Wine as a Greek Ambassador
Professor Marianna Sigala, director of the Centre for Tourism & Leisure Management, at the University of South Australia, will present a lecture entitled “Synergizing wine and tourism: converting wine drinkers to Greek tourism ambassadors” on Thursday 10 May, at the Greek Centre, as part of the Greek History and Culture Seminars offered by the Greek Community of Melbourne.
During the last years, wine tourism has evolved to a popular lifestyle and leisure activity amongst a great variety of market segments. Wine tourism is not anymore an activity only for wine lovers. Wine tourists visit wineries to also visit, immerse themselves, experience and learn about the winescape (the natural, physical and cultural heritage resources of the wine regions). In fact, the attractiveness and the authenticity of the winescape play a more critical role in generating, driving and satisfying wine tourism demand than the provision of high-quality wine. Greece possesses a long oenological wine making tradition and a rich wine and touristic terroir tha can be valorized for achieving a unique competitive advantage and sustainable tourism development.
In this vein, the lecture analyses two major concepts (story-telling and experience design) that wineries and wine destinations can ‘exploit’ for embodying their natural, built, human and cultural/heritage resources into wine tourism experiences that satisfy demand and supply needs alike by: converting wine tourists from wine drinkers/consumers to ambassadors and lovers of the Greek culture and heritage; and building emotional, social and financial ties amongst wine tourists, wineries and local communities that in turn can generate financial, cultural and promotional social value. Two Greek case studies are used for better illustrating the applicability of these concepts.
When: Thursday, 10 May 2018, 7.00pmÂ
Where: Greek Centre, (Mezzanine, 168 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne)
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