This fact is also confirmed by the fact that the prestigious wine tourism conference IWINETC 2025 will take place in the country next year
Wine tourism in the Czech Republic is undergoing dynamic development and is becoming an important part of tourism. There is a growing interest in visiting wine regions that offer not only quality wines, but also rich cultural and gastronomic experiences.
Key wine destinations in the Czech Republic
South Moravia, especially Mikulov and its surroundings, are among the most popular wine destinations in the country. Last year alone, 27% of domestic and almost 43% of foreign visitors to this area decided to enjoy the local region through their taste buds in the form of gastronomic experiences or wine consumption. For comparison – a year earlier it was less than 12% of our citizens and 24.5% of foreigners, and in 2019, over 29% of domestic and 41% of foreign travelers. The area is known for its wineries and traditional events such as vintages and wine festivals. Tourists are looking for authentic experiences here, visiting traditional cellars as well as modern wineries and tasting the wine of local winemakers. Key destinations for wine enthusiasts include Pálava, including the surrounding wine villages and cellar lanes. Velké Bílovice is an equally important wine tourism destination. This largest wine-growing village in the Czech Republic attracts visitors to tastings in family wineries and walks through picturesque vineyards. Another destination famous for its winemaking history and also for its annual historic vintage is Znojmo, which attracts thousands of visitors.
“Wine tourism plays a key role in the development of not only domestic tourism. After all, we can clearly see this in the example of Italy or France, where last year local producers offered over 380 tours and wine tastings per 1 million inhabitants. Close behind these countries in this respect are Australia, Portugal or South Africa. It is from Portugal’s experience that the Czech Republic can draw, because in the last few years this country has systematically focused on the development of wine tourism as one of the priority attractions for foreign visitors, and the data show that it is succeeding in establishing itself among the world’s leading destinations for this type of tourism.” František Reismüller, director of the Czech Tourism Office – CzechTourism, summarizes and adds: “In the country, wine and the culture associated with it are among the main driving forces, especially in South Moravia. The local vineyards combine traditional craftsmanship and modern gastronomic trends. However, the beauty of traveling for wine can be experienced not only in Moravia, but also in Bohemia, for example in Mělnick or Litoměřice and in Velké Žernoseky in Ústeck. The capital city also offers the experience of wandering for wine, where wine lovers can visit, for example, the Vineyard of St. Cláry in Troja or vineyards at Prague Castle. Among the most sought-after wine events are visits to local wine exhibitions, wine harvests, open cellar events or the combination of wine tasting with gastronomy and music.”
Profile of visitors to wine regions
Domestic wine regions are mainly visited by domestic tourists, especially from large cities such as Prague, Brno and Ostrava. They are especially looking for weekend and short-term stays associated with tastings, wine events and visits to wine cellars.
“It is still true that the Czech consumer indulges in wine in connection with food on a special or festive occasion rather than with an ordinary lunch. The French, for example, are famous for this. At the same time, we can say that the popularity of wine consumption, for example during barbecues, is increasing,” explains Patrik Kubát, project manager of the National Wine Center, and adds: “If a person decides to travel for domestic wine, he is also interested in the experiences and emotions associated with it. He is looking for inspiration to discover new wines, varieties and wineries.”
Consumers appreciate the fact that domestic wine is an integral part of the national tradition, has a unique taste, is diverse and colorful. Foreign tourists, most often from Germany, Poland and Slovakia, appreciate the high quality of Czech wines, the hospitality and the authenticity of wine experiences and the traditions associated with them.
According to research by the Wine Fund, 55% of Czech consumers are currently more likely to reach for a specific variety of white wine, for the remaining 45%, the color of the wine is not decisive. The most preferred varieties are Pálava, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon and Riesling Vlasský. In the case of red wine, a total of 47% of consumers prefer specific varieties. The most popular are Blue Portugal, Frankovka, Merlot and St. Lawrence. When purchasing, the customer makes a decision based on previous experience with the given wine, quality, price/quality ratio, but also recommendations from relatives and friends.
Wine tourism conference IWINETC 2025 in Mikulov
As already mentioned – one of the key cities for wine tourism in South Moravia is Mikulov. And it is there that the prestigious international conference IWINETC (International Wine Tourism Conference) will take place on March 26-27, 2025. It is an event that is considered one of the most important in this area. Held since 2009, it is attended annually by several hundred wine and culinary professionals, including tour operators and representatives of the wine tourism and food travel media from around the world. It has three main objectives: to offer top learning opportunities through plenary sessions and panel discussions with experts, to provide space for business meetings and networking during formal and informal events. Excursions to the wineries themselves or other interesting places connected with wine tourism are also part of the conference program. The conference will thus offer professionals and journalists from all over the world the opportunity to present the Czech Republic as a top destination for this type of tourism, including gastronomy, which is inextricably linked to wine.
“I see the prestigious IWINETC wine conference as a unique opportunity to present to experts from abroad the offer of the entire region and the partners with whom we work to make it more visible. I believe that everyone will leave Mikulov knowing that even in South Moravia we can produce world-class wine,” concludes Martina Grůzová, director of the Tourism Center – South Moravia.