26.10.16 Awards for Rutas del Vino y del Brandy de Jerez; Protest March

The Wine and Brandy Trail of Jerez has won three awards in the III Rutas del Vino Awards promoted by the Spanish Association of Wine Cities (Acevin). The trail itself won one of the awards: Best Promotion Campaign for the website, while Best Gastronomy went to the restaurant La Carboná for its quality, local gastronomy, local produce and atmosphere. González Byass received a special mention in the awards for Best Wine Tourism Experience for the Tio Pepe Festival and Sherry Master. http://www.rutadeljerezybrandy.es/es/la_ruta

Cesar Saldana (Consejo), Mamen Sanchez (Mayor) and representative of Acevin (foto:andaluciainformacion)

The Ruta del Vino y del Brandy de Jerez was initiated in 2006 and involves 100 companies related to Sherry and Brandy; from bodegas, restaurants, hotels, wine shops and leisure firms. Over 450,000 people visited last year, making the trail a fantastic boost to the local economy which helps de-seasonalise tourism in the area.

Protest march in Jerez (foto:diariodejerez)

Hundreds of workers launched a protest march yesterday between the big bodegas of Jerez to raise awareness of their “struggle for decent working conditions”. They were accompanied by family, union representatives and left-leaning politicians as well as a police escort. Aware that with a lack of agreement with Fedejerez the strike could be a long one, they wanted to put up a show of strength. Cries could be heard of “Convenio si, miseria no”, “Que viva la lucha de la clase obrera” (long live the working class struggle) and “Si esto no se arregla, Guerra, Guerra, Guerra” (if this isn’t sorted, war, war, war). Both sides have nevertheless agreed to meet at the arbitration service tomorrow at 9.30.

4.5.16 Jerez Second Most Visited Wine Route

The Bodegas of the Marco de Jerez attracted no fewer than 449,326 visitors last year according to the 2015 report from ACEVIN, the Spanish Association of Cities of Wine. Last year’s figures for Spain as a whole were positive, showing continued growth with an increase in both visitors (5.59%) and expenditure (15.2%). The average spend in bodega shops was 18.03 euros. These figures include neither hotel accommodation nor expenditure in shops, restaurants and bars which will have increased similarly. The report says that the busiest seasons are spring and autumn, offering scope to improve figures for winter and summer. Given that of the 68 million people visited Spain last year only 2% came for wine tourism, so there certainly is plenty of scope.

23.7.15 Wine & Brandy Routes of Jerez Doing Well

ACEVIN (Asociación Española de Ciudades del Vino) has published visitor figures for bodegas in the Jerez area for 2014, which put them in second position in Spain after Penedés in Cataluña. The Jerez routes received 444,427 visitors, only about 5,000 behind Penedés. Last year the Jerez routes saw an increase of about 13,000 people.

According to ACEVIN, Jerez and Penedés benefit from their proximity to tourist centres such as the Costas and large cities like Barcelona and Sevilla while having some of the most visited bodegas in Spain. Last year the total number of visitors to bodegas and wine museums in Spain as a whole rose to 2,124,229 and they spent over €42.5 million.