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What is wine tourism and why is it so big?

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Wine tourism is BIG business! Also known as enotourism and vinitourism, wine tourism is a phenomenon that occurs around the globe- but what is it and why is it such an important part of the travel and tourism industry? Read on to find out…

What is wine tourism?

How big is the wine tourism industry, the history of wine tourism, why is wine tourism important to a winery, what are the benefits of wine tourism, new zealand, wine tourism, enotourism & vinitourism- further reading.

Wine tourism, also known as enotourism and vinitourism, is a focused branch of food tourism which is specifically to do with wine. It is all about getting to know the world of wine as you travel. Activities typically include vineyard and winery tours, getting to see the wine production line and (of course!) wine tasting. There are even wine museums you can visit!

As with any type of food tourism, you don’t have to travel particularly far to engage with wine tourism. A proper wine tasting session at your local pub or bar, for example, is definitely a wine tourism activity. Read on to learn a bit more about it….

Put simply, wine tourism (or enotourism or vinitourism) is massive. Enotourism is a big deal across the globe, and it doesn’t show any signs of slowing down in terms of its growth. Statista says , The wine tourism market worldwide was estimated to be worth around 8.7 billion U.S. dollars in 2020, a year in which the entire global tourism industry was hit hard by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As forecast, the enotourism’s market size was expected to reach nearly 29.6 billion euros in 2030. 

define wine tourism

Vins du Monde shared some interesting statistics too, particularly related to where the most wine tourism takes place. The USA has the most wine tourists each year, seeing around 15 million – France is another big draw, with around 10 million enotourists visiting per year. Germany hosts around 7.3 million, and Italy around 5 million. South Africa and New Zealand have much fewer wine tourists each year, welcoming around 0.5 and 0.2 million respectively.

what is wine tourism. enotourism. vinitourism

Wine tourism is a relatively new industry, in comparison to winemaking itself. But where there is industry , tourism isn’t far behind. People are curious to see how the world around them works, which is why any form of industrial tourism is popular. Wine drinkers are keen to see how wine is made, to see where it comes from and to try new flavours from different areas. It is the same as avid car lovers visiting a car factory, for example! Wine tourism is said to date back to the early 20th century, when wine routes were developed throughout Germany. There were and are various routes, though none are more famous than Weinstraße, which is the oldest and runs through the Palatinate wine region. The Paris Wine Tasting of 1976 in the Napa Valley, California, was another turning point for wine tourism. French judges blind-tasted French and Californian wines – and controversially, the Californian beverages came out on top. It gained a lot of traction in the media, which started promoting an interest in wine-related activities. Later still and much more recently, in 2004, the film Sideways – starring Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church – showcased two men embarking on a wine tour through Santa Ynez Valley. Following the film’s release and success, the enotourism industry definitely saw a boost!

Wine tourism is important to wineries for many reasons. With cheaper mass-produced wines being much more readily available now, smaller wineries are making less money and business is slowing down. For this reason, branching out into enotourism activities is vital for many wineries. Allowing tourists to visit and pay to taste the wine, see how it’s made and meet the winemakers is a brilliant way of providing income. Wine tourists also tend to spend more than the average traveller – in New Zealand, it’s actually a whopping 52% more.

There are many benefits of wine tourism. As mentioned above, enotourism has a positive impact on wineries and winemakers. It brings in an alternative income, and allows people to share their passion with people who will appreciate it. Wine tourism also introduces people to different wines, meaning wineries may go on to have regular custom from these visitors.

And are there benefits to the tourists themselves? Of course – as with any form of industrial tourism , wine tourism provides an educational opportunity to guests who want to learn about wine, winemaking, individual wineries and so on. It adds a slightly deeper aspect to your trip; it’s something a bit different from simply lounging by the pool!

what is wine tourism. enotourism. vinitourism

As a wine tourist on a specific wine tourism trip – like a tour through a specific region – you can experience so many benefits. For one, vineyard and winery locations are usually beautiful. You’ll experience drop dead gorgeous views that will surely take your breath away. From pretty Germany to jaw-dropping New Zealand, wine tourists get a *lot* of the nicest destinations!

With good wine comes good food – that’s just a given. Wine tourists eat well, whether it’s food provided at a vineyard or winery, or at restaurants recommended by tour guides. And good food, as we all know, is one of the best things we can experience in life… Other benefits include finding new wines to enjoy, and making friends with like-minded wine lovers.

The best places to travel for vinitourism tourism

There are plenty of places you can visit to enjoy some of the world’s best wine tourism. Below you’ll find some incredible destinations, tours and wineries perfect for enotourists!

Covering around 102,000 hectares, the German wine country isn’t the biggest but it is one of the most famous. The Riesling is one of the most popular wines in the world! The landscapes of the German wine region are breathtaking, and it is one of the nicest places to experience wine tourism in Europe.

Rheinhessen is the largest area of the German wine country, with some very rare grape varieties; wine has been made here since the ancient Roman times. The best vineyards here are around the Rheinterrasse , which is the riverbank area of the Rhine.

Palatinate is the best region for the famous Riesling wines. It is also *the* region for wine festivals, which are of course a huge hit with enotourists. Not only that, but Palatinate is home to some of the best food in Germany!

Mosel is where you want to go for sweet wines and views that will leave you speechless. The wines are made on heat-storing slate soil, which is really unique and of course fascinating to learn about as a wine tourist.

Wine tours are so popular in California , and a real must-do if you’re in the area and have a penchant for wine. Two areas in particular are incredible for wine tours: Sonoma and the Napa Valley. The best way to do it is on an organised tour . Some include picnics, for some you’ll be on an e-bike, and some tours are combined with hiking! Choose from luxury private tours to big group tours – but whatever you do, if you’re a wine lover vacationing in Cali don’t miss out on discovering the vineyards and wineries of the region.

what is wine tourism. enotourism. vinitourism

If you want to see where some of the most famous types of wine come from, then wine tourism in France is for you. From Champagne to Bordeaux, there are so many regions here with wines named after them. And with wine tours, vineyard visits and tasting sessions you can explore them all…

VinoTrip, for example, offer wine tours in the following regions: 

  • Vallée du Rhône
  • Languedoc-Roussillon
  • Val de Loire
  • Jura. 

From wine-and-golf weekends to champagne workshops, there is so much you can incorporate into wine tourism in France. And if you don’t want a whole wine-focused holiday but still want a taste of the good stuff on your trip, there are plenty of day trips you can book!

Wine tourism is a growing industry for the Kiwis, with a whopping 40,000 hectares of vineyard space across the country – as opposed to just 400 hectares in 1960. New Zealand is known as the ‘second home of Sauvignon Blanc’ now. Some of the best places to visit include…

Marlborough, which is the largest of New Zealand’s wine regions. The wine production here is diverse, and the scenery is breathtakingly green. The area is split into three subzones, known as the Southern Valley, Wairau Valley and the Awatere Valley. You can opt for self-guided tours of the region, hop-on hop-off bus tours and fully guided wine tours here . Central Otago is the southernmost wine region in the world, which gives it great kudos among visitors. It is also absolutely stunning, with vines on narrow little terraces located on sloping snow-capped mountains. Some of the world’s best Pinot Noir wines come from here! Book a tour and visit multiple wineries, eat lunch, see the gorgeous scenery and most importantly, taste some of the local wines.

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UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

Gastronomy and Wine Tourism

Product Development

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Gastronomy and Wine Tourism

  • Mountain Tourism
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  • Sports Tourism
  • Shopping Tourism

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As global tourism is on the rise and competition between destinations increases, unique local and regional intangible cultural heritage become increasingly the discerning factor for the attraction of tourists.

For many destinations, food-making as well as wine-making represent an integral part of their history and identity and have become the key element in the nation’s brand image. Gastronomy and wine tourism represents an opportunity to revitalize and diversify tourism, promote local economic development, involve many different professional sectors and bring new uses to the primary sector. Hence, gastronomy and wine tourism contribute to promoting and branding destinations, maintaining and preserving local traditions and diversities, and harnessing and rewarding authenticity. 

The Committee on Tourism and Competitiveness (CTC) of UN Tourism defines Gastronomy Tourism as a type of tourism activity which is characterized by the visitor’s experience linked with food and related products and activities while travelling. Along with authentic, traditional, and/or innovative culinary experiences, Gastronomy Tourism may also involve other related activities such as visiting the local producers, participating in food festivals and attending cooking classes.

Whilst Eno-tourism (Wine Tourism) , as a sub-type of Gastronomy Tourism, refers to tourism whose purpose is visiting vineyards, wineries, tasting, consuming and/or purchasing wine, often at or near the source.

Global Gastronomy Tourism Events

Next in 2024: 9th UN Tourism World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism (Bahrain)

8th UN Tourism World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism (San Sebastian, Spain)  7th UN Tourism World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism  (Nara, Japan) 6th UN Tourism World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism  (Flanders, Belgium) 5th UN Tourism World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism  (San Sebastian, Spain) 4th UN Tourism World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism  (Bangkok, Thailand) 3rd UN Tourism World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism  (San Sebastian, Spain) 2nd UN Tourism World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism  (Lima, Peru) 1st UN Tourism World Forum on Food Tourism  (San Sebastian, Spain)

BCC - UN Tourism: Gastronomy Tourism: a driver for development and rural inclusion (July 2023 - in Spanish) BCC - UN Tourism: How do we face the future of Gastronomy Tourism? (May 2020)

Gastronomy Tourism Events

Regional Gastronomy Tourism Events

Next in 2024:  First Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia and the Pacific (Cebu, The Philippines)

First Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Africa (Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe) 

Gastronomy Tourism Events

Wine Tourism Events

Next in 2024:  8th UN Tourism Global Conference on Wine Tourism (Armenia)

7th UN Tourism Global Conference on Wine Tourism (Logroño, La Rioja, Spain) 6th UN Tourism Global Conference on Wine Tourism  (Alba, Italy) 5th UN Tourism Global Conference on Wine Tourism  (Reguengos de Monsaraz, Portugal) 4th UN Tourism Global Conference on Wine Tourism  (Valle de Colchagua, Chile) 3rd UN Tourism Global Conference on Wine Tourism  (Chisinau, Moldova) 2nd UN Tourism Global Conference on Wine Tourism  (Mendoza, Argentina) 1st UN Tourism Global Conference on Wine Tourism  (Kakheti region, Georgia)

UN Tourism-OIV: Innovating in Wine Tourism in the context of Covid-19 (September 2020) Enoturismo post Covid-19  (May 2020)

Other events

Think Tank on Talent in Wine Tourism (Haro, La Rioja, Spain)  

Product Development Projects

  • Gastronomy Tourism Product Development Project (Ubud, Bali, Indonesia)

The UN Tourism Gastronomy Tourism Product Development Project in Ubud was developed with the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy with the aim of growing gastronomy tourism as a pillar of cultural and gastronomic heritage and boost the local economy, create jobs and drive sustainable and inclusive development. 

  • The Joyful Journey:  Discovering a wine region through its wineries  (Spain and Argentina)

The Joyful Journey introduces an innovative methodology to identify the existing relationship of the wineries and their surroundings, including their influences on local and regional history, socio-economics and culture. This relationship created the framework for a product to experience Spain through its wineries and the environment in which they have developed. This methodological tool can be adapted and replicated in different regions to help destinations to be promoted through their oenological framework which will also help emphasize other aspects such as culture, history and tradition.     

The project was carried out in Spain in collaboration with Affiliate Member Leading Brands in Spain Forum and with the participation of five major Spanish wineries from different wine regions: Galicia, La Rioja, Penedés, Priorato, Ribera del Duero, Somontano, Toledo and Toro.

Guidelines for the Development of Gastronomy Tourism

Guidelines for the Development of Gastronomy Tourism

The Guidelines for the Development of Gastronomy Tourism have been developed by UN Tourism and the Basque Culinary Center (BCC), a UN Tourism affiliate member, as part of its long-term collaboration. The guidelines aim to serve as a practical toolkit to support the development of gastronomy tourism in destinations by providing recommendations on key aspects such as planning and management by national tourism administrations (NTAs), national tourism organizations (NTOs) and destination management organizations (DMOs).

  Guidelines for the Development of Gastronomy Tourism

Gastronomy Tourism – The Case of Japan

Gastronomy Tourism – The Case of Japan

The report on Gastronomy Tourism – The Case of Japan, prepared with the support of the Japan Travel and Tourism Association (JTTA) and Gurunavi, looks at the awareness of gastronomy tourism as a concept in Japan. Based on a survey with the main players in the country, results show that while gastronomy tourism is little-known, activities around this sector exist across the nation.

