Last week, several of the Rioja Alta Wine Route’s partners travelled to the FITUR International Tourism Fair to make their presentations and make themselves known to the world public. It should be noted that responsible and sustainable food and wine tourism is the focus of the tourism strategy that the Government of La Rioja is going to implement in the coming months, seeking to attract a type of tourist who is looking for authenticity.
Taking a look at the activities of municipalities and partners of the Rioja Alta Wine Route, the Fuenmayor Town Council took the Municipal Dance Group to FITUR to show the whole world a sample of its folklore in the Exhibition Pavilion of the Government of La Rioja. During the performance there was a symbolic traditional treading of the grapes with a tasting of Fuenmayor wine by the glass. The Town Council of Cenicero, represented by its mayor, Eduardo del Campo, also attended the event to promote the town as an unmissable destination thanks to its history, its wines, its beautiful landscapes and, of course, its people. He was even encouraged to leave his mark on the murals of the Rioja stand, where the artists Larry Karlin and Carlos López Garrido painted the 31 canvases that visually depicted the cultural, historical and gastronomic heritage of the region.
Along with this municipality, the towns of Ábalos, Briones, San Asensio and San Vicente de la Sonsierra were promoted at FITUR with the proposal Cuatro paisajes, cuatro pueblos y cuatro vinos, a projection of animated 3D photographs, as well as a virtual projection of the Castle of San Vicente with 3D glasses, offering a totally immersive experience. The proposal was exhibited on Sunday at the stand of the Government of La Rioja with a great reception from the public, who were able to learn about the cultural attractions, traditions, the model of sustainability and all the tourist resources that these four municipalities have.
The Bodegas David Moreno wine tourism team took part in the fair, showcasing its unique experiences and the landscapes of the Alto Najerilla, as did Turismo Cuzcurrita, which travelled to Madrid to continue promoting this municipality, considered one of the most beautiful in Spain. The Bodegas Lecea family from San Asensio, which travelled almost in its entirety; the winery-hotel-museum, Bodegas F&A from Navarrete and the Natura Resorts accommodation in Casalarreina also travelled to FITUR 2024 to make new contacts at this unbeatable tourism showcase.
The Haro Wine Carnival was another of Rioja Alta’s tourist attractions on display in the La Rioja pavilion at FITUR. Its mayoress, Guadalupe Fernández Prado and its councillor for Tourism, Rafael García, detailed the different cultural, gastronomic and sporting activities… that take place throughout the year, and especially this Wine Carnival. A presentation packed with people, where they were able to taste the official wine of the Haro Town Council and the cheese of Lácteos Martínez, which received the Alimento de España 2023 award.
A series of actions that we at Rioja Alta consider essential to continue promoting our region in the unrivalled setting of FITUR. Here, the members of the Rioja Alta Wine Route have shown the public our quality wine tourism offer, we have shown the world that we are a land rich in gastronomic, wine tourism, natural, cultural, heritage, historical and artistic resources, and the hospitality that we boast.
In line with these attributes, the tourism strategy of the Government of La Rioja, as announced during the course of the fair, seeks to achieve three objectives: to increase the number of overnight stays, to increase spending and to deseasonalise tourism in La Rioja through tourism that reinforces its digitalisation and with which, in a coherent and sustainable manner, those who come to La Rioja have the opportunity to live the Rioja way, to recover the human dimension of time, space and personal relationships, and to enjoy our quality of life.