2ND VINAFRICA INTERNATIONAL WINE FESTIVAL AND TRADE SHOW PROMOTES GOOD WINE & FOOD IN WEST AFRICA

Ghana’s tourism and investment potentials are set to take a new dimension as VinAfrica holds its second edition of the International Wine Festival and Trade Show (IWFTS); the only international wine festival and trade show in sub-Saharan Africa.
The festival which has the theme “FEED THE PLANET WITH GOOD FOOD AND WINE” will feature activities aimed at exposing traders and consumers of wine to opportunities both in the sub-region and internationally.
This was announced at a Press Launch held to open this year’s edition of VinAfrica 2017 and the Italian Cuisine Week. The week; an annual celebration of the tourism investment relations between Ghana and Europe, in the area of food and wine, is held under the auspices of the Italian Embassy of Ghana in close collaboration with VinAfrica.
The Italian Ambassador to Ghana, H.E Giovanni Favilli said the Italian Cuisine Week and the International Wine Festival and Trade Show aim at opening up another tourism and trade opportunity to Ghana. He said both events will bring European wine and culinary insights to the local market and enable players in the hospitality industry in Ghana upgrade their knowledge and skills.
Commenting on the objectives of the International Wine Festival and Trade Show, CEO of VDB Consultancy & Trade Limited, concept bearers of VinAfrica, Vannessa Koko Djaba, said the event was not only going to be an opportunity for West Africa to interface with the burgeoning global wine industry, but will most importantly create the basis to position Ghana as a dedicated hospitality destination specialised in services to the international wine industry.
“We are doing this with the purpose of building Ghana as a hub where wine beverage producers from all over the world with keen interest, come to trade in the ECOWAS region” Miss Djaba said.
VinAfrica offers the platform for producers to come face-to-face with consumers, major buyers, importers, wine merchants and growing consumers across West Africa.
VinAfrica also creates a unique opportunity to have top hospitality professionals (chefs, restaurateurs, maitre’d, sommelier, food and wine distributors/producers) from other wine countries here in Ghana. These professionals will contribute to raising Ghana’s hospitality industry to worldwide standards since as part of their commitments, they will engage local professionals in seminars, master-classes, educational laboratories organised by VinAfrica.
It is also at the same time aiming at making Ghana the FIRST continental hub specialised in offering world level hospitality services oriented to Food & Beverage motivated top notch tourism.
“This is going to attract the attention of worldwide tourists because it will create another ‘pole’ of attraction that complements and reinforces the other attractions that Ghana and the region has to offer.  This new “tourist destination” branding will create added value for the other brands/sectors of Ghana tourism i.e. Cuisine, Entertainment, Events etc” she added.
Significantly, this is also targeted at growing the local beverage industry. She said the level of expertise that will descend on our shores to trade their products, should be taken full advantage of by the local producers and propels them to international standards of production that could be exported outside of the continent.
The International Wine Festival and Trade Show (IWFTS), a four-day event, will commence on the 9^th November 2017 with a trade exhibition which will afford consumers, traders and Vineyards (producers of wine) the opportunity to interact with and understand the demands of the industry in Ghana and the sub-region. The “Akwaaba” night, an entertainment-filled welcoming event which takes place the following day at Labadi Beach Hotel is expected to be the perfect reception package which preludes events happening for the next two days. There will be dedicated champagne, wine, cocktail and food stations representing each participating country as well as performances from afro-pop star, Noella Wiyaala. The Wine-to-Wine Business Forum which will see presentations and seminars facilitated by key industry stakeholders will come off the next day. The climax of the festival on 12^th November dubbed the 3 Maestro Gala Dinner will feature three renowned Michelin starred chefs hailing from three main wine producing regions preparing culinary delights and which will be paired with wines from their respective countries as well as performances from the Calabash Group and a surprise big name artist to play the night out.
VinAfrica, a brand subsidiary of VDB Consultancy & Trade Ghana Limited, aims to be the ultimate wine experience; exposing consumers and traders to the wine value-chain and enabling Vineyards to directly interface with these stakeholders.