 90 wineries have sustainability certifications, consolidating their commitment to the environment. In addition, there is evidence of increased association with wine routes and wine guilds, showing a growth of 160% since 2016, strengthening collaboration between wineries and other regional tourism stakeholders.
The sector's new impetus
The post-pandemic recovery is another outstanding aspect, reaching levels of visits close to one million tourists, driven mainly by the increase in domestic visitors and the diversification of activities in natural environments, such as astro-tourism, cultural tourism and food and wine experiences.
However, challenges remain in the area of human capital, as 50% of those leading wine tourism areas lack specific training, which underlines the importance of promoting training programmes to maintain and raise the quality standards of the sector.
Verónica Pardo, Undersecretary of Tourism, emphasised the relevance of this diagnosis for the design of public policies to strengthen the sector. "Wine tourism is a key driver to diversify and enrich Chile's tourism offer, highlighting the richness of our wine heritage and its impact on the development of local economies. This diagnosis will not only allow us to identify specific opportunities and challenges in the sector, but also to design public policies that are aligned with the real needs of the territories and the actors involved".
To close the day, attendees participated in the regional winning experience of the Chile 2024 Wine Tourism Awards: "Winemaker Experience of Viña Casa ViñamarThe wine tour combined creativity, tradition and passion for wine, leaving all participants with an unforgettable experience.
The National Wine Tourism Cadastre 2024, carried out in a tripartite alliance between Enoturismo Chile, the University of Talca and the Undersecretary of Tourism, reaffirms Chile's position as a wine tourism destination of excellence, highlighting the importance of continuing to work together to strengthen the sector and project Chile's wine culture to the world and in the coming days will be available for download at www.enoturismochile.cl
