Released on: April 25, 2008, 2:30 am

Press Release Author: Informa India

Industry: Food & Beverage

Press Release Summary: IIWF 2008 - India's only B2B wine exhibition will take place
in Mumbai between 11th - 13th December 2008. Dedicated to India's burgeoning wine
industry, the event will bring together major Indian and international buyers and
wine producers.



Press Release Body: MARCH 2008, MUMBAI: Informa, the owners of global mega-events
including the Monaco Yacht Show, Cityscape, 3GSM and Leaders in India - have
launched India's first large international business-to-business wine exhibition.

A world class, 3 day exhibition will also feature the 2 day India International
Wine Summit, the Informa - IIWF Awards, an exhibitor and media evening, and amongst
a number of networking sessions, the obligatory wine and cheese tasting opportunity
for key Indian buyers. Informa - the world's largest professional media firm - is
also the owner of information super-brands including Lloyd's List, Routledge Taylor
& Francis and Datamonitor. With a long established track record in creating highly
meaningful industry platforms that have facilitated information exchange and
peer-to-peer contact in over 70 countries, IIWF is expected to be an important
addition to the international wine industry calendar.

Bringing together the country's entire community of wine importers, distributors,
wholesalers and retailers, along with noteworthy large-scale buyers including
hotels, airlines and restaurants, the event is the single most important forum for
international and Indian wine producers, exporters and marketers to firmly establish
themselves in the Indian market.

"For a country that has produced wine for over five thousand years, and which today
has over 120,000 acres of vineyards, it is surprising that the Indian wine industry
has until now been relatively underdeveloped " says Abhaey Singh, Managing Director
of Informa India.

"In the current context of a booming economy, a burgeoning middle income group, and
ever-changing consumer tastes and lifestyles, India's wine market today is growing
at over 30% a year. We expect this market to grow almost tenfold from current
levels, to ten million cases within the next decade."

Since India joined the WTO, import tariffs in the country have been steadily
lowered, making it easier for foreign exporters to tap into India's vast consumer
market. In response to the requirements of international wine exporters, the Indian
government has recently declared its intention to set up a wine board to facilitate
imports into the country. India's Exim Policy now also allows hotels to use 5% of
their foreign exchange revenue to import alcoholic drinks without duties.

Singh adds that "along with less restrictive import procedures than only a few years
ago, the Indian wine market is now finally accessible to international wine
producers and exporters. We therefore think that it is an excellent opportunity for
international companies to benefit from an early mover advantage in India. And we
anticipate that IIWF will be a relatively effortless route through which these
brands can establish themselves in the Indian market."

For more information about IIWF, log on to www.iiw-fair.com.

ABOUT INFORMA: With hundreds of highly respected companies including some of the
world's biggest information brands - Lloyd's MIU, Routledge, Taylor & Francis,
Datamonitor, IIR, IBC, Euroforum, Huthwaite, Washington Policy & Analysis and many
others - Informa plc, the world's largest professional media and specialist
information firm, is present in over 70 countries and publishes over 45,000 book
titles; delivers over 2,000 subscription-based services and produces over 12,000
events every year.

Informa's events business includes global B2B and B2C mega-shows such as 3GSM,
Cityscape, IPEX, The Monaco Yacht Show, The Bride Show, and the world's largest
series of business leadership events, the most recent speakers at which included
Kofi Anan, Richard Branson, Steve Forbes and Philip Kotler.

For more information about Informa, please visit www.informa.com.


Informa India
A202 Business Square
Solitaire Corporate Park
Andheri-Kurla Road
Chakala, Andheri East
Mumbai 400093
India

e-mail: media@informa.in
website: www.informa.in





Web Site: http://iiw-fair.com

Contact Details: A202, Business Square, Solitaiare Corporate Park Complex,Andheri
Kurla Road Chakala
Mumbai-400093
Tel-022-4020-3300
Fex-022-4026-3000
Email-media@informa.in