The report features 18 different case studies of gastronomy tourism activities in Japan, ranging from local Sake breweries to hotel trains. These examples show how gastronomy tourism has been turned into a development tool, inclusion and regional integration in Japan.

  Gastronomy Tourism – The Case of Japan

A Tour of African Gastronomy

A Tour of African Gastronomy

So much of a nations’ culture is defined by food. UN Tourism is proud to invite you to join our Tour of African Gastronomy. The rich and endlessly diverse flavours of the continent tell stories and rituals steeped in history. Explore the legacy of centuries of amazing culinary traditions hand in hand with some of the most prominent figures of African gastronomy. Over thirty Chefs will take you on a trip around the wonderful flavours and delicacies whose preparation alone is akin to a performance.

Join us in this tour and check the delicious recipes by African Chefs

Download this book:  A Tour of African Gastronomy

A Tour around the World's Gastronomy

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Affiliate Members Global Report, Volume 4 – Global Report on Food Tourism

The Global Report on Food Tourism, Volume No.4 of the UN Tourism Affiliate Members’ series of in-depth reports explores the links between tourism and food. For many of the world’s billions of tourists, returning to familiar destinations to enjoy tried and tested recipes or travelling further afield in search of new and special cuisine, gastronomy has become a central part of the tourism experience. Against this background, food tourism has gained increasing attention over the past years. Tourists are attracted to local produce and many destinations are centring their product development and marketing accordingly. With food so deeply connected to its origin, this focus allows destinations to market themselves as truly unique and appealing to those travellers who look to feel part of their destination through its flavours. The report analyses the current situation of Food Tourism, through a survey of the UN Tourism Affiliate Members as well as the reflections of professionals with extensive experience in international organizations, destination management, tourism companies and the training schools.

The Wine Routes

The Wine Routes of the World

UN Tourism and ARAEX GRANDS Foundation are proud to publish this very first guide to the most emblematic wine routes of the world .

The Wine Routes of the World takes the reader through the wine routes of top ten wine producer destinations - Argentina, Chile, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Portugal, South Africa, Spain and United States of America – showcasing the history of each country’s wine industry, accompanied by the traditional local dishes and their pairing, as well as the main tourist attractions that cannot be missed while visiting the wine routes

Download this book: The Wine Routes of the World

The Wine Routes of the World by Country:

  • Wine Routes of Argentina
  • Wine Routes of Chile
  • Wine Routes of France
  • Wine Routes of Georgia
  • Wine Routes of Germany
  • Wine Routes of Italy
  • Wine Routes of Portugal
  • Wine Routes of South Africa
  • Wine Routes of Spain
  • Wine Routes of the USA

training @ the wine lab

UNIT 1 – Wine tourism: definition, opportunities, implications and strategies

  • 4. AT THE MARKETPLACE
  • The opportunities of experience-based tourism in wine and food sectors
  • UNIT 1 – Wine tourism:…

A NEW TYPOLOGY OF TOURISM 

In recent years, wine tourism has been on the rise and represents a robust segment of tourism, because tourists search for more authentic experiences [See UNIT 2 – Wine tourism demand trends ] , travelling to wine-producing countries and visiting wine regions. The second main reason of this success is related to the fact that wine tourism can include other tourism segments, such as cultural, heritage and gastronomy tourism, appealing to more than just wine enthusiasts or wine experts and thus, attracts a large number of visitors (Woldarsky & Geny-Denis, 2019).

Starting from these premises, food and wine tourism represent a new typology of tourism, within the “tourism taste”, that could be indicated as “territorial food and drink tourism” (Hall et al., 2003; Lemmi & Siena Tangheroni, 2015). 

Holiday motivation and food attraction (Hall et al ., 2003; Lemmi & Siena Tangheroni, 2015).

WINE TOURISM POTENTIALS 

Offering wine tourism goes beyond simply meeting a demand. Wine tourism offers huge potential, creating value both for the territory and wine producers.  

  • For the territory, wine tourism gives the opportunity to generate wealth in a specific place, promoting its heritage too
  • Considering the winery perspective the direct and indireret gains associated to a successful wine tourism business are mainly 8 (Woldarsky & Geny-Denis, 2019)

DEFINITION AND IMPLICATIONS

Wine tourism can be defined as a visitation to vineyards, wineries, wine festivals and wine shows for which grape wine tasting and/or experiencing the attributes of a grape wine region are the prime motivating factor for visitors ( Hall and Macionis, 1996)

It includes a visit to the company, the desire to know the productive process, traditions, history and culture of the wine but also of the territory, the region through images, economic, social and aesthetic values, cultural and natural elements, historical signs rather than consumerism.  

Wine tourism is:

  • A service experience
  • A complex experience, involving the whole terroir ’s attractions
  • Related to the wine tourist’s different motivations and profiles
  • Nowadays managed through electronic marketing tools
  • A tool for regional development (e.g. wine routes)

According to this definition, there are many implications related to wine tourism. 

WINE TOURISM TYPOLOGIES 

From the offer perspective, wine tourism can be divided in 4 main categories (Karlsson, 2017): 

  • “Open Door” wine tourism, consisting in opening the cellar’s doors and receiving people for wine tastings and cellar visits

Let’s see the case of Cantine Aperte , the most important wine tourism event in Italy, created in 1993 by the association Movimento Turismo del Vino : every year, in the last week-end of May, the members wineries open their doors to personally meet people. During the years, Cantine Aperte has become a way to travel and discover Italian wine territories, which has seen an increasing number of tourists, wine wonderers and wine lovers visiting wineries from year to year hoping for a unique experience ( www.movimentoturismovino.it )

  • “Edutainment” wine tourism, consisting in something more complex and organized than the simple visit to the cellar. The word “edutainment” means in fact a mix between education and entertainment. Some example of “edutainment” wine tourism are: blending session, harvesting workshop, vineyard nature walks, cooking class….
  • “Disneyland” wine tourism, consisting in big budget projects, often with mixed contents also including contens not directly related to wine. This is the case of special restaurants or hotels, wine museums, etc
  • “Eventification” wine tourism, consisting in one-time events focused on wine. This is the case of wine festivals, gastro-walks, village harvest festival, etc

WHO IS THE WINE TOURIST? (1/3)

Considering the demand perspective, according to Per Karlsson (2017), there are different kinds of wine tourists: 

  • Wine geek: he wants to know everything about the company, its wines, product processes, etc; for this kind of tourist, wine is the unique purpose of his travel
  • Gastro-tourist: this kind of tourist is interested in gastronomy in general; for him wine is one of the reason of his trip
  • Passing-by casual tourist: he is not manly interested in wine, but if he visits a wine region he usually decides to visits almost a winery

WHO IS THE WINE TOURIST? (2/3)

According to an Australian research who tried to give an overall general profile of the wine tourist (Chartersa & Ali-Knightb,2002),  wine tourists are usually ‘‘couples with no children and those with higher education and incomes in professional occupations,’’ (South Australian Tourism Commission, 1997) and can be divided into 4 main categories: 

  • Wine lover: he has a comprehensive grounding in wine education, through attending wine and/or tasting courses, reading wine books, watching tv programs about wine, etc. Their motivation as wine tourists is also clearly defined. They are more likely to want to buy wine, to want to learn about wine, and to want to taste wine at the winery
  • Connoisseur: he shares all the lifestyle characteristics of the ‘Wine Lovers’ but he has an even more keen thirst for knowledge
  • Wine interested: he attends tastings and visits wineries, but he has not any particular experience in wine education. He is interest in learning about storing and ageing wine, but much less concerned with food and wine links
  • Wine novice: he attends tastings and visits wineries, but his motivation in wine sector is less focused

WHO IS THE WINE TOURIST? (3/3)

According to Alebaki & Iakovidou (2011), about the wine tourist profile there is a general perspective that “ the ideal wine tourist is male, professional and middle –aged, because they will spend most” (Charters & Carlsen, 2006). However, although younger wine tourists have limited knowledge about wine compared to older ones, they may be more important in the long term. Thus, greater attention needs to be paid, because high satisfaction from the whole wine tourism experience can help in terms to bring them back for return visits (Roberts & Sparks, 2006), create a demand in the long term for specific brands, and built customer loyalty towards individual wineries and their wines (Getz, 2000).

WHICH ARE THE MAIN ACTIVITIES TO DEAL TO PROMOTE WINE TOURISM? 

As in many other contexts there is not a single recipe valid for every winery. Strategies and activities depend on the specific projects and location. 

In the definition of a wine tourism project, wineries should keep in mind 4 keywords:

Collaboration

If you are all alone no one will be interested in your activity, but if you start collaborating with other wineries, but also with restaurants, museums, hotels, tourist offices, wine shops, etc., the better it will work (Hall et al.,1997; Østrup Backe, 2013); let’s try to create a flexible  network with all the stakeholders operating in tourism sector in the area you are located.

Storytelling 

Stories are able to appeal both to the logical and emotional cores, meaning they tend to be more memorable than other marketing tools (Pera, 2017). It is not important having a beautiful cellar or a perfectly organised tasting room; visitors will expect that wineries share their stories with them; let’s tell to visitor authentic, clear and memorable stories about your work, your winery and your products. This will be your uniqueness element! 

Wine tourism is all about giving people a memorable experience. Experience based tourism, in fact, allows tourists to be fully involved in the visit and to be a leading actor in the choice. It is also able to start up a process, gradually increasing the tourist’s awareness to become an active tourist (Hall et al., 2007; Lemmi & Siena Tangheroni, 2015). Lett’s focus your activity in giving to visitors something that will make them remember the winery and the wines and that will make them talk about it.

Authenticity 

The trend to the local and the search for authenticity in food tourism are becoming increasingly important. Tourists want to be different and want to experience places and their food and drinks the same way locals do; (Sims, 2009; Østrup Backe, 2013;). Let’s offer to visitors an authentic experience of your winery and products.

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If you are an avid traveler who loves to drink a glass of wine now and then, wine tourism might be the perfect type of tourism for you to try. It combines both of these activities into one unforgettable experience, allowing you to explore the world’s finest vineyards and wineries while discovering new cultures.

Every winery on your journey will provide you with unique sensations — scents, tastes, and visuals. Furthermore, you will get to experience wine production first hand and do wine tastings. And, if the season is right, you might even get a chance to participate in harvests!

If we managed to pique your interest in wine tourism and you wish to learn more about it, read on! Below, we explain what it is, why it is so beneficial to do, and how to do it right. Let’s get started!

What Is Wine Tourism?

Wine tourism is a form of tourism that involves traveling to wineries and vineyards to learn more about the wine production process, taste different wines, and enjoy the local attractions. It can also be described as a type of agritourism — a branch of tourism focused on agriculture and nature-based activities.

In other words, wine tourism is an exciting way to experience the world’s best wine regions and learn more about the local culture of the largest wine-producing countries in the world. And if you are not a big fan of wine, why not check Bourbon Bounty hunting instead, or perhaps dive deeper into the magical world of Kosher Blends ?

Why Should You Do Wine Tourism?

There are many reasons why you should consider wine tourism. First of all, it combines two great things: traveling and drinking wine! Secondly, it gives you a unique chance to explore the world’s finest vineyards and discover new cultures. And lastly, it will help you discover yourself and understand your true passion and preferences.

Here are some specific benefits you can get from wine tourism:

Learn More About Wine Production Processes

If you have always been interested in how wine is made, this might be the perfect opportunity for you to learn more about it. In fact, visiting a winery is the best opportunity for learning how wine is produced!

Experience New Cultures Firsthand

One of the main perks of touring around the world is getting to know new people, cultures, and traditions. Most wineries and vineyards are located outside of major cities, which means that you will get to interact with locals in an authentic manner.

Take Your Time and Enjoy the Scenery

Another great benefit of wine tourism is that it gives you more time to really explore the area you are visiting. You can travel to many vineyards and wineries, meaning you will be able to take your time and truly enjoy each place on your list!

Meet People Who Share Similar Interests

Since most people who engage in wine tourism have similar interests, this activity is the perfect opportunity for you to meet like-minded people! You might even make new friends!

Discover Yourself

Last but not least, wine tourism can be seen as a self-discovery journey — while visiting different vineyards and wineries, you will get to explore your own personal preferences. This will allow you to understand yourself better as well as highlight your strengths and weaknesses in regard to wine tasting!

How To Do Wine Tourism the Right Way

There are many ways for you to experience wine tourism outside of your home country — however, we recommend that you should do some research beforehand so that you can choose the best option for yourself! Here are some steps you should follow:

1) Choose a Destination That Is Right for You

The first step in planning your trip is deciding where exactly you want to go. Some wine regions , such as Alsace in France or Tuscany in Italy, offer amazing experiences for those who wish to visit a variety of wineries; others such as California offer more opportunities for those who want to do some grape stomping!

