In just a few weeks, wine and tourism experts from all corners of the world will gather in Mikulov, where the prestigious International Wine Tourism Conference IWINETC 2025 (International Wine Tourism Conference) will take place for the first time in the history of the Czech Republic.
The most important wine event of the year in the heart of Europe
The IWINETC 2025 will take place on 26-27 March. It is one of the world's most important events focused on wine tourism. Each year, it is attended by over 200 professionals from 45 countries who meet to share experiences, establish new business contacts and get the latest information on trends in the wine and tourism industry.
„The fact that IWINETC is taking place this year in Mikulov is a great opportunity to show the world that Czechia is not only a country of beer but also a destination offering unique wine and experiences connected to it. We believe that this prestigious event will strengthen Czechia’s image as an attractive place for wine tourism and help attract even more visitors," says František Reismüller, Director of the Czech Tourist Authority – CzechTourism, adding: "Wine tourism plays a key role in the development of domestic tourism. We can clearly see this in countries like Italy and France, where local producers offer around 400 wine tours and tastings per 1 million inhabitants annually. Close behind them in this regard are Australia, Portugal, and South Africa. Czechia can draw inspiration particularly from Portugal’s experience, as this country has systematically focused on developing wine tourism as one of its priority attractions for international visitors in recent years. The data show that Portugal has been successfully establishing itself among the world’s leading destinations for this type of tourism."
"South Moravia is the heart of Czech winemaking, and Mikulov is its icon. I believe that thanks to the IWINETC conference, we will present the entire region to international experts, and they will leave with the realization that even in South Moravia, we are capable of producing world-class wine. This is a unique opportunity for us and our partners to showcase this region as an excellent wine destination beyond our borders," adds Martina Grůzová, Director of the 's leading destinations type tourism.“< em>
„South Moravia is the heart of the Czech wine industry and Mikulov is its icon. I believe that thanks to the IWINETC conference, we will introduce the whole region's offer to experts from abroad and they will come away knowing that we can produce world-class wine in South Moravia too. This is a unique opportunity for us and our partners to make this region a great wine destination even abroad, adds Director of .
The conference has been held since 2009. It brings together professionals, including tour operators and media representatives focused on wine tourism and food travel. It has three main objectives: to offer cutting-edge educational opportunities through plenary sessions and panel discussions with experts, to provide a venue for business meetings and networking during formal and informal events. It offers the opportunity to present to professionals and journalists from all over the world the Czech Republic as a top destination for this type of tourism, including gastronomy, which is intrinsically linked to wine. The icing on the cake are excursions to wineries or other interesting places associated with wine tourism.
This year's edition will offer lectures, panel discussions and a large tasting of Czech wines and a B2B workshop. Attendees can also look forward to exhibition stands where, in addition to the wine destinations of Czechia, representatives of several domestic winemakers and wineries associations will be present. And since IWINETC is an international event, participants can also look forward to international stands. The conference will be followed by media trips and several specialized fam trips around the wine regions of South Moravia, Central Bohemia and Ustecký regions.
Wine travel in Czechia is gaining popularity
Wine tourism in Czechia continues to experience dynamic growth and is attracting more and more visitors from abroad. Domestically, wine and the culture associated with it are among the main drivers, especially in southern Moravia. The local vineyards combine traditional craftsmanship with modern gastronomic trends. However, the beauty of wine travelling can be experienced not only in Moravia, but also in Bohemia, for example in Mělnice, Litoměřice and Velke Žernosky in Ústí nad Labem. The capital city also offers wine experiences, where lovers of this drink can visit, for example, St. Clare's Vineyard in Troja or vineyards at Prague Castle. Among the most popular wine events are visits to local wine exhibitions, wine harvests, open cellar events, or combining wine tasting with gastronomy and music.
The most popular wine destinations in the country include the aforementioned South Moravia, especially the Mikulov wine sub-region or Velkopavlovice sub-region. Last year, almost 26% of domestic and nearly 42% of foreign visitors to the region chose to enjoy the local climate through their palates in the form of gastronomic experiences or wine consumption. This compares to 27% of residents and nearly 43% of foreigners in 2023, less than 12% of locals and 24.5% of foreigners a year earlier, and over 29% of domestic and 41% of foreign travellers in 2019. Another destination famous for its wine history and also for its annual historic wine harvest is Znojmo, which attracts thousands of visitors.
