Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris on Track for Growth

From 13 to 15 February 2023, Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris will once again open its doors as the first major wine and spirits fair of the year. While the exhibition is dominated by French exhibitors and visitors, international participation is growing. Iris Trenkner-Panwitz reports.

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Wine Paris (Photo: Philippe Labeguerie/Vinexposium)
Wine Paris (Photo: Philippe Labeguerie/Vinexposium)

At the beginning of February, the third edition of Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris is taking place at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, as the trade fair organised by Vinexposium continues to try to regain the leading role it had when Vinexpo Bordeaux was in its heyday.

This year, the exhibition area has been enlarged to fill five halls. Hall 5, with three sub-halls is dedicated to international exhibitors while France’s wine-growing regions and their associations are in halls 3, 4 and 6. Hall 2 is partly dedicated to the spirits industry exhibits with ‘Be spirits‘ and partly to a ‘Let’s Talk Wine! Speakeasy‘.

Plan of the fair
Plan of the fair

Focus on Climate Change

There will also be plenty of programme items from masterclasses, conferences, round tables, and tasting zones to evening events. Future perspectives will be discussed, not only - but also - in the light of climate change. One of the main topics is La Wine Tech Perspectives in Hall 3, where the keywords are digitalisation, Web 3.0 and innovations concerning the market and the environment.

Programme Highlights
Programme Highlights

Facts and Figures

What has been the development of the fair since its launch in 2020, and what role does it play today?

In 2020, the total number of exhibitors was 2,800, of which about 390 were international. The pandemic did not play into the fair's hands, so it too had to take a forced break in 2021. Last year, it was the only international wine fair to take place on schedule again in February - and, like all the others, it recorded a decline in visitors. The number of exhibitors rose slightly to 2,864.
 

And 2023?

This year, 3,147 exhibitors have registered so far. "We are looking forward to the 2023 edition of the fair with more than 30,000 visitors. A significant increase compared to 2022," Vinexposium general director Rodolphe Lameyse is pleased to say. He estimates the number of foreign visitors to be around 10,500, which means that every third visitor would come from countries outside France.

Development of Wine Paris & Vinexpo
Development of Wine Paris & Vinexpo

International expansion?

This year, exhibitors come from 52 countries (Halls 5.1; 5.2; 5.3). Italy accounts for the largest share with 215 exhibitors and single-hoccupies Hall 5.1. for itself alone. Behind them are Portugal (107), Spain (88), USA (64), Austria (29) and Germany with 23 exhibitors. It is also noteworthy that countries such as Georgia with 14, Slovenia with 10 and Lebanon with 7 exhibitors are also strongly represented. 

Asia is represented by Japan and Vietnam, among others, and South America by Chile, Argentina, Peru, Venezuela and Uruguay. Only one exhibitor has registered from Australia so far, four from South Africa.

So while the number of French exhibitors has remained more or less the same over the last few years at 2,383, the number of international stands has doubled - a considerable increase on the one hand, but the number is still less than 1,000.

Why are non-French companies exhibiting? Many are feeling their way in for the first time this year, while others, like the Tutela Vini Delle Venezie DOC consortium, are repeat participants. Despite Italy’s own major Vinitaly fair, Paris has ist own appeal for them. As Albino Armani, president of the consortium explains, the domestic market only accounts for about 4 % of its turnover while the French market is “important“.

Important addition to the trade fair pool

However, from Armani‘s point of view, Paris doesn‘t compete with ProWein: "We cannot yet compare the French fair with what ProWein represents in terms of image, commercial results and encounters with the media and market participants at our stand".

Winzer Krems from Austria sees the Paris event as an important addition to the trade fair pool. "The visitors come from all over the world, and since the fair is even smaller, there is more time for technical discussions and new customer acquisition. This year we are also hoping for visitors from Asia again," underlines Managing Director Ludwig Holzer.

Information

Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris:
Monday, 13 February to Wednesday, 15 February 2023

Fair address:
Paris Expo Porte de Versailles
1 Place de la Porte de Versailles, 75015 Paris
 

Opening hours for visitors:

  • Monday 13 February 9am - 7pm (Be Spirits: 10am - 8pm)
  • Tuesday 14 February 9am - 7pm (Be Spirits: 10am - 8pm)
  • Wednesday 15 February 9am - 5pm (Be Spirits: 10am - 5pm)
     

Entrance fees and modalities:

The entry pass is exclusively personal and non-transferable and is compulsory for entry to the event and for movement from hall to hall. The identity of participants may be checked at the entrance.
 

Arrival by public transport:

  • Metro: line 12 to station: Porte de Versailles, or line 8 to station Balard
  • Tram: T2 and T3a, Station: Porte de Versailles - Parc des Expositions
  • Bus: Line 80, Station: Porte de Versailles Station - Parc des Expositions, or Line 39, Station Desnouettes.
  • Bicycle: Vélib' Station (rental station): 2 Avenue Ernest Renan.
     

Arrival by car:
Reserve your parking space in advance:

Arrival by plane:

  • From Roissy - Charles de Gaulle Airport: RoissyBus to Paris - Opéra / Métro line 8 direction Balard
  • From Orly Airport: Orlyval to Antony / RER B to Cité Universitaire / tram T3 to station: Porte de Versailles - Parc des Expositions
     

Airline tickets:
Air France, the official airline partner of Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris, offers discounts of up to 15% on all Air France/KLM flights and codeshare flights.
Booking at: https://bit.ly/3QHpJfu

 

 

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