Figure out what kind of destination would be best suited for your needs by reading reviews online or asking your friends who have already visited a certain area.

2) Organize Your Itinerary Ahead of Time

Once you have figured out where exactly you want to go, it’s time to start planning your trip! Decide how long and when you want to visit certain parts of the world; then, start planning your itinerary based on these parameters!

Depending on whether you wish to go alone or with a group of friends, decide how many days per week you would like to spend exploring different regions around the world. Then figure out how many days each region will require in order for you to see all of its main attractions.

Once this has been done, list each region on its own piece of paper or create an Excel spreadsheet with all of them!

3) Choose the Right Type of Transportation and Accommodation

Once you’ve decided on your itinerary, it’s time to start planning transportation and accommodation. The first thing you need to figure out is where you are going to stay the night. Depending on your preferences, you can opt to stay in a hotel, rent an apartment, sleep in a tent, or rent a guesthouse.

After figuring out where you are going to stay, start planning your transportation. You can choose from a variety of different airlines and prices. Make sure to consider not only the cost of getting to your travel destination but also returning home.

The type of transportation that you choose should be directly related to the regions you want to explore — for example, if you wish to visit a variety of vineyards in France, then taking a train is a great option since it will allow you to explore many different cities! However, if you wish to do grape stomping and winery tours in California, taking a plane from the east coast of the U.S. might be more convenient for your trip!

Wine tourism is an amazing way for you to explore the world and discover new cultures. It combines two fantastic activities: traveling and drinking wine! In fact, some people even say that wine tourism is a better choice than traditional tourism since it allows you to immerse yourself in culture much more deeply!

No matter which wineries you decide to visit, you will surely have a great time. On top of that, you will get a chance to learn more about the world’s finest vineyards while also getting to know yourself better! So, if you love wine and traveling, this type of tourism might be just what you have been looking for!

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What is wine tourism and what type of wine traveler are you.

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Wine tourism is an amazing experience and if you have never been to a wine country, then you will be amazed by a winery, its number of bottles, barrels, the scents, the temperatures, and the vineyards that go on and on without sight. Wine and Winemaking has a long history, deeply connected to the story land and the people involved in its production, and who doesn’t love a story well told? Understanding wine, this secular beverage is more than a trend. Wine drinking is a common interest nowadays, as people tend to be more and more interested in the origin of food and beverages of choice. Wine is a serious business, and since 2016 there is even a United Nations body devoted to the growth and nourishing of Wine Tourism:  UNWTO-United Nations Wine Tourism Organization .

A_Serenada_Enoturismo_wine

A wine traveler isn’t just a regular traveler. A wine tourist might not be a wine enthusiast, and a wine enthusiast is not just a normal wine lover. Forbes states it clearly; there are different types of Wine Tourism. Although one thing is certain, wine bonds them all. Whether you are taking part in the harvest or attending a wine tasting, you are in the position to take home incredible memories and to meet friends for life. So, wh at type of wine traveler are you?  Tell me how you drink your wine, I’ll tell you what type of Wine travel suits you best...

The Wine Geek

The name says it all. These types of travelers are wine savvy, connoisseurs, specialists, and all in between. These travelers seek wine knowledge and true wine experiences, and many know the wine game and sometimes define its rules. They usually choose their destination considering the wineries, the varieties, and the wine world, after all, everything in their trip revolves around wine. They also seek private tours with plenty of room for a deep warm conversation with the owner of the winery or the agricultural engineer. The wines of the wine tastings must be premium selection, have also to be bold, distinctive in character, and many times they are part of their bucket list. That's why in the end, and after researching the shipping conditions this traveler knows for carrying the preferred wine back home and sometimes with its own wine bags to pack the most precious findings.

Moreover, there are also a few reminders like the commented tastings with all the technical wine terminology in which a 1-day wine tour would never be enough to satisfy the wine geek inside. How about a 7-day wine tour ? Have you visited the best wineries in Douro Valley? Sure, it is worth a trip to Portugal, since the winemaking tradition goes back then to Roman times, and some of the grape varieties cultivated nowadays are still endogenous. This makes some of the Portuguese wine like none other that you have tasted before. Read more about Wine and other secrets on our previous blog post and get to know the best wine tours in Porto and the best wineries in Douro Valley on   this article. 

1-Day wine tour

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Choose here the selection of the tours of half and one day more suitable for you. 

7-Day Premium Tour in Porto and Douro

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A premium tour in the most famous wine region of the world. This tour was designed for the most demanding and exclusive of the clients. A 7-day journey that will never cease to amaze you every step of the way.

The Gastro-Tourist

Barbecue_[6483-A4]-1

For this type of traveler, everything revolves around food, particularly delicious food, plus wine. In fact, the perfect vacations are when wine and food pairings happen at the same time in the same place, no matter where in the world. This traveler chooses the next traveling location instructed by their gastronomic friends. Cheese, wine, and fresh bread are by tradition a quintessential part of our tables all year round, while fresh vegetables and fruit grows are another amazing essential. In addition, even the finest restaurants have their own vegetable garden from where ingredients are picked every day to be part of the daily-defined menu. Furthermore, it is possible to join a cooking workshop, mastered by a renowned chef and take home some of the most renowned Portuguese recipes, this is a great experience since the Gastro-tourist seeks the finest wine and food experiences, both the Michelin Star fine dine experience and the typical traditional flavors. This traveler packs some traditional delicacies and wine to share with family and friends while dining in their own living room back home. Check out this 3-day wine tour with a cooking workshop and private river cruise, book here .

3-Day Tour in the Douro with a Cruise in the Douro River

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This is the ultimate, utmost activity for expert Wine enthusiasts. A 3-day stay in a Wine Hotel at the heart of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A private sailboat cruise. A guided visit through some of the most famous wineries and wine estates of the iconic region.

The Casual Wine Tourist

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This traveler loves to sip wherever the travel may take them to. When in need of some rest, they prefer to look for an incredible wine bar. Plus, while in Portugal, a must-go should be a visit to the Port Wine Cellars, since this would be a fantastic travel staple in their wine passport. Moreover, the casual wine tourist visits restaurants, attend wine festivals, look for comfortable places for some great food and delicious wine as part of the journey. Might or might not take a bottle home, as happiness is to be on the spot enjoying the moment.

Did you know that?

what_to_eat_in_portugal_codfish

Portuguese food identity is mainly Mediterranean food. Codfish could be our national dish if we really could choose just one. This fish, which we don’t have in our sea territory, is prepared in 1001 ways plus so many more. Amazing isn't it?

Why  book now your tour? Because by booking all your  tours  with us you will have  flexibility  in the future, plus an acquired  "Clean and Safe" seal . Through these unique times, we are available to plan, reschedule, and move your trip around your needs, as always. If your new dates may no longer work with your initial travel plan, a dedicated consultant will be available to  tailor  and reschedule your time in Portugal according to your needs and preferences, and to assure you that you will have the best and most memorable experiences.

Topics:   Wine Tours Wine Experiences Wine Tourism Douro Tours

Wine Tourism in Portugal

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define wine tourism

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Introduction to wine tourism

Wine tourism is still a young science. Notable contributions only date back to the 1990s. In German-speaking countries, the scientific scene on this topic has only been making an appearance since the 2000s. However, the development since then has been extremely dynamic and has been accompanied by scientific co-operation, particularly with universities and scientific institutions in Germany, Austria and South Tyrol. In 2009, the Wine Tourism/Culinary Commission was founded within the German Society for Tourism Science (DGT). The following year, the first scientific conference of the commission was held at the headquarters of the Rotkäppchen Group in Freyburg/Unstrut (Germany) under the auspices of the Harz University of Applied Sciences. Contributions can be found in the conference proceedings (Dreyer & Müller, 2011). In the following years, activities were intensified and conferences were organized in Oppenheim (Worms University), Bolzano (EURAC and FU Bolzano) and Vienna (FH Wien der WKW) and documented in conference proceedings ( Scherhag , 2013; Lun et al., 2013; Wagner et al., 2017). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, conference activities had to be reduced and partly shifted to digital meetings (Rüdiger et al., 2021). In 2022, there was once again a conference with in-person participation at Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences as the 5 th CWTC Culinary and Wine Tourism Conference; the scientific conferences have been held under this title in cooperation with Vienna University of Applied Sciences (FH Wien der WKW) and IMC Krems University of Applied Sciences since 2015. The activities of the DGT commission members, who gathered for the 9 th annual meeting at Worms University of Applied Sciences in 2023, also include this volume.

A special issue about travelling to wine. Is the topic interesting enough for tourism? The appearance of the magazine alone gives a positive answer, but this should be explained in more detail. Wine regions are travel destinations that have become increasingly attractive in recent years. Wine plays a role of varying importance when travelling; this will be explained in more detail in a moment. In any case, the fact is that it is not wine and its consumption alone that makes wine regions attractive. Rather, it is the combination of attractive wineries with other tourist attractions in well-tended, mostly rural cultural landscapes that increases demand. Quantification is not easy; opinions differ on the question of when a traveller in a wine region is considered a wine tourist by definition. In any case, the answer to this question must be taken into account when categorising the results of studies in wine regions in terms of numbers.

The international literature often takes a relatively simple approach and categorises wine tasting and sales as the defining characteristics of a wine tourist; other activities related to wine and the wine landscape play a subordinate role. One possible categorisation for segmentation is based solely on visits to wineries and distinguishes between primary and secondary wine tourists and non-winery visitors (Tafel & Szolnoki 2019). In a very narrow view, primary wine tourists only include visitors to wineries who stated in the study that wine and winemaking played an important or very important role for them personally during their trip. The remaining visitors to wineries are considered secondary wine tourists in the study. This means that tourists who do not visit a winery but undertake other activities related to viticulture in the region (vineyard hikes, etc.) are not considered wine tourists in this study.

Wine regions around the world are very different, both in terms of climate and topography of the landscape, the size of the wineries and the interest of the wineries in direct sales. For this reason, the research approach presented here may only be useful for a limited number of wine regions, but in many cases it misses the mark. In Germany, where this special issue is published, but also in other countries such as Austria, parts of Italy (e. g. South Tyrol) or parts of France (e. g. Burgundy), a more comprehensive approach is probably required. However, the approach presented here follows a widespread international opinion characterised by American and Australian researchers. While many European wine regions are characterised by their landscape and culture (river courses, castles, half-timbered towns, etc.), these attraction factors are often missing in the New Wine World, which may lead to this different assessment (Dreyer, 2021).

Three aspects are important for categorising wine tourism: The visitors (demand), the providers (from a tourism perspective, these are not just wineries) and the respective destination. Even if wine tourism can historically be categorised as a business trip because merchants bought the wines for their customers from the wineries ( Scherhag , 2022), we are focusing here on leisure tourism. As part of local tourism activities, there are a variety of wine-related options for visitors , including food, scenery and cultural activities (Bruwer & Alant, 2009; Winemakers Federation of Australia (WFA), 2002; Hall et al., 2002):

visiting vineyards and vineyards,

visits to wineries,

wine tasting

savouring wine at its place of origin,

visiting wine festivals and wine markets,

experiencing the characteristics of a wine-growing region,

experiencing the unique qualities of a contemporary lifestyle.

From the providers’ perspective, wine tourism is sometimes much more than that. From an economic point of view, there are three basic reasons why winegrowing businesses are involved in wine tourism:

Direct marketing instrument to increase the added value of the wine product through direct sales

Indirect marketing instrument to increase awareness of the winery and thus support indirect sales

Own strategic business unit to generate additional income beyond wine sales ( Rüdiger , 2023)

Wine tourism is therefore often part of (strategic) wine marketing and thus an opportunity for wineries to sell their products directly to consumers (Getz et al., 2008) or to create a second mainstay with tourist offers (wine hotel, gastronomic offer, organization of wedding celebrations, etc.). As a result, this often leads to a close connection with culinary tourism ( Peters , 2020). The more extensive the range of services offered by a winery, the more important cooperation with other players in the destination becomes – both from the wine and tourism industries.

Events are also an ideal opportunity for customers to familiarize themselves with the wines and to purchase them during the event. There is a direct relationship between tourism, direct sales and thus the increase in wine sales through tourism activities. The utilization of tourism elements – such as events – requires knowledge and event experience in addition to the personnel and spatial requirements. Studies have shown, for example, that autumn is the preferred time of year when wine tourists are particularly interested in wineries and their offerings; however, this is in conflict with the peak workload caused by grape harvesting and processing (Rüdiger, 2023). Consequently, existing resources must be allocated when utilizing tourism elements. Hall et al. see the use of tourism as a marketing instrument as the only possible distribution channel for smaller wineries that cannot generate fixed sales volumes (Hall et al., 2002).

