About Us

The Associazione Italiana Turismo Gastronomico, la Federazione Iter Vitis Itinerario Culturale del Consiglio d’Europa, l’Associazione Nazionale Città del Vino, l’Associazione Nazionale Città dell’Olio, la Federazione nazionale delle Strade del vino, dell’olio e dei sapori e Terranostra-Coldiretti have joined together to launch the Sustainable Food and Wine Tourist Charter (CarTES).

CarTES is a concrete tool that allows travelers to experience food and wine while respecting the environment, culture, and local community. The intent of this document is not simply to suggest to the tourist what should be done before, during, and after the trip, but to provide a tool that educates, promotes, and stimulates sustainable behavior by explaining the reasons and the opportunities that these changes can create for the individual, society, and the environment. The Charter discusses the increasingly evident need for sustainability in the current context by showing the initiatives undertaken at an international level on the topic of sustainability, the impacts of tourists and tourism on climate change, and the actual behavior and wishes of travelers.

For this initiative dedicated to tourists—which represents the first “piece” of a broader path—to be successful, the contribution of all actors in the supply chain is fundamental: trade associations, local authorities, companies, protection consortia, individual operators, and citizens in its dissemination and implementation. Joint action can create widespread benefits for businesses, the territory, the local community, and tourists, creating a network of awareness and collaboration that can stimulate the entire Italian agri-food and wine sector to become a reference in the tourism sector thanks to the adoption of good practices and virtuous behavior.

A project by Roberta Garibaldi, Professor of Tourism Management and Marketing at the University of Bergamo. She carries out training and research activities for food and wine and cultural tourism. She has worked for multiple ministries of tourism and international bodies (from UNWTO-World Tourism Organization to FAO). She was CEO of ENIT – National Tourism Agency during the Draghi government and Vice President of the Tourism Commission of the OECD – Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. She is a keynote speaker at the main events on the topic of tourism.

Cinzia De Marzo. Avvocato e specialista in diritto dell’Unione europea, nonché Ambasciatrice europea del Patto sul Clima. Lavora in ambito europeo come esperta di turismo sostenibile, project manager e consulenza strategica per le destinazioni turistiche e le piccole e medie imprese del settore. Già esperto nazionale distaccato presso la Commissione europea, collabora attualmente con diversi network europei ed organizzazioni internazionali operanti nel campo del turismo culturale e sostenibile.

Andrea Pozzi Membro dell’Associazione Italiana Turismo Enogastronomico. Docente a contratto di Marketing e Tourism and Hospitality Economics presso l’Università degli studi di Bergamo.

Dauro Mattia Zocchi Gastronomo ed esperto di patrimoni alimentari e gastronomici. Attualmente ricopre la posizione di Postdoc researcher presso l’Università degli studi di Bergamo.

ASSOCIAZIONE ITALIANA TURISMO ENOGASTRONOMICO

The Associazione Italiana Turismo Enogastronomico is a non-profit organization founded in 2019 by Roberta Garibaldi. In line with the indications of the World Tourism Organization-UNWTO, it promotes the role of food and wine tourism as a driver for the sustainable economic, social, and cultural development of the territories of the Bel Paese.

It undertakes applied research, dissemination, and training projects and activities.

Vision: To position Italian food and wine tourism to create added value for territories, businesses, the local community, and tourists.

Food and wine tourism represents a development lever for Italy, capable of preserving and enhancing the richness of the agri-food and wine heritage, rural landscapes, traditions, and identities. It creates new opportunities for sustainable development for all actors in the supply chain and local communities, stimulates inter- and intra-sectoral collaboration processes capable of supporting innovation, and expands the tourist offer of a territory by enriching it with value-added proposals.

Mission: The Association is committed at a national and international level to promoting the valorization of Italian food and wine tourism. Its objective is the study and understanding of a phenomenon that is increasingly relevant today at an economic, social, and cultural level in Italy and around the world. It works to raise awareness and stimulate innovation among policymakers and stakeholders in the tourism and food and wine supply chains, promoting and organizing training courses, information meetings, and debates.

