Exploring the intersection between Geographical Indications and Sustainable Wine Tourism: the case of le Colline del Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene

Prosecco represents one of the most successful Geographical Indications (GIs) worldwide: its sales have continuously been growing regardless of shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic or the war in Ukraine. While the Prosecco wine is widely known and consumed, supporting local development of its territories, there is still much untapped potential in terms of sustainable wine tourism development. In particular, since 2019 Le Colline del Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene obtained the UNESCO World Heritage List (WHL) recognition as a Cultural Landscape, opening new opportunities in terms of synergies between wine and cultural tourism. Therefore, this chapter aims at addressing the intersection between UNESCO WHL and the Prosecco GI, by focusing on UNESCO’s potential as a leverage for sustainable wine tourism development.