PRESS RELEASE
Food & wine tourism: from hospitality managers to experience curators
A new White Paper on food and wine tourism professions has been launched to define the skills, tasks and organisational models needed by one of the fastest-growing segments of Italian tourism.
The strategic document was developed by the Italian Food & Wine Tourism Association together with Unioncamere, the National Association of Olive Oil Cities, the National Association of Wine Cities, CNA Turismo e Commercio, Coldiretti, Confartigianato Turismo, the National Council of Food Districts, the National Federation of Wine, Olive Oil and Taste Routes, and Unione Italiana Vini, with input from the Center for Higher Education and Youth Employability of the University of Bergamo.
The starting point is a segment worth more than 40 billion euro, with a significant role in employment and income distribution. Yet the report argues that Italy still lacks enough qualified professionals able to structure memorable visitor experiences and help producers integrate tourism into everyday business operations.
The research identifies five key profiles. One of the most important is the food and wine tourism product manager, a role designed for DMOs, destination bodies and consortia. This professional is responsible for building synergies across a territory, developing integrated products and connecting enterprises so visitors can enjoy coherent, high-quality experiences throughout the customer journey.
Another critical role is the hospitality manager, especially for wineries, olive mills and dairies receiving visitors. In micro-enterprises, this function is often handled directly by owners. In larger businesses, however, structured tourism units are increasingly emerging, sometimes with dedicated managers and budgets. According to the research, 82% of interviewed businesses believe this role will become even more central in the coming years.
The White Paper also highlights the need for independent food and wine tourism consultants, who can support companies on CRM, revenue management, product design and multichannel sales, as well as food and wine experience curators, professionals able to design and lead seasonal or integrated visitor experiences that connect production sites, territories and storytelling.
“Investment in these professional figures could lead to a high number of recruitments in the coming years. Companies’ intentions range from 33% to 71% depending on their size, but it is essential to define the exact skill sets and strengthen the related training pathways,” says Roberta Garibaldi, President of the Italian Food & Wine Tourism Association.
The White Paper is intended as a practical foundation for clearer role recognition, better training design and a stronger relationship between tourism, local territories and communities.
