The project ” The network of wine tourism – Wine ” lasted for two years, began on 01 March 2013 and was completed on 28 February 2015. During this period, all planned project activities were implemented.
Project was implemented by grant beneficiaries Regional Development Agency of Dubrovnik-Neretva County, DUNEA (with partners in Croatia – Dubrovnik-Neretva County and the Association of winemakers of Dubrovnik-Neretva County) and Tourist Organization of Cetinje (with partners in Montenegro – Old Royal Capital Cetinje and National Association of winegrowers and winemakers of Montenegro).
Financial data: The total project value is € 473,880.26, of which the amount of grant of the European Union is € 400,317.03. The total value of the project in Montenegro is € 225,761.89, of which the amount of grant of the European Union is € 191,897.60. The total value of the project in Croatia is € 248,118.37, of which the amount of grant of the European Union is € 208,419.43.
Organizations of the regional wine festival Dubrovnik FestiWine (24-25 April 2014) and event Riječka noć on 13 July 2014 as well as adaptation of the Wine House in Cetinje and Wine museum in Pelješac are the most important projects activities. The Festival brought more than 60 winemakers from Dubrovnik-Neretva County and Montenegro, and it is presented almost 200 wines. Visitors were population from projects area and numerous tourists. On the final evening, at the end of the exhibition of wine was declared winners of FestiWine Dubrovnik 2014. Wine tourism offer and wine producers in all cross border regions were promoted as new tourism offer – wine tourism in cross border regions.
In Montenegro as part of the event Riječka noć was Wine Festival in Rijeka Crnojevića on 13 July 2014 financed within this project, with exhibition of wine produced mainly from Cetinje area, but also from different parts of Montenegro on 10 stands, as well as a selection of the best wines evaluated by jury consisting 3 experts. About 23000 participants visited event.
Wine House in Cetinje is a gathering place for events, education and exhibition of wine producers in Montenegro. Reconstruction of previous ruined building and procurement of related furniture and various equipment and placement of signalization for Wine house in Cetinje was concluded with ceremonial opening of Wine house on 30 June 2014. 18 partnership agreements are signed with the wine growers from Cetinje and from neighbouring municipalities Bar, Ucinj and Podgorica for selling 47 different brands of Montenegrin wines. 21 protocols were signed on cooperation with tourist agencies, hotels and tourist organizations on exclusive offer of wine tasting in Wine house in Cetinje. Two persons are employed for work in Wine house. On request of the EUD Montenegro, TO Cetinje has prepared management and financial plan for sustainable management of Wine house by the beneficiary TO Cetinje, during and after end of project implementation.
The beneficiary TO Cetinje with partners in Montenegro, Old Royal Capital Cetinje and National Association of vine growers and wine producers in Montenegro are motivated for further efficient and sustainable management of Wine house in Cetinje for the benefit of final beneficiaries and wine tourism in Montenegro. 1517 visitors and 668 bottles of wine sold in Wine house in Cetinje in period July-October 2014 is good result that can be achieved and exceeded in next years.
Thematic wine routes were formed and in the area of Cetinje and 27 wineries were marked with signposts, as well as four large info tables at the four entrances to the city – from the directions of Budva, Podgorica, Njeguši and Lovćen, and on them is winery map from projects area.
Also, 61 specially designed signs with a logo showing the places of wineries, vineyards, and other attractive sites have been located along the wine routes in Dubrovnik-Neretva County, plus 2 large billboards with whole wine routes is placed on main road on beginning of Pelješac, in town Komarna and on entrances in Dubrovnik-Neretva County from Split direction.
This road at one point gathered tourist offer of the rural area and including wineries and winemakers from Montenegro and Croatia crating common thematic tourist route.
The tourist offer both regions was compiled in a joint publication, in which was presented winemakers and other tourist offer in the region, as well as a common map for easy orientation in area. In Montenegro two experts are prepared publication: “Analysis of wine as a tourist product “. Also, it was prepared “Catalogue of Wine Tourism” with incorporated map of the wine route in Dubrovnik-Neretva County and southern Montenegro. Publications “Analysis of wine as a tourist product” was printed in 2000 copies and “Catalogue of Wine Tourism” with inserted wine route in Dubrovnik-Neretva County and southern Montenegro was printed in 1600 copies from budget of TO Cetinje in Montenegro.
