Enotour reinforces Obreal’s sustained commitment to bridging universities, industry and territory

The EnoTour project, co-funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ “Alliance for Innovation” programme, is the latest expression of a mission that Obreal has been pursuing for years: building ecosystems of collaboration between universities, businesses and territories that generate real impact in sectors with strong local roots.

Wine tourism and gastro-tourism, activities deeply connected to the landscape, culture and economy of the regions where they are embedded, are particularly fertile ground for this approach: sectors where innovation, quality training and cooperation between public and private actors can make a tangible difference for local communities. The final event of EnoTour, held in Porto from 20 to 22 May 2026 alongside the Oenoviti International Symposium and General Assembly, was a new demonstration of this.

An event to close and look ahead

Over three days, Porto hosted international roundtables bringing together academics, industry professionals and digital innovation experts to discuss the major challenges facing contemporary wine tourism: the twin digital and green transition, the use of data and artificial intelligence, sustainability across the entire value chain, and digital marketing strategies to strengthen the online presence of wineries and destinations. The event served not only to present the project’s results (an online training platform, a virtual experience and a self-assessment tool) but also to open discussions on how to ensure the long-term sustainability and expansion of these tools beyond the project’s lifetime.

Universities as drivers of local development: years of work in wine and gastro-tourism

EnoTour is part of a broader trajectory that Obreal has been building for years around a shared conviction: that universities must be active partners of local industries and communities, particularly in sectors such as wine tourism and gastro-tourism. In this spirit, Obreal co-authored a white paper on the flexibilisation and internationalisation of university curricula in viticulture and oenology, arguing that curricular innovation and international cooperation are strategic tools for regional development.

Obreal has also driven sustainable tourism initiatives that engaged university students from Angola and Cape Verde in designing tourism entrepreneurship projects with local impact, fostering South-South cooperation and stronger ties between universities and communities. Currently, Obreal is seeking to modernise training in wine and cuisine tourism through innovative digital solutions and sustainable university-industry partnerships through GastroTour, a new project involving partners from Georgia, South Africa, the Czech Republic, Portugal and Spain.