According to Lakner and Merlet (2008), the primary goals of wineries that offer tourism elements are to establish contact with the end customer, increase the level of awareness of their own wines, generate wine sales and ultimately bind the customer to the winery. The aim is to create brand loyalty through tourism elements. Wineries thus follow a pull strategy that attempts to generate demand for the product on the market, at specialist retailers, in the catering trade and in online retail through tourism activities. In this way, a wine tourism experience can strengthen the brand for the customer (Rüdiger et al., 2015).

In the wine industry in particular, as part of the agricultural sector, many businesses have diversified into tourism in addition to their core business. Service offerings such as conferences and celebrations, catering, hedgerow management, wine culture events or the rental of rooms for individual events such as company events, conferences, family celebrations or weddings (Dreyer & Schreiber, 2020) have led to a strategic business unit of the wineries. Wine serves as a legitimisation or »means to an end« to attract customers to the events in order to generate additional operating income (Rüdiger & Hanf, 2017). Seen at the operational and organisational level, tourism elements thus form a strategic business unit within the company, each with its own sales and profit responsibility, because like any other strategic business unit, these wine tourism elements are thus an organisational sub-unit within the company with an »independent market task« and separate sales and profit targets that can be defined independently of the company’s other business units (Kotler et al., 2007).

To be categorised as wine tourism, the destination as a whole must also have a clear connection to wine (wine region, wine town, etc.). In addition to the terroir of the wine, the wine tourism terroir must also be taken into account (Hall et al., 2007) (Croce & Perri, 2017). This includes the interplay of climate and soil, i. e. the wine terroir, as well as the cultural characteristics of the inhabitants. Both together make a region incomparable for tourism. The wine terroir gives the vines their unmistakable local character through the influence of day and night temperatures, rainfall distribution, soil conditions and slope exposure and inclination. However, it is only the regional identity of the inhabitants with their customs and traditions, their hospitality and the derived offerings that provide a wine region with a more comprehensive and clearly recognisable differentiation from other travel destinations for tourists (Charters, 2006; Hoppmann et al., 2017; German Wine Institute (DWI), 2020). Some examples of specialities and traditions in viticulture: Trulli in Apulia, Pergel vine training in South Tyrol, vineyards on the top of mountain ridges in southern Styria, the »gemischte Satz« in Vienna, etc. In addition, the destination needs a strategy to develop and market wine-related attractions in order to create an image as a wine region (Getz & Brown, 2006; Scherhag, 2022). In this respect, cooperation between service providers from the tourism, catering and winegrowing sectors is essential for successful positioning (Scherhag, 2022). Summarising definition:

» WINE TOURISM in the narrower sense refers to visitors with predominantly wine-oriented travel motives , for whom appropriate leisure activities related to wine are provided, which enable the experience of a wine region through activities in the wineries (including tastings) and in nature (including vineyard visits) as well as through the realisation of a contemporary lifestyle with culinary and cultural offers (including wine festivals). To this end, tourism and winegrowing businesses co-operate and pursue the goal of strategic development and marketing as an attractive wine region with a distinctive wine tourism terroir. This is based on viticulture with its peculiarities and traditions as well as the associated regional identity of the inhabitants « ( Dreyer 2021).

The development of wine tourism around the world is as varied as the wine regions themselves. Apart from a few global wine trends, there are different challenges everywhere – depending on the existing conditions.

The scientific contributions to this Special Issue – even if the number is not very high – show a wide range of topics, both in terms of theoretical foundations and in relation to the status quo of implementation:

Paper Rüdiger and Wegener : KANO Model for experience quality measurement of wine tourism events Experiences have become increasingly important in travel decisions and the choice of destination in recent years. This also applies to the use of wine tourism services, especially when attending events. Using the KANO-Model, Rüdiger and Wegener analyse the customer-specific requirements for the staging of wine events. The study is intended to provide recommendations for the staging of events at wineries and in wine-growing regions in order to increase the attractiveness of the event and thus contribute to its economic success. Paper Ehm : Wine tourism experiences: A collaborative approach to implementing customer-centric offerings Ehm’s study aims to work out how German wineries can take a cooperative approach in their region and design products through customer-oriented wine tourism experiences – such as wine tastings, vineyard or cellar tours – in order to attract more short travelers to stay in the wine regions. Using the example of the co-operative market presence of #OpenDoorWein, in-depth interviews and workshops were conducted with decision-makers in the Palatinate. The online availability of information and online booking options were identified as success factors for this approach. Paper Melerba et al. : Family-friendly wine tourism? A debate with evidence from three Portuguese wine routes As a rule, wine tourism is predominantly practised by middle-aged adults travelling without children. However, there are other target groups, such as families with children, especially in rural destinations, where the topic of wine takes place in a special natural, cultural and social context. However, there is comparatively little data available on the target group of families with children in wine tourism. Melerba et al. conducted a survey on three Portuguese wine routes to analyse this target group in terms of general profile, travel motivation, attractions visited, satisfaction and loyalty. As a result, two different target group profiles appear to emerge: Visiting wine-related attractions and activities and having fun and socialising in a wine region and enjoying its landscapes, culture and rural life. Paper Inoue : Œnotourisme in Switzerland-Producer initiatives and policies Swiss wine production (21 st position in the world) is supported by 2148 communities and is centred on the production of characteristic, local wines; a total of four languages are spoken in the wine-growing communities (German, French, Italian and Romansh) and the vines are cultivated at an altitude of between 200 and 1150 metres. Inoue looks at wine tourism, sustainable agriculture and sustainable tourism from a political perspective, based on landscape studies, and from the point of view of the grape and wine producers who practise Œnotourisme. Paper Tafel et al .: Do German winegrowers see a connection between biodiversity and wine tourism? The study by Tafel et al. shows that, from the perspective of the winegrowers surveyed (n=52) in a qualitative study, the landscape of the winegrowing region is considered to be highly attractive to tourists; the majority of the winegrowers surveyed are of the opinion that a biodiverse landscape has a positive influence on tourism in wine regions. The communication of a biodiverse landscape should therefore be taken into account in winegrowers’ marketing. The significance of the landscape in the actual travel decision process must be analysed in a further study (guest survey).

After the articles, some project outlines (in alphabetical order of the researchers) will be presented to give an impression of the diversity of research approaches in wine tourism and culinary. The researchers are working on the projects and will be finalised in the near future. These are very different fields of research (Representative study by Harms et al., Scherhag/Reichle through to a modelled study of travel contexts by Spiegel, as well as promotional approaches – Olbrich). This provides an overview of the wide range of topics that can contribute to the subject of wine tourism and culinary; the contributions are at different processing levels.

The contact details of the researcher are listed so it is possible to contact them directly. A discussion about the research approach or the contribution of thematically related research is welcome. In this way, it can be ensured that correlations that have already been investigated can also be taken into account if they are not available to the researchers.

It can be assumed that some of the projects will be finalized soon and will be presented 2024 an relevant conferences, for example at the 6th Culinary Wine Tourism Conference at the IMC Krems University of Applied Sciences in Krems, Austria (May 22–25 th 2024).

Bruwer, J., & Alant, K. (2009). The hedonic nature of wine tourism consumption: an experiential view. International Journal of Wine Business Research, 21 (3), 235–257. 10.1108/17511060910985962 Search in Google Scholar

Croce, E. & Perri, G. (2017). Food and wine tourism. Integrating food, travel and terroir (2nd edition). Wallingford, Oxfordshire, UK, Boston, MA: CABI (CABI tourism texts). 10.1079/9781786391278.0000 Search in Google Scholar

Dreyer, A. (2021). Reisen zum Wein: Weintourismus zwischen Reben, Vinotheken und Kultur. Tourism Now (1. Aufl.). Konstanz/München: UVK Verlagsgesellschaft (Tourism Now). Retrieved from https://elibrary.narr.digital/book/99.125005/9783739881256. 10.24053/9783739881256-1 Search in Google Scholar

Dreyer, A. & Schreiber, M.-Th. (2020). Weingüter als Special Locations im MICE-Segment – am Beispiel der größten deutschen Weinregion Rheinhessen. In B. Eisenstein & J. Reif (Hg.), Tourismus und Gesellschaft (pp. 505–515). Berlin: ESV–Verlag (Tagungsband der 22. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Tourismuswissenschaft (DGT)). Search in Google Scholar

Dreyer, A., & Müller, J. (2011). Opportunities of cooperative marketing using the example of the wine region Saale-Unstrut. In K. Sidali, A. Spiller & B. Schulze (Eds.), Food, Agri Culture and Tourism (pp. 102–118). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer. 10.1007/978-3-642-11361-1_7 Search in Google Scholar

Getz, D., Carlsen, J., Brown, G. & Havitz, M. (2008). Wine tourism and consumers. In: A. G. Woodside und D. Martin (Eds.): Tourism management: analysis, behaviour and strategy (pp. 245–268). Wallingford: CABI. 10.1079/9781845933234.0245 Search in Google Scholar

Hall, M. C., Mitchell, R. & Sharples, L. (2007). Consuming places: the role of food, wine and tourism in regional development. In Hall, M., Sharples, L., Mitchell, R., Macionis, N., & Cambourne, B. (Eds.): Food Tourism Around the World: Development, management and markets (pp. 25–59). Oxford/Burlington: Butterworth-Heinemann. Search in Google Scholar

Hall, M. C., Sharples, L., Cambourne, B. & Macionis, N. (Hg.) (2002). Wine tourism around the world. Development, management and markets. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Search in Google Scholar

Kotler, P., Keller, K.-L. & Bliemel, F. (2007). Marketing-Management: Strategien für wertschaffendes Handeln (12. Aufl.). Pearson-Verlag: München. Search in Google Scholar

Lakner, Z. & Merlet, I. (2008). Wine Tourism Survey in Libourne . Retrieved from www.veilleinfotourisme.fr/servlet/com.univ.collaboratif.utils.LectureFichiergw?ID_FICHIER=28709. Search in Google Scholar

Lun, L.-M., Schmitz, E.-M., Pichler, S., Pechlaner, H. (2013). Weinland Südtirol: Touristische Wertschöpfung über Qualität, Kooperation und Innovation. In Lun, L.-M., Dreyer, A., Pechlaner, H., & Schamel, G. (Hg.): Wein und Tourismus. Eine Wertschöpfungspartnerschaft zur Förderung regionaler Wirtschaftskreisläufe (pp. 39–54). 3. Symposium des Arbeitskreises Weintourismus der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Tourismuswissenschaft (DGT). Bozen, 24.05.2013. Bozen: EURAC Research (EURAC book, 62). Search in Google Scholar

Peters, J. E. (2020). Kulinarischer Tourismus. In A. Dreyer & C. Antz (Hg.): Kulturtourismus (3. Aufl.), (pp. 123–134). München: De Gruyter Oldenbourg (Lehr- und Handbücher zu Tourismus, Verkehr und Freizeit). 10.1515/9783486711028-009 Search in Google Scholar

Rüdiger, J. (2023). Kulinarischer Tourismus. Reisen zwischen Genuss, Erleben und Gastlichkeit . (Tourism Now) . München: UVK Verlag, Tübingen. Search in Google Scholar

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Rüdiger, J., Hanf, J. H. & Schweickert, E. (2015). Die Erwartungshaltung von Weintouristen in Deutschland. In Neuere Theorien und Methoden in den Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften des Landbaus, Schriften der Gesellschaft für Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften des Landbaus e.V. (pp. 29–42), Band 50. Search in Google Scholar

Rüdiger, J. & Hanf, J. H. (2017). Weintourismus als Instrument des Direktvertriebes in der Weinwirtschaft . In Berichte über Landwirtschaft, Band 95, Ausgabe 2, Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft. Search in Google Scholar

Scherhag, K.: (2022). Wine Tourism. In: Jafari, J. & Xiao, H. (Eds.): Encyclopedia of Tourism . Springer DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_222-2 10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_222-2 Search in Google Scholar

Scherhag, K. (Hrsg. – 2013). Weintourismus und Marketing. Lohmar [u. a.]: Eul. Search in Google Scholar

Tafel, M. & Szolnoki, G. (2019). Segmenting Tourists in German Wine Regions by Travel Motivation and Wine Activities. In Mitteilungen Klosterneuburger 69 (pp. 169–207). Search in Google Scholar

Wagner, D., Mair, M., Stöckl, A., & Dreyer, A. (2017). Kulinarischer Tourismus und Weintourismus . Springer Fachmedien. 10.1007/978-3-658-13732-8 Search in Google Scholar

Winemakers Federation of Australia (WFA) (2002). Wine Tourism Strategic Business Plan 2003–2005 . Embrace the challenge. Adelaide. Search in Google Scholar

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What is enotourism?🍷

What is wine tourism, enotourism or oenoturism.

