The Interbeaujolais organisation represents 3500 wine growers and controls a budget of 6 million euros that is committed to promoting and marketing the wines of the Beaujolais (ten vintages and two appellations). It also offers its expertise to the region’s various business sectors. Top of the list are business tourism professionals, including venues such as Château de Pïzay, Château des Ravatys, Les Maritonnes, Château des Broyers, the Hameau du Vin, as well as events agencies like French Flair or La Cuisine de Fred.
“Business tourism, including seminars and incentives, is one of our wine tourism outlets, bearing in mind that 2% of the visitors that come to the region do so for a business event,” confirms Fabien Vignal, wine tourism manager for Interbeaujolais. “Using our range of promotional tools, we gather and distribute the details of relevant business tourism professionals including vineyards open to group visits, as well as hotels and restaurants that are perfect for seminar business. This type of business activity is expanding in the region, aided by the proximity of Lyon and major transport links which attract increasing numbers of interested firms. Our own members are also benefiting from the growth in this area”.
Interbeaujolais boasts a whole range of marketing tools, including some very creative ones. For example, the organisation offers the Wine Tourism Guide, a website (www.beaujolais.com), and a free iPhone app which was launched last summer with a similar Android application expected at the beginning of 2012. “We’re trying to focus on information distribution,” notes Fabien Vignal. “In order to showcase the variety offered by the Beaujolais, we use every type of information route available to us. This enables us to highlight vineyards, landscapes, heritage as well as the human factor. The Beaujolais is once again seeing some positive press and we’re conscious of not repeating past mistakes. In addition to sending out information, we also direct any requests to the various tourist offices, all of which offer a special business tourism package created by the Villefranche Tourist Office, and other suppliers”.
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