In general, all domestic wine regions are known not only for their wineries and traditional events such as vintage festivals and wine festivals, but tourists are looking for authentic experiences, visiting traditional cellars and modern wineries, tasting local wine or coming for walks through picturesque vineyards.
Visitor profile of wine regions
Domestic wine regions are mainly visited by domestic tourists, especially from big cities such as Prague, Brno and Ostrava. They are mainly looking for weekend and short stays associated with wine tastings, wine events and visits to wine cellars.
„It is still the case that the Czech consumer indulges in wine in conjunction with a meal on a special or festive occasion rather than with a regular lunch. The French, for example, are famous for this. At the same time, however, we can say that the popularity of consuming wine during barbecues is increasing," says Project ManagerNational Wine Centre Patrik Kubát and adds: "He is looking for inspiration to discover new wines, varieties and wineries. The uniqueness of some wine-growing villages, cellar alleys or the cellars themselves present an amazing genius loci that has not been discovered by many until now.”
What consumers appreciate most about local wine is the fact that it is an integral part of the national tradition, has a unique taste, is varied and diverse. Foreign tourists appreciate the high quality of Czech wines, the hospitality and authenticity of the wine experience and the traditions associated with it.
According to research by the Wine Fund, 55% of Czech consumers are currently more likely to reach for a particular variety of white wine, while for the remaining 45% the colour of the wine is not decisive.
„We have been supporting wine tourism for a long time, and we are obliged to do so by law. Every year, for example, we prepare a calendar of wine events, of which there are hundreds, we publish wine maps and participate in other projects. Therefore, we were happy to support the IWINETC conference because our wine regions can offer extraordinary experiences and we are happy to present them abroad in this way," says director of Wine Fund Zbyněk Vičar.
Wine tourism is not only a way to promote domestic wines, but also an important economic factor for regions. Studies show that visitors to wine destinations often spend above average amounts on accommodation, gastronomy and accompanying activities.
For example, in 2024, foreign visitors accounted for up to 30% of the clientele of some Moravian wineries, with the most frequent visitors coming from Slovakia, Austria, Germany and Poland. This trend confirms that a quality wine offer can be a significant attraction for travellers even outside the main tourist season.
The IWINETC 2025 will take place on 26-27 March. It is one of the world's most important events focused on wine tourism. Each year, it is attended by over 200 professionals from 45 countries who meet to share experiences, establish new business contacts and get the latest information on trends in the wine and tourism industry.
„The fact that IWINETC is taking place this year in Mikulov is a great opportunity to show the world that Czechia is not only a country of beer but also a destination offering unique wine and experiences connected to it. We believe that this prestigious event will strengthen Czechia’s image as an attractive place for wine tourism and help attract even more visitors," says František Reismüller, Director of the Czech Tourist Authority – CzechTourism, adding: "Wine tourism plays a key role in the development of domestic tourism. We can clearly see this in countries like Italy and France, where local producers offer around 400 wine tours and tastings per 1 million inhabitants annually. Close behind them in this regard are Australia, Portugal, and South Africa. Czechia can draw inspiration particularly from Portugal’s experience, as this country has systematically focused on developing wine tourism as one of its priority attractions for international visitors in recent years. The data show that Portugal has been successfully establishing itself among the world’s leading destinations for this type of tourism."
"South Moravia is the heart of Czech winemaking, and Mikulov is its icon. I believe that thanks to the IWINETC conference, we will present the entire region to international experts, and they will leave with the realization that even in South Moravia, we are capable of producing world-class wine. This is a unique opportunity for us and our partners to showcase this region as an excellent wine destination beyond our borders," adds Martina Grůzová, Director of the 's leading destinations type tourism.“< em>
„South Moravia is the heart of the Czech wine industry and Mikulov is its icon. I believe that thanks to the IWINETC conference, we will introduce the whole region's offer to experts from abroad and they will come away knowing that we can produce world-class wine in South Moravia too. This is a unique opportunity for us and our partners to make this region a great wine destination even abroad, adds Director of .
