In cooperation with the local tourist organization, the Đoković Company, leading partner of the cluster “Probaj domaće“ (Taste Domestic Products), organized the Wine Fair on the Pine promenade in Tivat. The event is the first in a series of events under the auspices of the Ministry of Economy, in order to better organize and promote local wine and food producers.
For many years now, with numerous associates, the Đoković Company, along the whole Montenegrin coast, has been organizing wine fairs, traditional food products and fairs of old crafts, souvenirs and handicrafts. From year to year, there are more and more partners and associates supporting the organization of events, attracting an increasing number of exhibitors and guests.
"The fairs are usually attended by 20 to 40 exhibitors, which depends on the season, the location of the organization and the concept of the fair itself," says the director of Đoković Company, Velimir Đoković.
“The main goal of the Wine Fair and other fairs we organize is certainly the promotion of small Montenegrin wineries and producers of traditional products“. Direct benefits of fair performers are immediately visible:
"A great number of tourists visited the producers after the fair, first when it comes to wine, but also to other traditional products. They visit their cellars, their distilleries, their production, thus getting acquainted with the production process, the recipe, the place where production takes place. They want to hear a complete and high quality story, and in Montenegro there are many such sites, many producers, who, indeed, from the old, have a story about their products, about the way of production. I think tourists need more and more of such content. They want to find out where they are traveling to. And this is best read through stories about wine and domestic products," Đoković marks.
The event was organized as the first in a series of five events, organized by the cluster "Probaj domaće", which brings together wine and homemade producers. Their project received support from the Ministry of Economy through a cluster support program.
“Dealing with marketing and promotion, we strive to connect manufacturers better and introduce them to the local public as well as to tourists coming to Montenegro. Guests are not satisfied just with the enjoyment of our beautiful beaches, they want to get to know the country and the specifics of some regions. Therefore, this way of presenting Montenegro affects the overall economy, from the consumption of domestic food to the offer of new knowledge, which guarantees the return of the guests as well as the direct promotion of the destination through the experience they takes from Montenegro."
Montenegro has producers of quality wines, which are partially networked through the mapping of the Wine Roads. However, according to Đoković, these maps should be revised because the production by Montenegrin winemakers was joined by a large number of colleagues, who, in the meantime, developed the production and adapted their facilities for the reception of guests.
"Much stronger economies than Montenegrin depend on imports of food and beverages, but we have to work on consuming food produced in Montenegro, both for the needs of the population and for the needs of the tourism industry. Increasing the consumption of local products, there will be a direct reduction of imports, which then definitely affects all economic parameters, starting with the gross social product," emphasizes Djokovic.
The fair that was organized last night in Tivat is the first in a series of events within the project "Caravan-Taste Domestic Products" organized by the cluster "Probaj domaće" with the support of the Ministry of Economy through the cluster development program. "The event in Tivat is just the first of five events with accompanying marketing features as a visual promotion of the manufacturer, as well as the caravan itself. In October, we are planning a Journalistic Wagon, so a group of journalists will meet all our contractors and prepare quality texts on their offer. The project will also produce a unique label as the "Probaj domaće" trademark, which will refer the user to the domestic product produced in Montenegro," explains Đokovic.
Đokovic is very grateful for the cooperation that the cluster "Probaj domaće" has with the Ministry of Economy, which recognizes the importance of their efforts to assist the placement of products of domestic producers. Unlike the Chamber of Commerce project, which carries out the certification of producers through the label "Made in Montenegro", the project "Probaj domaće" is primarily aimed at networking and joint promotion of its members in order to better position both domestic and foreign markets.
