On Wednesday, 25 January 2023, UP FTŠ Turistica hosted the symposium "The Present and Future of Wine and Gastronomy Tourism on Tourist Farms in Slovenia", which represents the final activity of the Targeted Research Project "Possibilities of Further Development of Wine and Gastronomy Tourism on Farms" (Vingatur, V5-2030 - Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of the Republic of Slovenia, ARRS), a complex research and development project made possible by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovenian Research Agency ARRS.
At the well-attended symposium held at the Faculty of Tourism Studies Turistica, University of Primorska, in Portorož, we were first addressed by Prof. Klavdija Kutnar, Rector of the University of Primorska, and then Dr. Marijana Sikošek, Dean of the Faculty Turistica, Tatjana Buzeti, State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of the Republic of Slovenia, Dubravka Kalin, Director General of the Tourism Directorate of the Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Slovenia, Matija Vimpolšek, President of the Association of Tourist Farms of Slovenia, and Dr. Simon Kerma, Project Manager. It involved more than 10 researchers from three universities and five faculties: Faculty of Management UP, Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies UP, Faculty of Tourism Studies Turistica UP, Faculty of Arts UL and Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences UM. The importance of cross-sectoral cooperation and networking was highlighted, as well as the importance of transferring research findings into educational programmes, agriculture and the economy.
The excellent attendance reflects the relevance of the topic and programme of the symposium (photo: Janja Viher)
Eleven lectures presented new research findings and reflections on the role and significance of wine and gastronomic tourism. In the first part of the symposium, Dr Aleš Gačnik (UP FTŠ Turistica) shed light on the place and role of tourist farms in the context of gastronomic tourism and the development of tourism in rural areas; Dr Simon Kerma (UP FTŠ Turistica) and Dr. Matjaž Hladnik (UP FAMNIT) presented an analysis of the results of surveys of holders of complementary farm tourism activities; Dr. Emil Juvan (UP FTŠ Turistica) highlighted the visitor perceptions of tourist farms by illustrating the potential for the development of enogastronomy tourism in rural areas; Dr. Dejan Cigale and Dr. Barbara Lampič (UL FF) presented how sustainable development is reflected in tourist farms.
In the second part of the symposium, Dr Barbara Lampič and Dr Irma Potočnik Slavič (UL FF) highlighted wine tourism routes as an important factor in rural development; Dr Igor Jurinčič, Dr Simon Kerma and Dr Aleš Gačnik (UP FTŠ Turistica) presented a comparative analysis of wine and gastronomy events in Slovenian wine-growing regions; Dr Igor Jurinčič and Dr Aleš Gačnik (UP FTŠ Turistica) presented a comparative analysis of wine and gastronomy events in Slovenian wine-growing regions. Aleš Gačnik pointed out the importance of critically introducing good practices from abroad into our cultural space, highlighting selected examples from Italy, Austria, Croatia and Hungary; dr. Alenka Baruca Arbeiter, dr. Matjaž Hladnik and dr. Ig. Dunja Bandelj (UP FAMNIT) pointed out the importance of including traditional/indigenous plant varieties and animal breeds in the offer of tourist farms; Dr Martina Robačer, Dr Martina Bavec and Dr Franc Bavec spoke about the perspectives for the development of ecological tourist farms; Dr Aleš Gačnik and Mag. Maja Plahutnik Nahtigal (UP FTŠ Turistica) presented the results of the analysis of the use of digital channels of communication of tourist farms, with an emphasis on websites and social networks; and Dr. Štefan Bojnec (UP FM) emphasised and highlighted the importance of tourist farms in the preservation and development of the Slovenian countryside.
The scientific symposium was concluded with proposals for research and development topics as a basis for the design of cross-sectoral measures for the further development of wine and gastronomy tourism on farms and an interesting closing discussion.
The scientific and professional symposium highlights the fact that development needs to be planned on the basis of integrated multidisciplinary research, reflecting both international knowledge of the topic and the characteristics of the field. The future of tourist farms in Slovenia undoubtedly depends on creative and innovative cross-sectoral cooperation between agriculture, tourism, culture and science.
Intersectoral networking is implemented: Dr. Simon Kerma (project leader, UP FTŠ Turistica), Dr. Tina Zavašnik Bergant (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of the Republic of Slovenia, CRP colleague), dr. Marijana Sikošek (Dean of UP FTŠ Turistica), dr. Klavdija Kutnar (Rector of UP), Dr. Aleš Gačnik (project manager and initiator, UP FTŠ Turistica), Tatjana Buzeti (State Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of the Republic of Slovenia) and Dubravka Kalin (Director General of the Tourism Directorate of the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Slovenia) (photo: Ekatarina Donetskaia)