It carries out support and training activities for the narration of the territories and for an experiential use of the territories in which tourists become “visitors” and “visitor-authors.” Since its inception, it has paid particular attention to young professionals through scholarships and internships. Among the Association’s initiatives is the annual drafting of the “Report on Italian Food and Wine Tourism”: the most complete and authoritative research on the sector, providing a detailed picture of this tourism segment and outlining the main trends from the perspective of demand and supply.

The Association aims to raise funds to continue research and dissemination activities, support the growth process of young people, and ensure the initiative’s sustainability over time.

www.associazioneitalianaturismoenogastronomico.it

ASSOCIAZIONE NAZIONALE CITTÀ DEL VINO

The Associazione Nazionale Città del Vino, established in Siena on 21 March 1987, is a network of municipalities with a wine-growing vocation and territorial bodies, custodians of at least one PDO and PGI. It works for their valorization and represents an ideal itinerary between towns and cities that preserve the traditions, history, and culture of wine.

The Association collaborates on sustainable development projects, with particular attention to the protection of the landscape and the layout of the territory, and to the valorization of wine production and native vines. It interacts with regional and national institutions to promote acts and regulations in support of Italian wine and wine tourism. Every year, it produces the Report of the National Wine Tourism Observatory, now in its twentieth edition.

In collaboration with the National Institute of Urban Planning, the National Association of Wine Cities carries out activities of continuous updating of the territorial and urban planning methodologies with the Master Plan of the Cities of Wine, a multidisciplinary tool consistent with the quality of the territory and the life of the community. The wine production chain is included in the broader context of policies for the protection and valorization of agricultural territory, which is implemented in planning with the municipal and inter-municipal plan capable of pursuing the integration between territory, wine production, and landscape production. From this perspective, landscape protection certainly contributes to the quality of wine territories and involves both the producer and consumer in an interactive way.

The Associazione Nazionale Città del Vino involves the member local administrations in the construction of an integrated and shared policy on food through the activation of urban policies and agendas, capable of involving trade associations, producers, processors, distributors, and traders, through the definition of targeted action strategies.

The Association organizes the Città del Vino International Wine Competition, whose spirit is to reiterate the value of the relationship between wine and territory by rewarding companies and municipalities together.

“Terre del Vino” is the official magazine of the Association, born in 2002 as an editorial evolution of “Vino&Città,” the first newsletter produced since the establishment of the Association on 21 March 1987. It promotes the associated municipalities and the wine companies that operate in their territories and tells the stories of the people who, in different capacities, are interested and operate in this fascinating world, including producers, local administrators, technicians, and various personalities of local and national culture.

www.cittadelvino.com

ASSOCIAZIONE NAZIONALE CITTÀ DELL’OLIO

The Associazione nazionale Città dell’Olio, which today has over 500 members, was founded in Larino (CB) in 1994. It brings together municipalities, provinces, chambers of commerce, LAGs (Local Action Groups) pursuant to European legislation, and parks located in territories where oils are produced that document an adequate olive-growing tradition connected to environmental, historical, and cultural values and/or fall within a Designation of Origin. To date, it has over 470 members in the 19 Italian olive-growing regions. The Association’s main tasks include disseminating the culture of the olive tree and quality olive oil; protecting and promoting the environment and the olive-growing landscape; spreading the history of olive growing; and guaranteeing the consumer through the valorization of designations of origin, organizing events, and implementing communication and marketing strategies aimed at raising awareness of the great Italian olive heritage. In the territories of the Oil Cities, there are approximately 50,000 olive-growing companies and 900 oil mills (AGEA 2019 data).

