Vinitaly - Global Business Profiles

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Business is served. Vinitaly, now at its 43rd edition (2-6 April 2009, www.vinitaly.com), confirms its international leadership year after year thanks to its capacity to create a system of initiatives and events that over time have transformed the exhibition of wines and spirits from a simple showcase into a network of contacts between trade operators. Inasmuch, competitions, tastings, internet services for B2B meetings, seminars focusing on consumers and new markets and the huge trade offering (which also includes spirits) have seen the Exhibition successfully combine business with product promotion and company training.

This range of services has made Vinitaly the top exhibition in the world with more than 4,200 exhibitors from 35 countries and 157 thousand specialist visitors, of which more than 43 thousand from 110 countries. Ever-growing demand by exhibitors is met this year by larger and optimised facilities, thanks not the least to the complete renovation of Hall 1, now fitted with 2,000 square metres of solar panels, which will be inaugurated precisely during Vinitaly. Nevertheless, the waiting list is still very long. There are many new entries this year, with important attendance even on an international scale.

Every edition also sees Vinitaly strengthen its synergy with Sol, Agrifood, Grappa Tasting and Enolitech to extend the perspectives of the sector by offering wine and extra virgin olive oil together with quality gastronomy products, top-of-the-range spirits, cellar and olive oil technology and accessories for tasting and table service.

The offering of services is sustained by the network of VeronaFiere delegates in the most important countries world-wide; while the Vinitaly World Tour - by now operative from a decade - has become an effective tool in improving the internationalisation of companies and the Made in Italy agro-foods system.

The World We Love is the concept that summarised the mission of Vinitaly 2009: wine first of all, but also quality, territory, the environment and its protection, people and human challenges.

Tasting and charity for 150 years of Gaja. "There is no better way to celebrate this anniversary than at Vinitaly" with a guided tasting by Jancis Robinson, the well-known British wine writer. So said Angelo Gaja who celebrates with this unique appointment scheduled 4 April 150 years of wine-making dedication by his family, going back to the foundation of the Cellar at Barbaresco in 1859. Participation in the tasting - which certainly ranks as one of the main events of the year all over the world - is on payment and all proceeds will be donated to charity.

Wine and gastronomy. As the meeting point between wine, food and extra-virgin olive oil, Vinitaly, Sol and Agrifood Club organise - in collaboration with internationally famous chefs - gastronomic workshops and tastings of dishes prepared using the finest ingredients in the best tradition of Italian cuisine alongside a selection of wines on show. The Great Restaurants of Vinitaly (Designer Restaurant, Signori Restaurant, Sol Goloso and Citadel of Gastronomy) complete the exhibition menu to satisfy the wine and food curiosity of even the most demanding visitors and VIP guests attending the event.

Italy of Vinitaly. This is the Vinitaly internet area dedicated to the regions in order to present - well ahead of the events themselves and for the entire following period - regional territories and related olive oil-wine produce, promotional activities and even initiatives organised on stands during Vinitaly.

This privileged showcase ensures a complete panorama of the multitude of distinctive features characterising Italian regions and their unique status in the world.

Space for wine lovers. Vinitaly For You - the eagerly-awaited collateral event for non-professional enthusiasts - has established its role in recent years as a well-defined occasion belonging to Vinitaly but "outside" the event dedicated to trade operators as such. In short, it is held in Palazzo della Gran Guardia, in the historic heart of Verona.

Wine lovers are also the topic of many of the studies and research projects commissioned by Vinitaly presented in focus meetings and seminars organised during the exhibition - since consumers are the true protagonists of the market.

International competitions and awards for protagonists in the sector in turn focus on promotion of quality and products. Vinitaly has always been characterised by its efforts and incentives to improve the quality of wines. This policy is equally achieved through the competitions held every year to reward excellence. They include the International Wine Competition (25-29 March 2009, www.vinitaly.com/concorsoenologico, the most selective in the world with only 3% of awards made out of a total of 3,500 wines entered on average), the International Packaging Competition (11 March 2009, www.vinitaly.com/concorsoenologico), set up to reward companies in their efforts to create effective image for their products through bottles, labels, corks and caps, and the Vinitaly International Award that every year acknowledges businessman or operators in the sector (media, sommeliers, winemakers etc.) particularly distinguished by their activities on behalf of the sector.

Thanks to its selectivity, the International Wine Competition by now ranks as a kind of quality mark for award winners, for whom Vinitaly is the ideal showcase and place for commercial agreements and specific promotions, such as those in Germany and Japan.

Vinitaly World Tour. A proven formula that combines attractive participation costs for companies with effective contacts: workshops, seminars, wine tastings and Gala wine&food evenings are the main initiatives proposed in the most important cities in China, Japan, the USA, India and Russia.

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