Vila Real, Portugal, May 29, 2025 (Lusa) - The 2025 edition of Douro TGV - Tourism, Gastronomy and Wine Fair takes place between Thursday and Friday in Vila Real, in northern Portugal, highlighting wine tourism as a way to help diversify the activities of winegrowers in the region affected by the crisis.
“This theme of wine tourism is very important at a time when the Douro region will once again face a major crisis in the next harvest, and wine tourism could serve as an escape for the diversification of agricultural businesses,” Nuno Augusto, president of Regia Douro Park - Vila Real Science and Technology Park, which organises Douro TGV, told the Lusa news agency.
He stressed that the aim of Tourism, Gastronomy and Wine Fair, now in its seventh edition, was to create a forum for discussion associated with the major industries of the Douro - tourism, gastronomy and wine - which make up the acronym TGV (wine = vinho in Portuguese).
Nuno Augusto said that this year the event focuses on wine tourism in the Douro, a territory classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 2001.
"We will discuss everything that wine tourism can bring to the Douro. What is being done, what should be done and how the region can also diversify its activity, further accelerating wine tourism, that is, tourism associated with wine," he said.
During the initiative, best practices will be shared, the protagonists who welcome visitors on a daily basis will be heard, and a strategic debate on the future of the region as a tourist destination will be promoted.
There will also be discussion of the crisis affecting Douro producers, who fear a third consecutive harvest with difficulties in selling their grapes as a result of the drop in wine sales.
"The crisis in the Douro is a huge concern for all of us and those who have responsibilities will have to face up to them," said Nuno Augusto, who predicted a good agricultural year and "great difficulties in bringing the harvest to an end", because it may be difficult for "some producers to get their grapes to market".
He said that "wine tourism is a path to diversification", arguing that "companies should branch out their activities".
"It adds value to the basic product, which is wine, creates additional revenue from tourism and also creates heritage and enriches the region itself. With the improvement of the built heritage and the improvement of the quality of the estates, all this also helps to enhance the Douro and its product," he said.
Today, the Douro TGV offers a reflection on wine tourism and an enogastronomic dinner, where traditional flavours will be paired with the award-winning wines of the 6th edition of the Douro TGV.
On Friday, the day begins with the Douro and Trás-os-Montes Wine Competition, a blind tasting conducted by a panel of oenologists, with around 100 wines in competition.
Then, during the afternoon, there will be a tourism, gastronomy and wine exhibition, with around 70 producers, and the winners of the competition aimed at promoting the wine produced in this region will be announced.
The event will take place in the former Civil Government building in Vila Real, in the historic centre of the city.
PLI/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