It means to see what is behind a winery’s closed doors. A guided tour allows access to a winery to learn what they do, how and why they do it, ending the visit with a delicious wine taste. These visits may be in conjunction with a culture or leisure activity (like sailing or cycling) and paired with gastronomy.

Bike & wine tasting

Air transport has become more affordable and this has helped us travel more often and further than ever before, reaching places where we only dreamt to go.

At the same time, wine has suddenly made a guest appearance everywhere where affordable good quality wine is at a hand’s reach wherever we turn to. Wine is not just a beverage but a part of culture of a great number of civilizations.  Wine has become more accessible and readily available and social media has help us learn more about still wines, sparkling wines and fortified wines.

define wine tourism

When we travel, we want to stay away from our daily busy lives, wanting to go back to basics as we visit a new place, see how locals live, taste what they eat and drink, and do what they do. We want to experience what it means to be local of another country and a wine tour does the trick.

Our hunger, or thirst in this case, to learn more about wine, has caused not just the birth but also an increasing tendency to do enotourism , wanting to visit those places where wine is made. It is very fortunate that a large number of wineries have opened their doors to us with the single aim of sharing with us, what they do and why they do it and all easily explained in a guided wine tour.

define wine tourism

Depending on the location and how close it is from a wine region, you then decide if to visit 2 or 3 wineries in a day. Wineries open during the morning but only a few in the afternoon, so plan ahead allowing enough time at each winery. Guided winery visits are meant to be an enjoyable experience to remember rather than cramming as many wineries as possible in a single day, like a bee jumping from flower to flower, which defeats the purpose.

During the visit, the guide will explain the history of the winery and how it came to what it is today. They also mention the grapes they work with and why, walking by vineyards in some cases, visit its barrel ageing rooms and taste a range of different wines.

Enotourism also allows us to purchase locally produced wines which would normally be difficult to find at home, by either buying a few bottles or shipping boxes home; bearing in mind that it is preferred to avoid summer-time shipping, as to conserve the bottles’ temperature in the best condition.

Must enotourism list:

  • Plan in advance, check maps and distances, visit wineries’ websites or look for wine tour operators
  • Decide on schedule with possible visit dates and duration
  • Choose if to mix the visit with a leisure activity (this makes for a fabulous combo) or just visit wineries
  • Dress accordingly, you are visiting someone’s home
  • Relax and enjoy, someone is driving for you

Next time you travel, consider doing enotourism and make winery visits during your trip abroad by preferably scheduling these appointments in advance, either directly with the wineries or through wine tour operators, which may organise a privileged visit.🍷

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The dynamics of wine tourism in the world

Wine tourism is on the rise. It is establishing itself all over the world as a growth driver. As much for the wine sector as for the tourism industry!

Indeed, as the growth of wine consumption tends to slow down in the world, the sector must find new outlets. New sources of income, new consumer targets… how to reinvent a sector without denying its traditions?

As far as tourism is concerned, “idleness” is no longer popular. More and more, tourists are seeking to give meaning to their travels. Developing, cultivating, discovering new horizons… no more idle vacations sipping a mojito with your feet in the water. Make way for “transformational” travels!

define wine tourism

There is no one definition of wine tourism that is unanimously accepted in all wine producing countries. The market figures are therefore to be taken with a grain of salt because they are not calculated on the basis of a homogeneous definition. Nevertheless, in a spirit of synthesis, we propose the following definition:

Enotourism, or wine tourism, defines all tourist activities, all formats combined, organized with the objective of discovering the vine, a wine-producing region, the profession of winegrower, wine and wine tasting.

It is according to this definition that we will analyze the dynamics of the world wine tourism market. What are the success factors and winning formulas in the sector? What are the differences between the approaches of the new world and the old world? What is the global economic weight of the sector?

Differentiate by structuring a value-added enotourism offer

If the typical wine tourism offer that has proven itself is based on a good wine tasting, it is no longer enough! In order to gain the loyalty of a clientele in demand for rich and original experiences, the winegrower must diversify. There are many themes that allow us to target a wider range of profiles than just wine lovers:

  • Enology remains at the heart of the value proposition. A tour of the cellar, the winery and the vineyard in the company of the winemaker is a less formal, more natural discovery of wine. The participation in the winegrower’s profession in the form of vineyard sponsorship is a strong experience. Participatory, it convinces wine enthusiasts as well as neophytes!

define wine tourism

Vine sponsoring is an innovative way to let wine lovers discover the work of winemakers.

  • Accomodations : 80% of wine tourists live in urban areas. Spending a weekend in the vineyards meets their growing expectations of a return to nature and traditions. The Austrian region of South Tyrol has succeeded in a rather exemplary initiative in this respect. The Vinum Hotels have joined forces to offer a global offer dedicated to wine tourists. Together, they have reached the critical size that allows them to invest in marketing that makes them visible. Something that would not have been possible if everyone had played their own card in their own corner.

define wine tourism

  • Gastronomy allows wine tourism sector to broaden its audience to epicureans in general. Offering food and wine pairings, tasting local specialties, a typical meal in the area leaves a generally lasting memory. In South Africa, the Fairview farm near Cape Town has taken the model to its extreme by offering wine and cheese-tasting and wine-making workshops! In the United States, wine tourism is inseparable from gastro-tourism, and California is an example of the integration of these two concepts.

define wine tourism

Gastro tourism and wine tourim are very complentary offers

  • Sport is a unifying activity. Cycling (old world) or segway (new world) on the wine roads are formulas that are developing all over the world. Golf & wine formulas allow to attract international high-end tourists.

define wine tourism

  • Entertainment : sunny terraces or escape games in the middle of the vineyards for family moments proved to be successful offers.
  • Culture : a wine or wine history museum to attract customers with a more “intellectual” profile. Bordeaux and Adelaide in Australia have understood this and have designed their wine tourism offer around their powerful Wine Cities. In another register, Boston has found the formula with its now famous wine festival .

define wine tourism

The national wine center in Adelaide, Australia

define wine tourism

The City of Wine in Bordeaux is the new nerve center of wine tourism in the Bordeaux region

All these formulas are as many ways to bring the world of wine closer to tourists who would not have come here out of passion.

Hunting in a pack in a regionally integrated industry

The local success of the wine tourism sector cannot rest only on a few winemakers, however active and imaginative they may be. To attract and retain a significant number of tourists, the entire region must develop a structured wine tourism offer.

The initiative must be supported by the public authorities, if only to finance basic infrastructure. Transport networks, parking, public toilets, road signs, wine tourism circuits, the famous wine routes. Managing a large flow of tourists cannot be improvised!

define wine tourism

All the players in the local tourism and wine sectors must be mobilized. A wide and varied hotel and restaurant offer is necessary to offer a global service.

Understandably, the regional challenge consists in relying on a sufficiently credible political force to federate the local players in an integrated ecosystem.

Attracting new targets through an ambitious digital strategy

If wine tourism were to target only the discerning wine enthusiasts, its weight would be reduced to a mere pittance. In order to scale up, the players in the sector need to address connoisseurs, epicureans, explorers as well as neophytes.

define wine tourism

Profile of wine tourists in France. Source intervin.fr

This opening is also strategic because it allows new categories of consumers to be brought into regular wine consumption. To reach these new customers, offering the expanded range of services we have just discussed is necessary but not sufficient. It is also important to deploy an aggressive marketing strategy.

The advertising campaign organized by “Tourism Australia” is a good example of an ambitious marketing investment. It impresses by its style: a crazy Crocodile Dundee ad. But also by its budget: $36M for a distribution targeting no less than 100 million Americans during the Super Bowl final! See how wine tourism takes its full place in this advertising strategy.

If the Super Bowl ads remain mythical, there is no doubt that an ambitious marketing strategy today requires a strong digital presence.

In order to recruit new customers, the targeted use of social networks and global platforms is a must. It is a question of mastering their codes, which is not the winegrowers’ job. The actors of the wine tourism sector must therefore be accompanied by online marketing professionals.

This digital strategy must not stop at the acquisition of new customers. It must be extended during and after the wine tourism stay to increase the intensity of the experience and build customer loyalty.

During the visit, many regions are investing in mobile applications offering immersive tours. The most innovative are opting for augmented reality tours. Geolocalized, the tourist receives educational information about the estate, the appellation, the vine plot, its grape variety, and its history. The aim is to build what marketers call a digital story telling.

Downstream of the stay, digital tools make the experience last by giving news about the estate and the appellation. Here again, social networks are particularly well suited to this multimedia and interactive approach.

A traditional approach in Europe, a show of the new world

The difference between the wine tourism culture of the new world and that of the old world can be summed up by the person who will serve you your glass of wine. In the new world countries, the tourist is welcomed by a professional of tourism. Look for the winemaker in the Californian Napa Valley or the Australian Barossa Valley, you won’t find him!

On the contrary, it is the winemaker, his wife or possibly his cellar master who will receive you in a large number of European estates. He will insist on telling you about his wines and making you taste them. But he is by no means an expert in tourism and out of his domain, he would not be able to sell you a global experience.

Generally speaking, the new world claims a “business” approach. Paid tastings, professionals experienced in sales, commercial infrastructures offering as many goodies as wines… This customer-centered offer offers a festive experience that is conducive to spending.

I will never forget my visit to Casa del Bosque in the Casablanca valley, Chile. A gigantic green terrace welcomes you in a musical atmosphere. No time to sit on a deckchair that you are taken care of by a tour guide. After checking out, he will take you on a tour of the property, telling you a well-rehearsed, rhythmic speech full of good jokes. A tasting of the estate’s wine concludes the tour, which is over in a flash. Return to the terrace which comes alive, in anticipation of the evening that is about to begin.

define wine tourism

The wine tourism offer of old Europe is quite different! Not very structured, it values its main strength: its long wine-growing tradition. The tastings, free of charge, are animated by the winemaker, who is uncompromising when he starts talking about his wine. Between two passages in the vineyard, he addresses his customers like a pianist greets his audience. In this game, the most efficient is the winery that will seem the most authentic.

Without renouncing its authenticity, the European wine sector should draw inspiration from the successes of the new world to develop its activity. And vice versa. By looking at what works elsewhere, the sector will be able to transform the experience it offers its customers and win new fans.

Global wine tourism figures

To try to quantify the economic weight of the sector, and starting from the definition of wine tourism given in the introduction, we consider that the sector generates two types of economic activity:

  • The set of activities of a trip in which the discovery of the world of wine is the main motivation.
  • The wine-related activities and only these, within the framework of a trip of which they are not the main motivation.

Let’s start with three key figures, which seem to me to be exciting:

  • On average, a wine estate increases its turnover by +20% by offering wine tourism services. This figure can go up to 33% in certain properties in the new world!
  • The sector is experiencing sustained growth of +5% to +10% per year, depending on the country (excluding Covid19 in 2020),
  • In Europe, experts estimate that only 20% of the wine-tourism business potential is exploited today.

The United States, which arrived later than Europe in wine growing, but a forerunner in wine tourism, is therefore the largest market in the sector. They have been able to position themselves more broadly of “gastro-tourism”, dear to the Americans.

Generally speaking, New World wine tourism is a mature market, essentially driven by the domestic market. Much more open to international tourists (42% foreign wine tourism in France), European wine tourism is becoming more structured. It still has strong potential for development.

What if wine tourism became the vector that will bring the tourist and wine industries out of the rut at the end of the Covid episode?

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Thank you for the article. Could you share where you sourced the Global wine tourism figures from?

Bonjour, yes, me too would like to know the source for the interesting global wine tourism figures.

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define wine tourism

At WiseTour, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.

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What Is Wine Tourism?

"Tourism" is term that is used to define travel that is predominately for recreation or leisure. Wine tourism is recreational or leisure travel with wine as the central focus of the trip. It might be visiting a vineyard , winery or wine region. The term "wine tourism" also can be used for recreation and leisure travel to restaurants that feature specific wines and for visits to wine festivals. The wine tourism business is all the business related to wine tourism, including promotional material, tour organizations and package trips to wine regions.

