Balearic wine to be promoted at the World Travel Market in London

THE regional government is to promote wine produced in the Balearic Islands at the World Travel Market to be held on London between 8th and 11th November, Minister for Tourism and Employment Joana Barcelo said yesterday.

Barcelo was speaking yesterday to the regional Wine Producers' Committee chaired by Albert Moragues, regional Minister for the Presidents' office.
Barcelo said that the move aims to convert Balearic wine into a promotional product that is intrinsically linked with the Islands as a holiday destination.

Moragues said that the Committee would be meeting in the second week of November to assess the success of the World Travel Market in London and draw up future marketing plans for the “Fitur” Travel Fair in Madrid and a similar event - the ITB - held in Berlin.

Moragues added that the Committee will be studying ideas put forward by the Balearic government, the Island Councils and the tourist sector on how Balearic wine can best be promoted not just to visitors to the Islands but overseas in general.

He revealed that the Committee is to set up a website providing full information about the wine producing industry in the Balearics.
Moragues claimed that the promotion of regional wine at the World Travel Market in London comes at a time when wine production nationwide in Spain looks set to decline by 0.8 percent after this year's harvest, but in the Balearics forecasts are that it will increase by 18 percent.

About two thirds of the grape harvest in the Balearics, said Moragues, will be going to produce original trademark wines. He said though that more specific figures will be available at the end of November.

The Minister reported that last year nearly 4'750 hectolitres of Balearic wine were exported, an increase of 27.3 percent in comparison with 2008.
Sales increased as much in other European Union countries as they did to clients outside the 27 member states.
He added that the amount of territory in the Balearics set aside for vineyard cultivation was 1'395 hectares, 4 percent more land than in 2009.
Wine producers in the Balearics are being given Central Government subsidies to the tune of more than 85'000 euros over a 2-year period to help with promoting exports outside Europe.