French plan to promote wine tourism

PARIS: The French government began promoting tours of the country's storied vineyards Tuesday to help counter falling wine sales.

"When you put together the three forces that are France's prowess in agriculture, tourism and culture, you have every chance of making advances," French Agriculture Minister Michel Barnier said at a news conference.

France is the world's biggest wine consumer, with the average Frenchman knocking back 53 liters of wine each year, according to the Agriculture Ministry. It's also the world's No. 1 tourist destination, with 82 million foreign visitors to the country in 2007, according to the U.N. World Tourism Organization.

However, French wine consumption has fallen 7 percent so far this year, according to Agriculture Ministry figures, while exports of French wine slid 10 percent in volume terms last year to 15.2 million hectoliters.

A newly created Wine Tourism Board is meant to stir new interest in wine. Among the board's first missions will be to promote wine tourism circuits and establish a national wine tourism prize to recognize the best local efforts.