„DEFILE WINE AND GOURMET” - DEMOGRAPHIC PALETTE OF THE FESTIVAL

Abstract

Tourism is a specialized branch in the country's economic structure that transforms local resources into new tourism products for economic growth, circular economy and territorial sustainability. The study is part of the „living laboratories” of the INVEST project - „Sustainable tourism: destination Plovdiv - innovations and territorial sustainability”, which seeks a model for innovative use of tourist resources. The partner of the project is the Association „Tourism Council - Plovdiv”, organizer of the festival event „Defile Wine and Gourmet”.

Wine has been made on the Bulgarian lands for 5 millennia, and the Thracians were considered the best winemakers of Antiquity. The wine tradition continues today with the quality wines produced from unique local varieties with impressive flavors. The object of our research is festival wine tourism - one of the fastest growing in the sector. It is a journey tied to an experience and unique in tasting, which sharply distinguishes it from other festival appearances.

The development aims to clarify the demographic specifics of the festival product. The applied methodology is based on comparative analysis. For this purpose, a survey was conducted during the days of the „Defile Wine and Gourmet” festival, and the conclusions and recommendations were provided to the project partner. They can be used by all institutions at national and regional level, as well as by business organizations in their policies to adapt business and marketing strategies.