Updated March 23, 2020: Due to the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, Veronafiere has confirmed the cancellation of this year’s Vinitaly trade show. Organizers stated the next iteration of the Italian wine expo will occur April 18–21 2021.
Events organizer Veronafiere announced today Vinitaly, the leading Italian wine conference, will be postponed due to increasing concerns over the coronavirus outbreak. Originally scheduled for April 19–22, organizers plan to move the 2020 event to June 14–17, with hopes the health crisis will have abated.
“We need to give a strong message to the country,” said Sandro Boscaini, president of Federvini, in a statement. “If we act together in the context of shifting the, not only of Vinitaly, but of other major international events that will take place in Italy in June, we will be able to contribute in a unanimous way to the relaunch of the positive image that Made in Italy deserves.”
Earlier this week, Germany’s ProWein announced it would also delay its event in Düsseldorf as a result of coronavirus concerns. Numerous other trade shows across Europe have done the same.
Vinitaly annually draws over a hundred-thousand visitors to Verona in Italy’s Veneto region. The area has been one of the hardest hit by the virus, along with neighboring Lombardy. Over 2000 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the country so far as of Monday, with most occurring in the northern regions.
“We share the choice of Veronafiere for the shifting of Vinitaly dates,” said Luca Rigotti, wine sector coordinator of Alleanza Cooperative. “Now we work together with the fair so that the world of wine can give a positive message to the national economy.”
Wine Enthusiast will continue to update with future developments.
Published: March 3, 2020
