Italy witnesses 10-15 Indian weddings every year
Rituparna Chatterjee – Mumbai
According to a report by the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), the global wine production is estimated to have increased by two per cent in 2015 with Italy once again being named as the world’s biggest producer having increased its volumes by 10 per cent. Because of this reputation of being the world’s biggest wine producer, Italy has been receiving an increasing interest for wine tourism from India. For instance, the Consulate General of Italy in Mumbai has been issuing 200-250 visas only for wine tourism every year. Elaborating on this trend, Ugo Ciarlatani, consul general, Consulate General of Italy in Mumbai stated, “The quality of wines in Italy has improved over the years as compared to what they were 40-50 years ago. We have been issuing around 200-250 visas only for wine tourism every year. Though this number represents less than one per cent of around 60,000 visas issued by us annually, it is still significant in a market like India and is growing steadily.”
The high-end segment (usually groups of 20-25 pax) are opting for the wine tourism experience in Italy. Tuscany is the most preferred region followed by Florence. “Many new wine regions are also being discovered like Piedmont. I have also seen some trips being organised to Sicily and Puglia. Every year people are opting for a different wine region and are staying mostly in bed and breakfast vineyards. Because of this demand, now every restaurant in Italy is serving Italian wines,” added Ciarlatani.
In addition, Italy (especially Tuscany) is also witnessing an increasing number of Indian weddings because of its wine and shopping experience, rich culture, the Ferrari and Lamborghini factories, among others. He opined, “We had our first big Indian wedding in Puglia two years ago. Since then we have been witnessing 10-15 weddings per year. We are also having an Indian wedding at the end of November where 700 guests are expected. Post the wedding, the guests will be going to the Marchesi di Barolo wine cellars.”