So what’s all this Wine Marketing and Tourism about? Here’s the full agenda.
Here are some of my highlights from today’s sessions.
Conference Keynote Speaker Caroline Beteta serves as President & CEO of Visit California. She keynoted the first-ever Wine Marketing & Tourism Conference and was the highest-rated keynote speaker ever. We could all see why!
I appreciated three points she made:
- California is for ALL dreamers — check out the heartwarming video linked to below
- the wine industry is a key experience for 54 million visitors to California
- when we promote the wine industry, we promote the state
I LOVE THIS VIDEO AND THIS MESSAGE! They are trying to counter the current administrations racist message and encourage people from other countries to visit and make sure there know AL DREAMERS ARE WELCOME (in California at least!)
In the PR Expert’s View of the Wine World, we heard from some of the top Public Relations professionals in the wine industry about their predictions as to where PR, wine marketing, and wine tourism are headed. Our panelists include long-time wine industry veterans Jeremy Benson, Mark Chandler, Mike Dawson, and Kimberly Charles.
Rethinking the Wine Consumer points out that in the wine industry there’s “a hyper-focus on the product and virtually no focus on consumers” which means the wine and hospitality industries miss out on how to understand, engage, and communicate with consumers says Tim Hanni, MW, of myVinotype.
How to offer exquisite hospitality — no matter where you are inviting someone to enjoy and experience wine:
- Get to know your guests!
- Watch out for arrogance and intimidation; we need to embrace and cultivate all wine consumers.
- Disenfranchising certain consumers neglects them.
- Need to represent and RESPECT personal preferences and price points.
- Vinotypes determine food and wine preferences and expectations.
- Listen and find out what people love, hate, and want
- Learn about Vinotypes
- and you will likely apologize to some of the people you’ve been making fun of…
- Don’t worry so much about pairing food and wine!
- and get happy guests not unhappy ghosts!
Shhhh: Next year I heard a rumor that the Wine Marketing and Tourism Conference will be back in Santa Rosa but at the cozy, groovy Flamingo Hotel!
Next to get a Merlot Day post up! Because YES today is Merlot Day and we said a lot of #MERLOTME this month!
wine predator.............. gwendolyn alley 