Words of institutional frameworks of tourism and wine

According to Bernard Farges, President of Bordeaux wine council, la Cité du Vin is a blessing for Bordeaux wines. However, there is no point with an ode of Bordeaux wines, each wine region will be present presented. Development of each one will be possible thanks to the oenotouristique offer proposed by la Cité du Vin. The latter was inaugurated on the 31st of May in attendance of Mayor of Bordeaux, and it has opened its doors to the public on the 1st of June.
For Stéphan Delaux, this new cultural establishment is the “expression of the town and its wine”. The cultural dimension, as well as the reputation of Bordeaux can be represented and diffused in other capitals. La Cité du Vin will be the totem that needs the city, so as Bilbao and its Guggenheim, Bordeaux will have la Cité du Vin.

Which visiting frequency can we hope for la Cité du Vin ?

Each year, 850 00 people expect to discover wine, the ambition of la Cité du Vin will be to welcome a part of these tourists. The first motivation of these wine tourists is to discover the city of Bordeaux, but also its wines.50 000 tourists could come to discover especially the city, and 50 000 could come for a trip. Nowadays, 700 châteaux welcome tourists each year in Bordeaux, and between 1000 and 1500 visitors are present for each one.
The evolution of wine tourism in Bordeaux is impressive. 10 years ago, only one wine tour was proposed, today 60 are proposed. Wine tourism seduces on lands and sea, as we can see with river cruise on the Garonne. La Cité du Vin is the entry point of the city, of la Cité du Vin and an entry point for the vineyards at the same time.

Economic benefits of la Cité du Vin are various for Bordeaux. In terms of jobs, la Cité du Vin represents, under construction, 300 direct and indirect jobs. In phase of expansion, 750 direct and indirects jobs will be created, included 250 jobs spread into : 100 classic jobs, 50 jobs for the safety and the maintenance, and 100 jobs for the business. We can expect 1300 visitors each day in la Cité du Vin. According Protourism, nowadays in Bordeaux, a visitor spends, in average, 70€ in vineyards, and 150€ for a night. Thanks to la Cité du Vin, these figures will increasing from 70€ and 150 € to 100€ and 180€ for a night.

Does being open for a vineyard mean having visitors ?

Considering the conference, and still according to Protourism, the main objective for Bordeaux is to improve groundside infrastructure, family could easily come with infrastructure progress. If the wine tourism market is a niche market, with instable economic benefits, supply creates demand in first place. The more offers are proposed by the domains, the more the demand will be stimulated. However, it’s important to not be confused between opening and benefit, it’s not because a domain is open that visitors will come by 100.