It is designed the Marketing plan for improving the image of wine and wine regions in the regions of Cetinje in Montenegro and Dubrovnik – Neretva County in Croatia.
Also, Project web page www.wine-cbc.eu is operative since December 2013 and regularly updated with news and events. The development of the web page has been implemented through joint participation of partners from both countries and it includes all relevant and available facts. Documentary film “Tales from the Wine Areas” have been prepared to promote wine tourism in cross border area.
A number of workshops, lecture and symposiums were held within the project, including three-day courses for sommeliers, 2 organized in Croatia and 1 in Montenegro.
4 Educations workshops were in Dubrovnik-Neretva County and 2 educations workshops in Cetinje. The topics of the workshops were: approaches and methodology of interpretation and promotion wine for tourist and information about development and monitoring of the entire chain of measures involved in tourism – design, sales, marketing, etc. – as well as the quality and professionalism of services, with a special emphasis on current state in wine tourism in Montenegro, wine product in tourism, economic benefits of wine tourism, rural tourism, wine and food, cooperation with tour agencies in order to enhance sale, rulebooks on minimum technical terms for categorisation of wine facilities, etc. Majority of participants were small wine makers from Cetinje surrounding and Crmnica region, which are frequently exposed to tourists (domestic and foreign) but have not fully used their potentials in sale of products and communication to guests.
Also, 4 cross border work shops were held, 2 in Dubrovnik and 2 in Cetinje. Montenegrin and Croatian participants (wine producers) agreed to have 2 wine routes, one in each country, due to disbursement of wine cellars in hinterland of Dubrovnik area and accessibility, but all will be presented on one map covering all cross border area of Dubrovnik-Neretva County and Southern Montenegro with emphasis on Cetinje region.
67 participants have passed the first level of the course for sommeliers in Croatia. All of them expressed great satisfaction because they received new knowledge in business, as well as raising the level of quality of service. First 3 days course for Sommeliers was held in Dubrovnik in the period from 28 February 2014 – 02 March 2014 with 17 participants, mainly owners of wineries. Second course for Sommeliers was held in Dubrovnik on 21-23 January 2015 with 50 participants, mainly employees in the hotel industry in Dubrovnik-Neretva County, who work on serving wine. Lecturers from the Croatian Sommelier Club familiarized participants with the basics of sommeliers, but also lessons from viticulture, enology and wine production, the composition of grapes, must and wine, tasting techniques, systems of assessment of wine.
Also, 3-day course for sommeliers in Cetinje, in close cooperation with Montenegrin Club of sommeliers and Association of sommeliers was held from 15-18 April 2014 with 30 participants.
Museum of wine in Pelješac was renovated and construction works of preparation of interior was carried out and thus tourist wine offer for upcoming tourist season was improved.
Montenegrin participants participated at wine fair in Poreč, Istria during 10-12 May 2013. Montenegrin wine producers had a chance to present the following wine labels: Kalimut, Excellent, Cekin, Komanske Rupice, Mrkan, Wine community Drušići and Wine community Crmnica. During the fair, Montenegrin partners exchanged information and experience with other colleagues from the branch, exhibitors from ex YU countries, Italia, France, Greece, etc. Implemented activities have contributed to raising awareness of the importance of wine as an indigenous product of these areas, as well as its role in tourism offer. A number of visits of Wine House in Cetinje have been presenting a importance of further sustainability of these activities, as well as the fact that Dubrovnik-Neretva County decided to re-organize Dubrovnik FestiWine, which is going to become a significant tourism event in the tourist preseason. The action has had positive impact to the programme in sector of tourism by increasing tourism offer through wine tourism promotion in cross border area.
Study trip to Wine festival in Istria in May 2013, Wine festival in Dubrovnik in April 2014, Riječka noć in July 2014 and presentation on project and distribution of project marketing material on Wine tourism fair in Belgrade in February 2015 have given the possibility to Croatian and Montenegrin wine producers to present their wine and to establish contacts with wine producers in region and promote wine tourism in cross-border region. The final conference took place in Cetinje on 24 February 2015.