Grapes tend to grow in specific climate conditions. They can't grow everywhere, so regions that are successful tend to attract more than one winemaker to the area. Instead of visiting just one vineyard or winery, wine tourists often have a whole region to explore. Grapes grow best in regions that have mild winters and hot, dry summers. These climate conditions are appealing to tourists as well making wine tourism synonymous with blue skies, clear weather and rolling green vineyards.

A visit to a vineyard and winery is a chance to taste some of the wines where they are made. Most wineries have tasting rooms where tourists can chat with the winemaker or the owners. In a wine growing region, this offers tourists a chance to taste some of the wines produced by wineries in that area.

Pairing wine with food is an art. Wine tourism can include a visit to a restaurant that specializes in fine wines or in wines from a specific region. Festivals are another common activity. Featured wines are often paired with food to bring out the best flavors in each. Wine festivals also commonly include grape stomping, music and other cultural activities.

France, Italy and Spain have always been known for their wine-producing and grape-growing regions. These regions are steeped in history and wine tourism opportunities. Many of Europe's wineries have centuries of history behind them.

Winemakers have discovered suitable grape-growing regions outside of Europe. California's Napa and Sonoma regions have seen a blossoming of wineries and vineyards. Eastern Oregon and Eastern Washington are areas where vineyards and wineries have multiplied. Australia, New Zealand, Chile and Argentina also have wine industries.

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  • By: felinda Many wine tours take place in California's Napa valley.
  • By: contrastwerkstatt Wine tourism may involve visits to wine tasting festivals.
  • By: Felix Mizioznikov Wine tourism can include a visit to a restaurant that specializes in fine wines or in wines from a specific region.
  • By: stokkete Many areas in the U.S., including parts of California, Oregon and Washington, are becoming wine tourism destinations.
  • By: lucato Some wine tour operators shuttle tourists among neighboring wineries.
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Best Wine Tours 2024: Book Amazing Experiences Around the World

Drink wine in remarkable locations. There’s nothing more captivating than relaxing with a great glass of wine in a medieval city or with a stunning vineyard backdrop. But it’s not all about the wine. The best wine tours include an engaging guide, a historical setting and additional activities and cuisine to make it more holistic.

Oftentimes, we’re asked “where do I start?” when planning a wine trip . There’s no right or wrong answer, but we do recommend planning a trip based on a tour or experience you’re interested in.

On this page, we’ve meticulously created a curated list of the best wine tours and experiences to book all over the world. The tours included below range from some of the more trendy wine countries, regions, and cities, to more obscure destinations you may not have known about.

We’ve partnered with Viator (a Tripadvisor company) to ensure secure booking, free cancellation and a best price guarantee. If that isn’t enough, Winetraveler readers can get 15% off any tour bookings made through our website using code WINETRAVELER15 , for a limited time, so act fast. We also update our recommendations almost daily in each country with new and exciting things to do. Be sure to check back frequently or subscribe to our newsletter to stay in the loop.

If you’re looking for a particular tour or experience you don’t see here — regardless of the country — send us an email to [email protected] and one of our travel agents will send you a recommendation, for free! Click below on one of the destinations you’re interested in touring. They are currently sorted by where we’re seeing the most interest this year (and heading into 2024), and by customer rating. You can also browse our travel guides to some of the most popular destinations Winetravelers are booking this year.

The Best Wine Tours to Book in 2024: Organized by Countries and Regions

Wine tours & experiences from paris, ribera del duero wine tours, willamette valley wine tours, douro valley wine tours, trending wine tours by country.

France leads the way in offering an opulent “blend” of wine tours, from majestic Bordeaux to the elegant Burgundy. Spain , with its sun-kissed vineyards in regions like Rioja and Priorat , offers bold reds and delightful whites.

In the United States, the world-renowned Napa Valley in California stands as a testament to innovative wine making and luxury experiences. Portugal’s Douro Valley is famed for its port wines, while Greece invites you to explore ancient vineyards with unique indigenous grapes.

Croatia’s coastal wineries and Italy’s diverse wine regions like Tuscany and Piedmont beckon with tradition and flavor. The United Kingdom is blossoming with sparkling wine tours, particularly in the Southern regions.

Germany’s Mosel and Rheingau regions are a haven for Riesling lovers, while Austria’s Wachau Valley offers graceful white wines. Georgia, arguably the cradle of wine making history, enchants with its traditional methods, and Switzerland surprises with its Alpine vineyards .

Each country presents a unique opportunity to explore the tapestry of flavors, terrains, and traditions that make up the world of wine, promising an unforgettable experience for wine enthusiasts of all levels.

Wine Tours in France

Wine tours in France offer an unparalleled journey into the heart of one of the world’s most revered wine making traditions. Whether you are a connoisseur or a casual wine enthusiast, the country’s diverse regions, such as Bordeaux, Loire Valley, and Burgundy, invite you to explore not only fantastic wines, but a culture of enthusiasm for the product dating back centuries.

Bordeaux, globally renowned for its robust red wines, presents a landscape dotted with prestigious châteaux and vineyards. Also, don’t forget to head south. Seriously. Dive into the Sauternes wine region , where winemaking is unmatched anywhere else in the world, especially if you have a sweet (but unfortified tooth).

The Loire Valley, with its stunning châteaux and diverse grape varieties, offers a taste of elegant whites and sparkling wines.

Meanwhile, Burgundy, home to the famous Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, enchants with its historic estates and time-honored viticulture. Engaging with local winemakers and touring the vineyards not only educates the palate but also provides insight into the artistry, architecture and dedication that define French wine culture.

Bordeaux Wine Tours

Preparing or thinking about booking a Bordeaux wine tour? Gear up for an immersive journey that not only offers a taste of the best wines but also grants you a behind-the-scenes look at the meticulous craftsmanship that goes into each bottle. From historic estates to modern, eco-friendly vineyards, Bordeaux is loaded with multifaceted experiences that caters to both traditionalists and contemporary Winetravelers.

RELATED: These Are the Best Bordeaux Wine Tours to Book in 2024

Champagne Wine Tours

Considering or planning to embark on a Champagne wine tour? Prepare yourself for a sparkling adventure that goes beyond the clinking glasses. Dive deep into the heart of France’s Champagne region , where you can witness firsthand the artistry and precision that crafts each effervescent bottle. From the ancient, chalky cellars storing bottles with stories spanning centuries, to the modern establishments championing sustainable viticulture, Champagne offers a vibrant blend of experiences that will delight both history buffs and the avant-garde #Winetravelers.

Loire Valley Wine Tours

Considering a Loire Valley wine tour? Brace yourself for an experience that transcends vineyard boundaries, offering not only a taste of exquisite wines but also a glimpse into the architectural and historical heritage of the Loire. As you navigate your way through the valley, you’ll be greeted by breathtaking châteaux, a showcasing the region’s royal past, and stunning gardens that are a visual treat.

Surprisingly, the Loire Valley is also home to troglodyte caves, a lesser-known attraction where you can enjoy a unique wine and dine experience in a cave setting, adding an unexpected twist to your wine tour adventure.

RELATED: B est Loire Valley Wineries & Castles to Visit This Year

Burgundy Wine Tours

In Burgundy, the vineyards are interspersed with historic towns and medieval village. You’ll have the opportunity to explore ancient monasteries and remarkable art installations that dot the landscape. The region is also a haven for gastronomes, with a culinary scene that is as diverse and nuanced as its wines. From truffle hunts to cooking classes, Burgundy is a foodie-adventurer paradise, providing a well-rounded experience that goes beyond the wine glass, appealing to both the oenophile and the cultural enthusiast.

Provence Wine Tours

In Provence, the vineyards are often accompanied by olive groves, a delightful opportunity to explore the region’s olive oil production alongside its famed rosé wines. The region is also steeped in history, with Roman ruins and medieval castles providing a glimpse into a bygone era. Don’t miss out on the lesser-known fact that Provence is home to some of the oldest vineyards in France, a detail that adds a layer of depth to your wine-tasting adventure. These Provence wine tours promise a blend of wine, history, and culture, making it a must-visit for every wine enthusiast with a penchant for exploration.

Languedoc Wine Tours

In Languedoc, vineyards sprawl across a landscape dotted with ancient fortresses and serene coastal towns, offering a delightful backdrop to your wine-tasting journey. Also, the region is a treasure trove of Cathar history, with numerous castles and ruins that narrate tales of a turbulent past. In addition, food enthusiasts will find joy in the local markets, where fresh produce and regional specialties promise a culinary adventure to complement your wine experiences. These tours are a gateway to a region where the past meets the present, offering well-rounded experiences for travelers keen on both wine and history.

From Paris, you can easily access a variety of wine regions, each offering a blend of wine varieties and cultural attractions. Also, many tours offer the added bonus of scenic routes, taking you through picturesque landscapes that are sure to captivate your senses. In addition, you might find yourself enjoying a gourmet picnic in a vineyard or participating in a wine blending workshop, adding a fun and educational twist to your journey. This section guides you through a selection of tours that promise not only exquisite wine tastings but also a glimpse into the rich history and vibrant cultures surrounding Paris.

RECOMMENDED: See Our Top 7 Picks for the Best Wine Tasting Experiences In and Around Paris

RELATED: The Best Wine Regions in France to Explore

Wine Tours in Spain

Wine tours in Spain present a fantastic opportunity to delve into the diverse wine making traditions of a country that includes some of Europe’s most renowned wine regions. Areas like Rioja, known for its full-bodied red wines, and Priorat, with its intense and complex flavors, symbolize Spain’s rich viticultural legacy.

A wine tour in Spain offers more than just a tasting experience; it’s an invitation to explore the landscapes, local cuisine, and the art of wine making, guided by local knowledge and expertise. Wine tours in provide #Winetravelers with freedom from the concerns of planning or logistics. Every detail is meticulously curated to provide a seamless journey through the vineyards and cellars. The addition of a driver ensures not only you or your group’s safety but also the convenience of traveling between various destinations throughout the country.

Rioja Wine Tours

In Rioja, you’ll find a variety of wine tours that allow you to experience their diversity of wines, from their robust Tempranillo / Garnacha-based reds to their refreshing whites. Additionally, the region is home to architectural wonders like the Marqués de Riscal Hotel , designed by Frank Gehry, a modern contrast to the traditional vineyard landscapes.

Also, many tours provide the unique opportunity to pair wine tastings with local culinary delights, including an experience of the region’s gastronomy. The following recommendations showcase a range of tours that promise a journey through the heart of Spain’s wine country, catering to both wine aficionados and newcomers alike.

Basque Country Wine Tours

In the Basque Country , you’ll encounter tours that introduce you to the world of txakoli, a slightly sparkling white wine that’s deeply rooted in Basque tradition. The region has a culinary scene that’s renowned worldwide, with pintxos bars and Michelin-starred restaurants offering perfect pairings for your wine discoveries.

Also, the rugged coastline and historic towns like San Sebastián add layers of cultural exploration to your wine journey. This section presents a curated list of tours that dive into the diverse wine and cultural offerings of the Basque Country, ensuring a memorable experience for every traveler.

In Ribera del Duero, you’ll be introduced to a world where wine-making traditions have been cultivated over centuries. Additionally, visitors can look forward to exploring ancient castles and monasteries that dot the landscape, offering a glimpse into the region’s storied past. Also, don’t miss the opportunity to indulge in the local gastronomy, where the flavors of the land are brought to life in dishes that pair perfectly with the local wines. This guide aims to provide you with a comprehensive overview of the best the Ribera del Duero wine tours has to offer, from top-notch wineries to cultural landmarks that enrich your visit.

Wine Tours in the United States

In the United States, wine tours take you from the rolling hills of California’s Napa Valley, known for its premium Cabernet Sauvignon, to the burgeoning wine scenes in states like Virginia and Texas, where innovation meets tradition.

Also, a notable trend is the rise of urban wineries, offering #Winetravelers in cities a taste of the vineyard experience right at their doorstep. This section offers a curated selection of tours that promise a rich and varied journey through the American wine landscape, catering to both seasoned connoisseurs and those looking to dip their toes into the world of wine.

Napa Valley & Sonoma Wine Tours

You’re setting your sights on an area that is a veritable epicenter of wine innovation and tradition in the United States. Here, you can find tours that not only offer tastings of world-class wines but also provide insights into the sophisticated wine-making techniques that have put these regions on the global wine map.

Visitors have the chance to explore the landscapes of Napa and Sonoma. Also, many tours incorporate visits to local artisanal food producers, offering a delightful blend of wine and culinary experiences. This section guides you through a selection of tours that promise a comprehensive and enriching journey through the heart of California’s wine country, appealing to both the novice and the experienced wine enthusiast.

