Tourist harvesting, a cultural and recreational experience allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the winemaking tradition, is gaining increasing popularity. Initially conceived as an opportunity for sharing and rediscovering the work of wineries, this activity is now regulated on a national level.
On July 12, a memorandum of understanding was signed to regulate local initiatives, an important step in protecting both operators and visitors with clear and uniform rules. However, these new regulations, while necessary for ensuring safety and transparency, may discourage organizers due to their complexity.
What is Tourist Harvesting?
Tourist harvesting is defined as unpaid grape harvesting activity, short in duration, and carried out in designated areas. This activity, aimed at tourists, is often associated with stays in accommodations and visits with tastings at wineries. It should not be confused with ordinary harvesting, which is a crucial phase for the quality of wine and is performed by professional workers.
Tourist Harvesting and Ordinary Harvesting: Similar but Different
While ordinary harvesting is paid work and essential for wine production, tourist harvesting is a recreational and cultural experience, entirely free for participants. This distinction is vital to avoid conflicts and ensure both activities can proceed without interference.
New Regulations and Opportunities
The new national guidelines set clear rules for tourist harvesting. Companies must delineate the areas designated for this activity and communicate a series of information to the SUAP (One-Stop Shop for Productive Activities), including the names of the company representative and the harvest tutor. These individuals are key figures ensuring the proper conduct of the activity and the safety of participants.
Benefits and Challenges
Among the advantages of the new regulations is the possibility of organizing tourist harvesting as a separate enotourism product. However, there are also some challenges. For example, the activity can only be conducted twice a week, a limitation that could reduce opportunities during the harvest period.
Safety First
It is essential that participants are informed about the risks of harvesting and appropriate clothing. Companies must clearly communicate this information but are not required to provide the necessary equipment. Additionally, it is important to avoid interference between tourist harvesters and professionals by clearly separating the work areas.
Conclusions
Tourist harvesting represents an interesting opportunity for wineries to engage the public in their activities but requires careful management and compliance with new regulations. To delve deeper into these topics, we invite everyone to join our online webinar with lawyer Floriana Risuglia, Vice President of UGIVI, Delegate of ONAV ROMA, and Member of the Wine and Food Law Commission COA ROMA, which will be held on June 18, 2024, at 2:00 PM.
For further details and to access the online event, you can find the link below.
