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41st edition scheduled 29 March - 2 April
Vinitaly 2007. There is also growth as regards international exhibitors.
Ffrom France thanks to promotion through Sopexa and Spain through Icex
Important new developments also for SOL - the International Exhibition of Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
 Verona: January 2007. Vinitaly has good news for the wine sector in 2007: the 41st edition of the Exhibition scheduled 29 March-2 April 2007 (www.vinitaly.com) is already fully-booked as regards exhibition space. The new 12 thousand square metre hall (7B) has been finalised in record time to join Halls 10 and 11 inaugurated during the last edition - and even if this has satisfied great demand, it was nevertheless necessary to create another waiting list!
"All exhibitors last year have re-confirmed attendance and there is equally major growth in new participation requests," said Giovanni Mantovani, Director General of VeronaFiere. "There is also growth as regards international exhibitors, from France thanks to promotion through Sopexa and Spain through Icex, alongside confirmed institutional attendance by Hungary and California, as well as producers from Argentina, Chile and - for the first time - from India."
"We can already claim," Mantovani went on "that the record of 4,200 exhibitors at the 40th edition has been bettered."
And it is precisely such massive and constantly growing demand by exhibitors that consolidates the central role on the world wine scene of the International Wine and Spirits Exhibition in Verona. Major efforts have been over the years to provide operators (producers, buyers, retailers, restaurateurs/caterers) all over the world an event that always keeps up-to-date and meets their constantly changing requirements.
Once again, there are many innovations this year in an intense calendar of meetings for buyers, companies and enthusiasts.
"Taste Italy" is a pilot project occupying an area of 500 square metres involving professional 'sommeliers' as a new approach to organising exhibition events. It targets selected professional operators by focusing on representative Italian wines in terms of brand reputation and the quality/price ratio chosen by restaurateurs/caterers, wine store owners, cash and carry operators - all professional figures with a close eye on market demand.
The International Wine Competition now celebrates its 15th edition (VeronaFiere, 21/25 March 2007). The competition is known as the most popular and selective in the world - and in 2006 welcomed 3,482 wines from 30 countries. In order to improve the commercial visibility of wines and companies winning awards, the Competition increasingly embraces promotion and commercialisation to become a full-scale "quality mark".
In particular, the Company winning the Italy section will have 15 days of free promotion within Spazio Italia, the area managed by Air Dolomiti / Lufthansa at Munich International Airport; while, thanks to Vinitaly Tour (that travels every year to China, India, Japan, Russia and the United States of America), the ISETAN distribution chain will set up at its points of sale in Japan a corner highlighting the wines winning awards at the Wine Competition.
The International Packaging Competition (VeronaFiere, 12 March 2007) also and increasingly focuses on becoming a tool for promotion and commercialisation - and in 2007 welcomes not only wine and wine-based spirits but also liqueurs.
Important new developments also for SOL - the International Exhibition of Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The exhibition has already achieved its objective of promoting products among consumers and in 2007 will have a stronger focus on business to meet the specific demand expressed by companies.
Since SOL is held alongside Vinitaly, the target is absolutely professional and international: a survey of Italian and international visitors at the end of the last edition (144,039 from 101 countries) produced a very significant result: more than 50% visited the Exhibition and stated interest in quality olive oil.
The first absolute innovation - probably the most eagerly-awaited and rewarding for companies - is the new position in the Exhibition Centre. The truly central Tenso C facility (also home to the San Pellegrino area) opposite the San Zeno entrance will host the event: a dedicated, very visible and immediately identifiable hall.
"We will extend to companies taking part at SOL all the possibilities of business to business matching over Internet with pre-registered operators in order to prepare appointment agendas prior to the event itself - a service already tested with huge success for Vinitaly," said Flavio Piva, co-Director General and Market Director at VeronaFiere. “We will ensure a B2B focus on all the main themes of interest in the sector to ensure awareness by everyone involved through to end consumers - who must always be better informed, aware and attentive. Lastly, SOL will also host the meeting and events area dedicated to Haute Cuisine, precisely because Restaurants and Catering are the link-pin between the worlds of wine and olive oil."
The offering for wine and olive oil value chains is completed, alongside Vinitaly and Sol by the traditional and highly successful ENOLITECH event, the International Exhibition of Wine and Olive Technologies now celebrating its 10th edition. Innovative technology for production and sales, art and design for Cellar and Olive Mills, ergonomic and latest generation accessories find within the scope of this exhibition their ideal meeting place, giving life to an event that embraces the most important and innovative producer companies.
Vinitaly is by no means simply waiting for March to come around. After success in every country visited during 2006, all the stages of the Vinitaly Tour have been confirmed. January starts with India, a country ensurign huge potential in terms of consumption and production. The tour then travels to Russia (May), USA (October), Japan and China (November) to pursue the activity of Vinitaly as in integrated system promoting wine worldwide and supporting the internationalisation of small-medium Italian companies 365 days a year.
www.vinitaly.com
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