Activities and Projects

• Oil Tourism: From 1 January 2020, oil tourism became national law with the same provisions that apply to wine tourism. In recent years, our Association has contributed to the drafting of the implementing decrees.
• National Day Walk among the Olive Trees: All the Oil Cities that join the Walk organize a walk among the olive trees of their territory on the same day.
• Snack in the Olive Grove: This is a calendar of initiatives carried out in the Cities of Oil in June, aiming to give participants a more “sedentary” experience alone or in company, spending a day in the open air immersed in the olive-growing landscape.
• Oil in the Chair: An education program created in 2018, with a dedicated website where schools from the Oil Cities, elementary schools, agricultural and hotel technical institutes can participate online.
• National Register of Historic Rural Landscapes: Applications for the National Register of rural landscapes of historical interest, agricultural practices, and traditional knowledge, in which traditional rural landscapes or those of historical interest, practices, and related traditional knowledge present on the national territory are cataloged, defining their significance, integrity, and vulnerability.
• Abandoned Olive Groves and Social Agriculture: The planning of the territory through implementing tools to make olive-growing land available to agricultural companies on unused land belonging to private individuals or public bodies is a central theme for the Oil Cities.
• National Oil Tourism Competition
• Oil Capital Trieste: For 16 years, the National Association Città dell’Olio has participated in the “Olio Capitale” fair, the exhibition of typical and quality extra virgin olive oils, which takes place every March in Trieste.
• City of Oil Brand: The purpose of the collective brand is to activate, within the Oil Cities, community-building processes aimed at putting oil at the center of local development processes. These processes have the characteristics declared in the Charter of Commitments for Sustainability and Wellbeing and involve citizens in redefining the values of this important product.
• Oil List: The Carta degli Oli was created to experiment, in the restaurants present in the Italian Oil Cities, a dissemination tool capable of bringing the curiosity and interest of the connoisseur and consumer closer to the world of local and regional extra virgin olive oils.

www.cittadellolio.it

FEDERAZIONE NAZIONALE DELLE STRADE DEL VINO, DELL’OLIO E DEI SAPORI

Federazione Italiana delle Strade del Vino, dell’Olio e dei Sapori was established on 6 December 2017 with the general objective of encouraging the further growth of a strategic tourism segment for the future of the country, such as the rural, food and wine, and cultural sectors more generally.
A body of strategic importance, it is the official voice of the Roads of Wine, Oil, and Flavors of Italy, widely representative of the entrepreneurship linked to the agricultural and tourism sector of the many municipalities affected by the “Roads.” Today, they represent the point of connection between the public and private sectors operating in the territories in direct contact with thousands of farms, wineries, accommodation and reception facilities, restaurants, spas, etc.
The Wine, Oil, and Flavor Routes can be, and are in some territories, a winning model for organizing food and wine tourism—a real hospitality “hub.” But also, due to their public-private nature, they serve as a “place of listening and thinking” of territorial tourism planning in close correlation with the other subjects operating in this field. These are largely existing partnerships and territorial networks, which, in addition to being horizontal and representative of local institutions and companies, possess a considerable wealth of knowledge and human resources.
The Italian Federation is the spokesperson for the requests coming from the Roads represented, a tool for comparison and synthesis of the different territorial realities. It presents itself as an operational body for systemic and project-based actions on the issues within its competence and as a tool for liaising with the main institutional representatives for the correct governance of the sector. The themes characterizing the agreement include the exchange of good practices between the over 70 participating roads, through the sharing of information and materials deemed to be of mutual interest, carrying out educational training activities, joint participation in promotional-commercial activities, achieving high-quality standards of companies, seeking economic resources to support the activities and projects to be developed, and collaboration between the Roads, Bodies, Associations, and Consortia of the sector for the deseasonalization of tourist flows.

ITER VITIS ITINERARIO CULTURALE DEL CONSIGLIO D’EUROPA

The landscape is a primary element for the discovery of a territory and a factor of great attraction. The culture of vines and wine and the wine-growing landscape are both material and immaterial heritage of the community, essential components of the history of a territory, signs that can be read and experienced. This is the premise behind the “Iter Vitis – Les Chemins de la Vigne” Cultural Route, promoted by the European Iter Vitis Federation and certified by the Council of Europe in 2009.
The European Iter Vitis Federation is a non-profit association, born from the International Iter Vitis Association established in 2007 in Sambuca di Sicilia (province of Agrigento, Sicily), with 24 member countries. The “Iter Vitis” project aims to offer a new travel perspective, renewing and improving the offer of wine tourism through the promotion of the great varieties of European wine territories and landscapes. In particular, it focuses on:

Heritage Mapping and Conservation: Identify and preserve historic and ancient vineyards, as well as vine and wine culture, archaeological, and museum sites with a connection to viticulture.

Promotion of Research and Environmental Protection Activities: Encourage the documentation and protection of biodiversity through research and environmental protection activities.

