Sustainable Tourism Law

APPELLATIONS OF ORIGIN IN TOURISM 507 III. APPELLATIONS OF ORIGIN: FACTUAL ELEMENTS OF THEIR REGULATION Products protected by appellations of origin have an undisputed economic importance, but also a cultural and symbolic value that has even been legally recognised. For example, at European level, the first recital of Regulation (EU) Nr. 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs states that: “The quality and diversity of theUnion’s agricultural, fisheries and aquaculture production is one of its important strengths, giving a competitive advantage to the Union’s producers and making a major contribution to its living cultural and gastronomic heritage. This is due to the skills and determination of Union farmers and producers who have kept traditions alive while taking into account the developments of new production methods and material”. At the same time, this regulation recognises changes in consumption patterns, in which greater importance is given to local, genuine and quality products. It is in this context that demand for products with characteristics that are closely linked to certain geographical areas is growing. For this reason, appellations of origin can play a leading role as a sign connecting the product with the territory. Traditionally, the regulations on appellation of origin have focused on offering producers an instrument that allows them to communicate the characteristics of their products in a framework that guarantees fair competition. In other words, they should be able to identify the specificities of their production, differentiating it from the competition, in order to obtain a reward in line with the qualities of their products. In this sense, quality schemes have been particularly important as a complement to rural development, market support and income support policies. In turn, the European Union has the harmonization of the common agricultural policy (CAP) among its priorities, and has therefore been developing a series of regulations in this area. In addition to the above considerations, it should be borne in mind that it is increasingly common for tourists to associate certain products with the territory from which they come (Ceballos, 2017). A good example of this is wine, which, more than just a drink, has become an element of territorial identity, a tourist attraction for many regions and the central element of different businesses. The development of new wine producing powers such as the United States, Chile, Argentina, Australia and South Africa, as well as the growing presence of wine and the culture that surrounds it in cinema, literature and tourist routes, could