The conference has been held since 2009. It brings together professionals, including tour operators and media representatives focused on wine tourism and food travel. It has three main objectives: to offer cutting-edge educational opportunities through plenary sessions and panel discussions with experts, to provide a venue for business meetings and networking during formal and informal events. It offers the opportunity to present to professionals and journalists from all over the world the Czech Republic as a top destination for this type of tourism, including gastronomy, which is intrinsically linked to wine. The icing on the cake are excursions to wineries or other interesting places associated with wine tourism.
This year's edition will offer lectures, panel discussions and a large tasting of Czech wines and a B2B workshop. Attendees can also look forward to exhibition stands where, in addition to the wine destinations of Czechia, representatives of several domestic winemakers and wineries associations will be present. And since IWINETC is an international event, participants can also look forward to international stands. The conference will be followed by media trips and several specialized fam trips around the wine regions of South Moravia, Central Bohemia and Ustecký regions.
Wine travel in Czechia is gaining popularity
Wine tourism in Czechia continues to experience dynamic growth and is attracting more and more visitors from abroad. Domestically, wine and the culture associated with it are among the main drivers, especially in southern Moravia. The local vineyards combine traditional craftsmanship with modern gastronomic trends. However, the beauty of wine travelling can be experienced not only in Moravia, but also in Bohemia, for example in Mělnice, Litoměřice and Velke Žernosky in Ústí nad Labem. The capital city also offers wine experiences, where lovers of this drink can visit, for example, St. Clare's Vineyard in Troja or vineyards at Prague Castle. Among the most popular wine events are visits to local wine exhibitions, wine harvests, open cellar events, or combining wine tasting with gastronomy and music.
The most popular wine destinations in the country include the aforementioned South Moravia, especially the Mikulov wine sub-region or Velkopavlovice sub-region. Last year, almost 26% of domestic and nearly 42% of foreign visitors to the region chose to enjoy the local climate through their palates in the form of gastronomic experiences or wine consumption. This compares to 27% of residents and nearly 43% of foreigners in 2023, less than 12% of locals and 24.5% of foreigners a year earlier, and over 29% of domestic and 41% of foreign travellers in 2019. Another destination famous for its wine history and also for its annual historic wine harvest is Znojmo, which attracts thousands of visitors.
In general, all domestic wine regions are known not only for their wineries and traditional events such as vintage festivals and wine festivals, but tourists are looking for authentic experiences, visiting traditional cellars and modern wineries, tasting local wine or coming for walks through picturesque vineyards.
Visitor profile of wine regions
Domestic wine regions are mainly visited by domestic tourists, especially from big cities such as Prague, Brno and Ostrava. They are mainly looking for weekend and short stays associated with wine tastings, wine events and visits to wine cellars.
„It is still the case that the Czech consumer indulges in wine in conjunction with a meal on a special or festive occasion rather than with a regular lunch. The French, for example, are famous for this. At the same time, however, we can say that the popularity of consuming wine during barbecues is increasing," says Project ManagerNational Wine Centre Patrik Kubát and adds: "He is looking for inspiration to discover new wines, varieties and wineries. The uniqueness of some wine-growing villages, cellar alleys or the cellars themselves present an amazing genius loci that has not been discovered by many until now.”
What consumers appreciate most about local wine is the fact that it is an integral part of the national tradition, has a unique taste, is varied and diverse. Foreign tourists appreciate the high quality of Czech wines, the hospitality and authenticity of the wine experience and the traditions associated with it.
According to research by the Wine Fund, 55% of Czech consumers are currently more likely to reach for a particular variety of white wine, while for the remaining 45% the colour of the wine is not decisive.
„We have been supporting wine tourism for a long time, and we are obliged to do so by law. Every year, for example, we prepare a calendar of wine events, of which there are hundreds, we publish wine maps and participate in other projects. Therefore, we were happy to support the IWINETC conference because our wine regions can offer extraordinary experiences and we are happy to present them abroad in this way," says director of Wine Fund Zbyněk Vičar.
Wine tourism is not only a way to promote domestic wines, but also an important economic factor for regions. Studies show that visitors to wine destinations often spend above average amounts on accommodation, gastronomy and accompanying activities.
For example, in 2024, foreign visitors accounted for up to 30% of the clientele of some Moravian wineries, with the most frequent visitors coming from Slovakia, Austria, Germany and Poland. This trend confirms that a quality wine offer can be a significant attraction for travellers even outside the main tourist season.
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