There are 120 kilometers of Porto Alegre The Bento Gonçalves punctuated by factories and farms. The 1.5 million visitors that the mountain town receives per year have little effect on its urban dynamics. In addition to being driven by corporate events, tourism in the city is an extension of the countryside, where its public goes during the day. Surrounded by Vale dos Vinhedos, the first territory with a Designation of Origin in the country, since 2012, Bento has 30 wineries, some of the largest and most awarded nationally. It is just two hours west of Gramado, one of the top destinations in southern Brazil, with a flow of travelers five times greater.
However, the saturation of the hotel sector in the neighboring region, which is smaller in terms of territory, turned the interest of investors to Bento Gonçalves, making it the turn of the ball for regional tourism. The valley attracted BRL 400 million for the construction of two resorts amidst the wineries, in light of what already exists in Chile and Argentina. Over the next five years, the Castelos do Vale and Bewine projects together should generate 3,000 jobs and deliver 606 new accommodations, paving the way for Brazilian wine tourism.
Although domestic tourism is 22% below 2019, according to FecomercioSP estimates, wine tourism is booming. In addition to the qualification of national labels, with the high dollar and the difficulty of importing, more consumers have opened space in their cellars for beverages produced in Brazil. The consumption of fine national wines doubled compared to 2019, and the market hit a record of 2.7 liters per capita, according to data from Ideal Consulting.
Castelos do Vale, a R$ 100 million project by the construction company Goiana Mundo Planalto, took advantage of this momentum to partner with the Dom Cândido boutique, which has been in the sector for 146 years. The association with a traditional company in Serra Gaúcha allayed skepticism about the plans and brought investors closer to the producer organization, which oversees interference in the viticulture area. “This was a dream of my father that we are now able to carry out”, said Marcos Valduga, one of the owners of the winery, about family motivation. His father, Cândido Valduga, died in 2015, aged 84 years. “Tourism in Bento Gonçalves is growing significantly, and our bet is that it should improve the region’s economy.”
The first stage of the project will deliver 68 apartments by November 2025. Sales work under the shared ownership system, whereby quotas guarantee the use of the property for a specified period and by appointment. The title that gives the right to a fortnight a year in the complex is being sold for R$ 50 thousand. The owner can also exchange the stay for lodging at another hotel of the North American exchange network RCI, part of the Wyndham group, or rent the room currently estimated at R$900. The other 117 apartments and common areas provided for in the work, such as the Spa and the basement, will be raised in the second phase. José Roberto Nunes, CEO of Mundo Planalto, says that “the perspective is to continue investing in new properties in the region”.
The castle structure, inspired by the Loire Valley, a wine region in France, will begin to be built in March among the hectares cultivated by the fourth generation of Dom Cândido. The terrain is like a showcase for the brand, where tours and tastings are conducted with Cabernet Franc, Marselan, Petit Verdot, in addition to other more common in the region, such as Merlot and Riesling. About 60% of the winery’s sales are linked to visits, especially due to the difficulty of selling the production. Average shipping costs R$80 and delivery time is 15 working days for the Southeast region.
COMPETITION That’s why Dom Cândido wants to attract latent demand: the pandemic has increased visits from other states, which today represent 44% of tourists, while supply is stagnant. Next to the winery, the Casa Valduga inn, which belongs to another branch of the Italian immigrant family, has only 24 accommodations. The Hotel&Spa do Vinho, managed by the Marriott chain, does not allow the entry of children, although families with children represent 48% of travelers in the region.
Castelos do Vale’s real competition will be the Bewine Resort, a luxurious R$300 million development scheduled to open in the same period and in the same mold. Even the timeshare pattern with RCI is repeated. Andora Construções, from Rio Grande do Sul, will build the 421 suites in 60,000 m2 of built area on the margins of kilometer 16 of the ERS-444. The projects fight for the superlatives and the public. At Bewine, titles vary between BRL 60,000 and BRL 188 thousand, in this case for the share of the 154 m2 unit with a private pool and stay for one week a year. At the end of the five years foreseen for completion of the work, investors expect to pocket R$ 1.3 billion with the sales of bonds.
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