Regional Institute of Wine and Oil

IRVO at Palermo's BTE: a growth opportunity for wine and olive oil tourism

November 15th and 16th the Regional Institute of Wine and Oil (IRVO) took part in the conference of the Extra-Hotel Tourism Exchange (BTE), held in Palermo and dedicated to dialogue between tourism industry operators and institutions. The presence of the Institute, as the regional reference body for the wine and olive oil sector, confirmed IRVO's strategic role in the development of food and wine tourism in Sicily.

The event proposed a seminar program and moments of reflection dedicated to the main themes of the experiential tourism, with particular attention to the promotion of Sicilian territories, safety, and accessibility of destinations. IRVO contributed to the dialogue with its technical and institutional perspective for the seminar. “A look at tourism, wine and community.”

The conference proved to be a moment of discussion and sharing between institutions, operators and professionals of the sector, who confirm the importance of wine and oil tourism as levers of territorial and cultural development. 

In this regard, the IRVO Director intervened Vito Bentivegna, which has retraced the importance of the research activities supported by the Institute to ensure sustainable wine tourism. "IRVO is committed to research through projects developed in collaboration with universities and centers of excellence such as CREA, to develop sustainable practices in viticulture and olive growing in the face of climate change. Research is essential to ensure that vines and olive trees remain resilient to environmental challenges and can continue to be two important pillars of tourism in our region." 

Another central role was attributed to the promotional activities curated by IRVO, which has been working for years to promote the culture of wine and oil as tools of territorial identity and tourist attraction. 

"Wine must be promoted culturally: because it unites communities, stimulates dialogue, and brings tourism development to our region. For this reason, in January we launched Essentia, and this season we launched Autunno in Cantina, another event that brought together enthusiasts and visitors in a journey of discovery of the communal value of local wine. Our goal is to renew these projects for the coming year," concluded Bentivegna.

The BTE meeting in Palermo represented a significant opportunity for institutions and local communities to listen and discuss their concerns. During this meeting, IRVO renewed its intention to consolidate future projects in the sector and promote wine and olive oil as cultural and tourism resources for Sicily.

Interview with director Vito Bentivegna: https://youtu.be/buHoX2OJia4?si=S2mhRDVNQ71SKxOC