Temecula Wine Tours

You’re about to discover a region that, while younger compared to its Californian counterparts, has rapidly made a name for itself. In Temecula includes a range of wine tours. The area is known for its beautiful backdrop, with many vineyards offering stunning views of rolling hills.

Don’t overlook the chance to pair your wine tastings with the region’s culinary scene, where local chefs are crafting dishes that perfectly complement Temecula’s wine offerings.

Thinking about a wine adventure in Oregon’s lush Willamette Valley ? You’re about to step into a region that’s a true haven for Pinot Noir lovers. In the Willamette Valley, you can find tours that let you get up close and personal with the vineyards, where you can literally feel the rich soil that nurtures every grape to perfection.

Also, don’t miss the chance to wander through the valley’s serene landscapes, where tranquil rivers and dense forests create a refreshing and peaceful backdrop for your wine journey. And for the foodies, many tours add a delightful culinary twist, allowing you to savor the local cuisine that pairs so beautifully with the region’s wines. This is your gateway to a selection of Willamette Valley wine tours that promise a genuine venture into Oregon’s vibrant wine culture.

Portugal Wine Tours

Portugal is one of our favorite, most-stunning and affordable wine countries our team has explored. You can find tours that guide you through the rustic vineyards of Douro Valley , where the ancient terraced vineyards are really a sight to behold.

Also, make sure to explore the coastal vineyards of Vinho Verde, where you can enjoy light and refreshing wines with a hint of sparkle. And let’s not forget the charming taverns of Lisbon and Porto , where you can sip on exquisite wines while soaking in the local ambiance. This is your passport to a curated selection of wine tours that offer an authentic glimpse into Portugal’s wine landscape.

Seize the opportunity to jump into the local wine-making traditions of this ancient valley, where you can witness the age-old process of foot treading grapes in large, shallow granite tanks known as lagares. And for a delightful culinary experience, many tours allow you to enjoy in the local cuisine. This selection of tours promise a deep dive and different authentic experiences through one of Portugal’s most revered wine regions.

Wine Tours in Greece

You’re setting your sights on a country where wine has flowed through its veins for millennia. In Greece, you can find wine tours that whisk you away to sun-kissed islands where vineyards grow amidst olive groves and alongside azure waters. Hercules may even be buried nearby, adding to the density of the local reds. Don’t miss the chance to venture into historic wineries in the Peloponnese , where time-honored traditions meet modern innovation. Also, many wine tours in Grece offer the delightful bonus of gastronomic experiences, where you can enjoy rich and varied Greek cuisine, a perfect companion to the local wines. We’re happy to showcase our favorite tour selection below that offer a vivid and authentic journey through Greece’s wine regions. Especially for archeology and history buffs.

Croatia Wine Tours

In Croatia, tours take you through so much. From the sun-drenched coastal areas where ancient vineyards meet the Adriatic Sea , to the continental regions with their green hills. Also, grab the chance to explore the cellars of Istria and Dalmatia, where you can taste indigenous grape varieties that have been cultivated for centuries.

And for a truly unique experience, many tours include visits to local family-run wineries, where you can enjoy a warm, Croatian welcome along with your wine tasting.

Wine Tours in Italy

From the rolling hills of Tuscany to the sunny slopes of Sicily , Italy has so many stories to tell. In Italy, you can find tours that guide you through vineyards steeped in history, where the art of winemaking has been perfected over centuries. Also, take the opportunity to explore the diverse wine landscapes, from the Prosecco vineyards of Veneto to the historic wine estates of Piedmont. And don’t forget the culinary delights that await, with many tours offering the chance to sample Italy’s world-renowned cuisine, a perfect pairing with the local wines.

In Tuscany, you can find wine tours that lead you through rolling hills and with vineyards dotted with olive groves. Also, seize the opportunity to visit historic wineries where the traditions of winemaking have been honed over generations.

Just a stone’s throw from Rome, you can find tours that take you to the vineyards of the Lazio region, where you can discover lesser-known but equally delightful wines. Also, don’t miss the chance to venture into the nearby regions of Tuscany (above) and Umbria.

From Venice , you can easily venture into the heart of the Veneto region, a place where vineyards are as abundant as the water channels in the city itself. Also, seize the chance to stroll through the historic vineyards near Verona. Imagine sipping a glass of crisp Prosecco paired with freshly caught seafood, a true Venetian delight (from snails to local fried fish). The tours below are not just about wine tasting but an invitation to experience the vibrant culture and warm hospitality of the regions surrounding Venice.

Thinking of adding a splash of wine discovery to your Milanese sojourn? You’re on the brink of uncovering the vibrant wine scenes that are just a short drive from Italy’s fashion capital. From Milan, you can whisk yourself away to the landscapes of Lombardy, where vineyards are ticked into alpine views and serene lakes.

Grab the opportunity to explore the neighboring regions of Piedmont and Franciacorta .

Canada Wine Tours

From the vineyards of British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, to the charming estates of Niagara Peninsula in Ontario, where ice wine is a celebrated specialty. Take a moment to venture into the emerging wine regions of Nova Scotia, where innovative winemakers are crafting exceptional sparkling wines in the picturesque Annapolis Valley.

Wine Tours in the United Kingdom

From the rolling hills of Sussex and Kent, where sparkling wines are giving Champagne a run for its money, to the vineyards of Wales and Cornwall, the UK is fast becoming a hotspot for #Winetravelers. Also, don’t miss the chance to explore the historic counties of Hampshire and Surrey, where vineyards are producing exceptional English sparkling wines with a distinct character.

Germany Wine Tours

In Germany, you can find tours that take you through the scenic river valleys of the Mosel and Rheingau, where steep vineyard slopes are home to some of the world’s finest Rieslings . Also, seize the opportunity to explore the lesser-known but equally enchanting wine regions of Baden and Pfalz, where a new generation of winemakers are crafting exciting and innovative wines.

Austria Wine Tours

In Austria, you can find tours that guide you through wine regions such as the Wachau Valley, known for its elegant white wines (IE: Grüner Veltliner ) and stunning Danube river views. Also, make a point to venture into the vineyards of Burgenland, where you can discover the magic behind the region’s exquisite red wines and sweet dessert varieties. One of our favorites is Blaufränkisch .

Wine Tours in Georgia (Europe)

Thinking of embarking on a wine tour in Georgia, the cradle of viticulture? (Yes, as far as archeology tells us, it really is). You’re setting your sights on a nation where wine is not just a beverage, but a symbol ancient culture. In Georgia, you can find tours that transport you to the heart of wine country, where vineyards have flourished for thousands of years. Don’t miss the opportunity to explore the Kakheti region, a place where wine-making traditions, passed down through generations, are still alive in every marani (wine cellar). Also, take a moment to venture into lesser-known regions like Imereti, where you can taste unique and rare grape varieties.

Switzerland Wine Tours

In Switzerland, you can find wine tours that lead you through the terraced vineyards of Lavaux , a UNESCO World Heritage site, where you can enjoy views of Lake Geneva while sipping on exquisite local wines. Also, take the time to explore the Valais region, home to a wide variety of unique local grape varieties. To complement your wine tourism experience, many operators provide the chance to indulge in Switzerland’s renowned culinary offerings, from gourmet chocolate to cheese, creating a delightful harmony with the local wines. This hidden gem should not be overlooked, and not to be bias, is one of our favorite and evolving wine countries.

If you haven’t already, be sure to join the Winetraveler community for free and get insight and access to some of the best wine experiences to have around the world. You can also join our Facebook group to hang out with the rest of the community. Be sure to follow along with us on Twitter and Instagram as we continue to feature more exciting destinations.

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Management and Marketing of Wine Tourism Business pp 261–276 Cite as

The Business of Wine Tourism: Evolution and Challenges

  • Cristina Santini 3  
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Wine tourism is a significant way for wineries to drive and boost profits. Thus, wineries and their related stakeholders (associations, institutions, and professionals) must carefully plan their wine tourism strategies. To achieve these, they need to critically consider factors such as resource dependency and management, as well as relationships building among the wineries and the territory. This chapter proposes and discusses an interpretative framework for helping wineries to shape their wine tourism strategy and form their tourism offering that is based on two factors: market positioning (i.e. the market needs and orientation) and the role of territory. To achieve that, the chapter starts by exploring emerging trends and insights in the field of wine tourism, and the importance of strategic planning of wine tourism activity. Practical implications and examples of the framework are also provided.

  • Market positioning
  • Wine tourism
  • Strategic planning

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Santini, C. (2019). The Business of Wine Tourism: Evolution and Challenges. In: Sigala, M., Robinson, R.N.S. (eds) Management and Marketing of Wine Tourism Business. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75462-8_13

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Wine culture, territory/landscape and tourism: the Enotourism key pillars. How to get business success and territorial sustainability inside wine tourism ecosystem?

Profile image of Josefina O M G Salvado

2016, A PATHWAY FOR THE NEW GENERATION OF TOURISM RESEARCH Euro-Asia Tourism Studies Association

The wine as a cultural product become the main theme of tourism development in the most 14 wine regions in Portugal. The wine tourism can be established as a regional development tool, allowing the integration of the primary (agriculture), secondary (wine industry) and tertiary (tourism) sectors, highlighting the landscape attributes and showing the regional “touristic terroir” (Hall and Mitchell, 2002) singularities. The tourism and wine industries are increasingly identified as natural symbiotic partners (Carlsan & Charters, 2006, p.18) concerned about business and territories’ sustainability. This winwin relationship must be anchored on coopetitive networks, taking advantage of partnership skills and stakeholders’ synergies. In this study, the first objective was to characterize the complex wine tourism ecosystem starting with a deep literature review. The Enotourism Ecosystem is composed by 3 pillars, the Wine Culture, Territory /Landscape and Tourism, where the touristic experience is the heart of visitor encounter with the material and immaterial heritage. The second objective was to identify the main wine stakeholders and partnership intensity degrees. The third objective pointed to Enotourism critical factors, seeking business success and territory sustainability. To get primary information it was built an online questionnaire survey applied to 51 wine tourism companies (convenience sampling). The findings showed a complex relational interconnectivity between stakeholders within the ecosystem, a low number of units establishing partnerships and a soft cooperation level with other players and public/private entities. So, to get business success and territorial sustainability, it will be crucial that all stakeholders must strengthen their partnership relations, developing coopetitive value cocreation strategies.

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Enotourism: An Emerging Strategic Segment

Josefina O M G Salvado

Wine as a cultural product became the main theme of tourism development in most wine regions in the World and in Portugal. Enotourism is a growing ecosystem, composed by Territory, Tourism and Wine Culture subsystems, involving more than visiting wineries and buy wine, emerging related to landscape, heritage, identity and places memory, following sustainable principles. It is crucial value generation, based on regions’ endogenous resources, anchored on coopetitive strategies. It is also vital to identify main stakeholders within Enotourism ecosystem and analyze theirs coopetitive relationship. In this context, this study proposes an aggregator ecosystem model - Enotourism Coopetition Model. This archetype recognizes the ecosystem players’ diversity, reinforced by sectorial policies, in order to promote authenticity, competitiveness and sustainability. To explore this framework, a qualitative methodology was adopted - Schmeer’s Stakeholder Analysis. The proposed model application will support managers and decision-makers to identify the main actors and interact more effectively, seeking a sustainable territorial value creation; fostering local endogenous resources; strengthening regional landscape identity and increase businesses competitiveness sustainability. It is argued that players must build a common vision and mission, incorporating the needs of those who have Enotourism interests, which could encourage a responsible attitude/behavior focused on: the sense of cultural heritage identity pride; recognition the sector niche as an important vehicle for regional development and local communities’ sharing; commitment to explore the rural landscape´s multifunctionalities; and assigning Enotourism innovative experiences projects, as a priority. Key-Words: Enotourism. Ecosystem. Stakeholder Analysis. Coopetition.

define wine tourism

RT&D - Revista de Turismo & Desenvolvimento

Resumo | O sistema de enoturismo, aqui definido como 'ecossistema de negócios', consiste em redes de organizações que se estendem por diversas escalas espaciais e setoriais, conectando vários tipos de atores que possuem valores, papéis, interesses, capacidades, práticas, recursos e ideias. Para atingir um desenvolvimento sustentável do território vitivinícola, mediante uma aposta no turismo, todos os stake-holders devem harmonizar os seus próprios objetivos de negócio com as necessidades de desenvolvimento do território, aplicando estratégias de criação de valor em redes de coopetição. Assim, as estratégias de coopetição no Turismo de Vinho são capazes de proporcionar aos stakeholders do Enoturismo a capacidade e as ferramentas para gerir os seus negócios com eficácia e eficiência; permitem orientações responsáveis e sustentáveis com base no contexto e necessidades locais; promovem experiências/produtos e serviços turísticos de qualidade que encorajem abordagens responsáveis e colaborativas entre todos os atores; ajudam a definir projetos prioritários para o desenvolvimento de um Enoturismo inovador e com-petitivo e potenciam oportunidades estratégicas para o crescimento económico e a criação de emprego dentro das regiões. Este trabalho pretende, baseado numa análise de documentos e literatura diversa, sugerir um modelo do 'Ecossistema Enoturístico' que ilustra a complexa interconectividade entre stake-holders e recursos em territórios com uma forte identidade cultural. Aponta, igualmente, orientações para um desenvolvimento de negócios e territórios enoturísticos competitivos e sustentáveis, através de redes de coopetição visando a criação de valor superior. Palavras-chave | Enoturismo, sustentabilidade, coopetição, criação de valor, ecossistema enoturístico Abstract | The wine tourism system consists of organizational networks stretching across several different spatial and sectorial scales, connecting several types of stakeholders with different values, roles, interests, skills, practices, resources and ideas. To achieve sustainable territory development through tourism in wine regions, all stakeholders must match their own business goals with the territory's needs of development, applying value creation strategies and co-opetitive networks. Thereby, Wine Tourism co-opetition strategies are able to: enhance Wine tourism stakeholders' capacity and tools to manage their business with effectiveness and efficiency; provide sustainably-yielding guidelines based on the local context and needs; promote quality tourism experiences/ products and services that encourage accountable and cooperative approaches among all stakeholders; help define priority projects for innovative and competitive wine tourism development; and identify strategic opportunities for economic growth and job creation inside the regions. The literature review intends to analyse the complex relational intercon-nectivity between stakeholders within the Wine Tourism ecosystem, in territories with a strong cultural identity. It also highlights the link between the development of competitive wine and wine tourism businesses and sustainable wine-tourism territories through networks of co-opetition yielding superior value-creation in diverse fields.