Development of Aware and Sustainable Forms of Tourism: Promote sustainable and conscious tourism, with particular attention paid to young people.

Mapping and Conservation: One of Iter Vitis’ main initiatives is the mapping of historic vineyards and the conservation of ancient vine varieties. This process not only preserves invaluable agricultural and cultural heritage but also contributes to the valorization of local identities and the promotion of European wine diversity. The conservation of the wine heritage is essential to keep alive the traditions and knowledge linked to wine production, which have been handed down from generation to generation.

Research and Environmental Protection: The promotion of research and documentation is another fundamental pillar of the Iter Vitis mission. This includes studies on the biodiversity of vines, sustainable cultivation techniques, and innovative practices for wine production. The aim is to protect the environment and ensure that viticulture can thrive in harmony with nature. Environmental protection is crucial to maintaining the quality of wines and preserving the wine-growing landscapes that characterize European regions.

Sustainable Tourism: Iter Vitis is committed to developing conscious and sustainable forms of tourism, allowing visitors to fully appreciate the cultural and natural richness of the wine-growing territories. The project aims to involve young people, educating them on the importance of sustainability and heritage conservation. Through authentic and immersive experiences, tourists can discover the stories and traditions behind each bottle of wine, creating a deeper connection with the territories visited.

The Iter Vitis Cultural Route represents a unique opportunity to explore Europe’s winemaking heritage in a new light. By highlighting the history, culture, and landscapes linked to viticulture, the project not only enriches the tourist offer but also contributes to the conservation and enhancement of a precious heritage.

www.itervitis.eu

TERRANOSTRA-COLDIRETTI

Coldiretti is the main organization of agricultural entrepreneurs at the national and European levels. Its presence is widespread throughout the national territory: 20 regional federations, 95 inter-provincial and provincial federations, 869 area offices, and 3,576 municipal sections. In practice, it is present in almost every municipality in our country. A growing organization, led by President Ettore Prandini and General Secretary Vincenzo Gesmundo, Coldiretti has extended its representation from individual businesses to cooperatives, from the agricultural sector to the fishing sector, and from traditional agriculture to the agri-food chain with the project for an all-Italian agricultural supply chain. Additionally, with the Campagna Amica Foundation, which includes almost twenty thousand points, including farms, markets, agritourisms, shops, restaurants, and urban vegetable gardens, it forms the largest zero-kilometer network at the European level. With the new role of supply chain entrepreneurial union and the entry of big names in the agri-food sector as associated companies, Coldiretti has also promoted Filiera Italia, which for the first time sees excellent Italian agriculture and the food industry together to defend, support, and enhance Made in Italy.

Terranostra, National Association for Agritourism, the Environment, and the Territory: Terranostra, the environmentalist association of Coldiretti, aims to promote and support agritourism activities to protect and enhance the natural resources of the rural world. Its action aims to improve relationships between man and the environment, agriculture and tourism, agricultural entrepreneurs and citizen-consumers, and the rural world and the urban world. The initiatives and activities are therefore inspired by the protection of natural resources, the territory and the landscape and forestry heritage, the development of the accommodation potential of agricultural companies, the conservation, correct use, and valorization of the rural building heritage, the protection of the specificity and authenticity of agri-food and artisanal products, and the conservation of rural traditions and cultures.

Campagna Amica: Promoted by Coldiretti, the Campagna Amica Foundation was founded in 2008 to implement initiatives aimed at fully expressing the value and dignity of Italian agriculture, making clear its key role in the protection of the environment, territory, traditions and culture, health, food security, equity, access to food at a fair price, social aggregation, and work. Fondazione Campagna Amica is the ideal meeting place between the interests of farmers and those of citizens. It aims to provide answers to highly topical issues such as nutrition, tourism, ecology, health, and well-being, thus inaugurating a new lifestyle. Fondazione Campagna Amica supports Italian agriculture in the three main areas of direct sales, tourism, and eco-sustainability, and constitutes a point of reference for anyone interested in the fate of the environment and territory, the quality of consumption, and lifestyles.

Coldiretti: https://www.coldiretti.it/chi-siamo
Campagna Amica: https://www.campagnamica.it/chi-siamo/
Terranostra: https://www.campagnamica.it/terranostra/