Wine tourism associations as social interlocutors

By project RuralGrowth

Published on 11 February 2022

Spain

Castilla y León

About this good practice

The Rueda Wine Route itself has been spokespersons for the business community, non-profit organizations and municipalities in their territory, before the public administration responsible for managing the COVID19 crisis, in terms of tourism, hospitality and visitor economy.
The initiative begins in March 2020. From the beginning, the Wine Route begins to work to collect information, investigate, analyze the situation and be able to provide all the information to its partners.

In this sense, it works from an internal point of view, with its technicians, gathering information from its partners on the general situation in Spain, in its region, in other places, etc.

Likewise, it works in collaboration with other wine routes, and contacts other public administrations to obtain information and even propose support measures. In this sense, proposals are made to the Province of Valladolid to launch online courses and other support measures. The different administrations are also advised on possible support measures for companies.

It also works to communicate with other wine routes and also works closely with other public administrations at the regional and national level.

The Rueda Wine Route acts as an interlocutor between its partners, the needs of the territory and the public administration.

Resources needed

This good practice has been based on the human resources of the route and its own resources. It was based on the collaboration amon local and regional stakeholders in order to create an association that works in a common benefit.

Evidence of success

The quickest impact was that as information is provided to Wine Route partners, partners adapt to that information;
The Rueda Wine Route launched online participation channels for its partners in which there has been high participation. Regarding surveys, 60% of the members responded. Regarding the problems and questions raised, more than 60% of the members have raised doubts;
The Wine Route provided specific information to entities that otherwise would not have accessed to it.

Potential for learning or transfer

This experience highlights the role of associations and networking. In the first place, the associationism in tourist destinations, as a strategy to unify interests and join forces when negotiating or interacting with the public administration at different scales. In addition, as a strategy to give representation to less represented sectors such as, in this case, wineries, food stores, etc.

This practice count on a high potential of transfer as the networking and collaboration was the main scope of its phylosophy. Different stakeholders can work together on a common branding, chosing a common resource and work together to offer a joint offer of tourism. All of them, can join and create and association to structure that collaboration and provide high quality services for a common tourism promotion.