Branding Balkan Wines in the
Context of the South-Eastern
European Wine Tourism
Dušan Jelić
www.winesofbalkans.com
[1] Introduction. An
Abstract.
• Branding Balkan Wines in
the Context of the SouthEastern European Wine
Tourism
• Creating a marketing tool
relying on synergy among
wine producers and
promoters of the regional
wines
• Linking the Balkan wine
industry with wine tourism
[2] The Balkans. A Brief
Historical Introduction.
• Balkan Peninsula extends
from the Black Sea to the
Mediterranean
• Balkan history: the rise
and fall of empires,
monarchies,
dictatorships, communistsocialist systems &
democracies
• Priority: the region is
overwhelmingly oriented
towards joining the
European Union
[3] Wines of Balkans. Indigenous vs.
International. South-Eastern Europe as a
Gastronomic Heaven.
• 1.8 million tons wine per year Balkan is 5th in the world
(2,000+ wineries in the
region’s 12 countries)
• BIWC 2012 - creation of a
powerful marketing tool which
will rely on synergy among
wine producers & promoters
from all South-Eastern
European countries
• The BIWC 2013 will host
representatives of the global
wine connoisseur elite in order
to draw the attention of the
global wine community to the
unique range of flavours that
Balkan has to offer.
[4] Principles of Wine
Tourism
•
•
•
•
•
Tourism planning: economic,
environmental, spatial,
management, social, cultural,
technological & political.
Guiding Principles: sustainable,
long-term planning and ‘public
interest’, wine and food heritage,
niche market, contribution to the
general economic, environmental,
social and cultural improvement of
the nation/region as a whole
The Wine tourism master plan
should respond to the need to be
competitive in the region
Special features or attractions are
the foundation for niche market
tourism as so-called ‘unique selling
points’.
If basic principles are neglected - a
lot of negative consequences
[5]
Interesting Points to Explore
Further
• Cellar door sale
(interesting for the
winemakers) vs. a total
experience (desired by
a tourist)
• What if wine tourism
infrastructure is nonexistent or it is poorly
developed
• National & regional
tourist bodies (often) do
not identify the wine
tourism as the top
marketing priority - the
task is to change that!
[6]
The Big Question: What
Should Be Done Now?
• Wine Tourism bodies have to
do the following:
• Accurately segment national
wine tourism destinations
• Strategically position less
well-know wine regions also
as holiday destinations
• Promotion of carefully
selected wine tourism
offerings which include
winery + cellar visits with
other top attractions in the
respective regions
• Vigorously encourage the
packaging of wine estate
visits with a diversity of
tourist experiences
[7]
•
•
•
•
•
•
Implementation of the Wine
Tourism Strategy
Leadership (top quality
management, i.e. Istria to
Dalmatia) at each level of
decision-making
Master plan should be the
outcome of an appropriate
planning process
The wine tourism strategy is
responsive to
Entrepreneurial initiative &
Partnerships involving private
enterprise - corporate or
individual, traditional
communities & the government
The various sectors of decisionmaking (corporate, individual,
traditional & governmental)
operate in a negotiated
framework.
[8]
•
•
•
•
•
Characteristics of integrated
wine tourism planning
A decision-making structure
designed to link wine tourism
with other sectors of economic
and infrastructure development
An approach which is strategic
and goal-oriented rather than
being re-active and preventative
A structure which can
accommodate inputs and
influences from the wine
tourism industry, other sectors
of government, and the affected
community
A process which is purposive
and deliberate, but which is
also flexible to adjust to
changing circumstances
A process which is guided by
principles of good management
and best practices
[9] Wine Communications &
Communicators #SocialMedia
#WineOnline (via Arto Koskelo)
• To be a wine expert is to take
a stand & to be an opinion
leader is to have opinions
• To be a wine lover is to
share your passion. The
more you share it, the more
you generate it.
• Communicate your
preferences clearly & follow
your instinct!
[10] Brief Case Studies
• #1 Istrian Peninsula,
Croatia (descriptions
from Per Karlsson of
BKWine.com)
• #2 Development of
Wine Tourism at Hvar
Island, Croatia (with
help of Paul Bradbury &
Ivana Krstulović-Carić)
• #3 Wine Tourism
Academy based in
Belgrade, Serbia (with
help of Miloš Kalapiš)