2nd International Research Workshop in Wine Tourism "Wine Tourism: Challenges, Innovation and Futures"

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Building on the pioneering work of Getz & Brown (2006) and the subsequent paper of Terziyska (2017), the present study proposes a comprehensive ‘resilience benchmarking framework’ for wine tourism destinations.

Sustaibinility

Elena Ruiz Romero de la Cruz , Elena Cruz Ruiz , Gorka Zamarreño Aramendia

The design of enotourist routes represents an opportunity for the sustainable development of rural territories. This qualitative study was structured in three parts to reach a cohesion model representing the academic literature, visitors, and winemakers. This research focused on the region of La Axarquía in Málaga (Spain) because of its wine and tourist tradition. In relation to the methodology, this study used content analysis techniques for the analysis of both the relevant literature and the questionnaires completed by all the winemakers of the territory, 60 tourists who visited the wineries, and the 10 most representative agents linked to the tourist development of this region. The findings provided a model with the elements to be taken into account in the creation of a wine route or itinerary in any destination of the world. The application of this model will contribute to the creation of new tourist policies that can move towards efficient progress of the region.

Norberto Santos

As we said in another context “gastronomic and wine products offer the visitor the possibility of getting to know the culture, customs, traditions and stories of places and people better, and in an extremely pleasant and enjoyable way. The persistent demand, which has been felt in recent years, (...) integrated in the generic name of new tourism, has in food products the ideal way of exploring the specific identities and know-how of each occupation; the authentic cultural expressions resulting from the preparation specific to each community; the unique presence of festivities and gourmet and terroir products, which become components of territorial renown” (Santos and Cravidão, 2015, 11).

Elena Ruiz Romero de la Cruz , Gorka Zamarreño Aramendia , Elena Cruz Ruiz

The certification of Malaga and Ronda wine route, within the model of certified wine routes in Spain, has given a new boost to wine tourism in Malaga. The study focuses on La Axarquía, located on the Eastern Costa del Sol in Southern Spain, which has been a reference point in the wine business since ancient times and has its own identity. This research aims at elaborating a diagnosis of the territory related to the possibilities offered by the area, from the perspective of the heritage resources and services provided by the winemakers outlining two efficient enotourism itineraries that enhance the value of the territory’s resources. The methodology used starts with the study of the territory in order to profile the existing resources, a task that was complemented by the analysis of the documentary sources required in order to understand the peculiarities of the territory. From there, a process of interviews was carried out between April and November 2019 with 100% of the winemakers and around 70% of the territory’s agents. The results of the research are specified in a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis, which has allowed evaluating the possibilities of the enotourist development in La Axarquía, which is complemented with a proposal of two possible itineraries that will promote such development of the rural territory. The conclusions convey the possibilities of the territory of a tourist segment which puts its resources to good use and moves forward the deseasonalization and destructuring of tourism in Malaga, especially on the Eastern Costa del Sol, according to criteria of efficiency and profitability with wine as a reference, although it could be applied to other gastronomic and cultural resources linked to the tourist sector in other geographical areas.

Elena Rotarou , Eugenio Figueroa Benavides

Enotourism has emerged as a promising, sustainable type of tourism that can provide many benefits for local, regional, and national economies. This study critically describes the current situation of the newly-introduced enotourism sector in Chile, analyses the challenges it faces, and offers possible solutions to overcome such challenges. Chile is the eighth wine-producing country in the world, and the first among New World wine regions. Due to the existence of a variety of good-quality wines and unique landscapes, Chile has begun recently to develop its enotourism industry by offering a series of attractive wine routes and wine festivals. Despite recent progress, this nascent industry faces various bottlenecks to its sustainable development, including a still incomplete infrastructure, low human capital, low coordination and governance between relevant public and private companies involved, sustainability issues, inadequate marketing and enotourism-promoting strategies, and lack of synergies with other tourism sectors. Addressing these bottlenecks is particularly important for the Chilean economy, both because at present it loses significant opportunities to generate more income from enotourism, but also because enotourism can contribute to the diversification of the economy, which currently depends heavily on extractive sectors. The suggestions proposed here can also be particularly useful for New World wine-producing countries that may face similar challenges to Chile.

Patrícia Remelgado

Existe uma ligação privilegiada do ecossistema do Enoturismo a um vasto conjunto de atividades culturais, experiências turísticas de origem material, imaterial e de sociabilidade ligado à cultura do vinho. As rotas dos vinhos têm sido a face mais visível na valorização dos recursos endógenos e dos patrimónios identitários das regiões, geradores de sustentabilidade nos espaços rurais. A integração dos Museus do Vinho, Centros de Interpretação e espaços musealizados das quintas, na dinâmica das Rotas dos Vinhos, poderá ser um elemento diferenciador na criação de valor e na diversificação de experiencias de Enoturismo, bem como um fator estruturante para uma oferta turística sustentável. Este trabalho exploratório visa a identificação dos museus do vinho nas rotas vitivinícolas do Dão e Bairrada, e a proposta de dinâmicas culturais de criação de valor na experiência associada ao Enoturismo. Considerando a integração e valorização dos museus e espaços museológicos nas Rotas um elemento ...

Acta Economica Et Turistica

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In an increasingly competitive tourist market, wine and enogastronomy are becoming key elements in the development of tourist products in regions that cultivate grapevines, in Slovenia and internationally. It has been claimed that no kind of tourism can develop in regions without wine; however, from today’s perspective, this claim seems an exaggeration. Nevertheless, enogastronomy is an integral part of many contemporary tourist products. As such, it combines tradition, history and heritage and also improves the recognisability of a given destination on which modern wine tourism products rest. On a global scale, wine tourism is growing, and the forecast for the future is likewise promising. The essence of a wine tourism product is to connect food and wine, i.e. enogastronomic or culinary experiences, and to follow new trends. The trend is to consolidate this segment of tourism services, in particular through leisure activities and relaxation at the destination of choice. Food and wi...

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This study aims to understand how conflicting stakeholders' interests and agendas of the public, private and non-profit sectors may affect the management of the tourism destination identity. It focuses on Northern Portugal, a geographical area with contrasting characteristics, ranging from coastal urban areas to rural hinterland, each dealing with different development issues. The study is qualitative in nature, being carried out using in-depth interviews conducted with various stakeholders (public, private and non-profit sectors) at three wine regions located in Northern Portugal. Data was examined through content analysis. The findings suggest that there is an evident lack of cooperation between the food-and-wine and the tourism sectors in the three

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define wine tourism

Sustainable Wine Tourism Survey

Wine tourism has been an important part of the wine industry for decades. It helps generate income while preserving and developing the cultural heritage of a wine region. Wine tourism could therefore be the key element for the sustainable development of wine regions worldwide. To gather reliable information on this topic, WineTourism.com together with Hochschule Geisenheim University conducted a global online survey with 1,579 wineries from more than 40 countries . Data collection took place in November 2021.

The results of the survey clearly show that sustainability has arrived in the wine industry, but also in wine tourism, and will certainly play a major role in the future. We are very delighted about the high number of participants, which reflects the global interest in this topic.

Global Research On Sustianable Wine Tourism Survey Participants

Key findings of the survey

1. Sustainability plays a critical role for the wineries;

2. Wineries evaluate the overlap between sustainable wine production and sustainable wine tourism very heterogeneously – but the overall overlap appears to be relatively small.

3. For the wineries, the environmental dimension of sustainability is slightly more important than the economic and social aspects.

4. Among the measures that wineries plan to implement,  using energy carefully, developing a long-term strategy for the company  and  collaborating with regional companies/actors  are the most important.

5. Recently, 62% of the wineries stated that sustainable practices in wine tourism are essential for visitors; however, 87 % of wineries say it will become significantly more important in 5 years. 

Global Survey On Sustainable Wine Tourism Winetourismcom

93% of all wineries that participated in the survey stated that sustainability in wine tourism is important or very important. The importance of sustainability is rated highest in Chile (4.8). This result is significantly higher compared to the countries Germany and Hungary.

Global Survey On Sustainable Wine Tourism Winetourismcom (4)

According to the respondents, the environment is the most important pillar of sustainable wine tourism , at 40% of the given answers. The importance of the social and economic pillars is rated similarly, at 29 and 31% respectively.

Global Survey On Sustainable Wine Tourism Winetourismcom (5)

The main drivers for sustainable wine tourism are to build trust and reputation (57%), to increase visitor satisfaction(55%) and to make the world to a better place (55%). The main barriers for sustainable wine tourism are lack of financial resources (48%), lack of human resources (35%) and lack of infrastructure(35%).

Online webinar

On January 25, WineTourism.com and Geisenheim University hosted an online webinar, where we presented the findings of the survey. We would like to thank all the participants for attending and the discussions initiated. Questions that were left unanswered during the webinar, will be answered by the research team and will be published here, on this page.

If you missed the webinar, you can still watch it online on our Youtube Channel. The webinar covered topics such as the role wine tourism play in sustainable strategies, perception of sustainability in different countries and diverse sustainable practices in wine tourism.

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Q&As about Sustainable Wine Tourism

The research team of Sustainable Wine Tourism survey answered all the questions asked during the webinar.

Hello, do you think that wine tourism, as a particular form of tourism, can show real practices and further actions/measures for the whole field of sustainable tourism in general?

Are there sustainability measures that can be called “bigger or more important contributors” comparing to others is it subjective to each winery to decide or there are certain studies which shows what makes a bidder outcome, actually, i think that distribution / consumption is usually also forgotten. how to make these two topics sustainable any idea about that, what is the definition of sustainable wine tourism, it would be nice also to have portrait of managerial aspects of sustainability according to respondents. institutional aspect is a base for sustainable development (especially for long-term development). for example is there any union of wine making companies, wine-based tourism business., hello from greece and aristotle university of thessaloniki. i would ike to see if social sustainability was one of the topics of the research, apart from the regional component, is there any other kind of impact of covid on sustainable wine torism.

Contact for questions about the survey:

Niklas Ridoff | WineTourism.com

[email protected]

Prof. Dr. Gergely Szolnoki

[email protected]

Supporting Partners:

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IMAGES

  1. UNIT 1

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COMMENTS

  1. What Is Wine Tourism And Why Is It So Big?

    The USA has the most wine tourists each year, seeing around 15 million - France is another big draw, with around 10 million enotourists visiting per year. Germany hosts around 7.3 million, and Italy around 5 million. South Africa and New Zealand have much fewer wine tourists each year, welcoming around 0.5 and 0.2 million respectively.

  2. Gastronomy and Wine Tourism

    For many destinations, food-making as well as wine-making represent an integral part of their history and identity and have become the key element in the nation's brand image. Gastronomy and wine tourism represents an opportunity to revitalize and diversify tourism, promote local economic development, involve many different professional sectors and bring new uses to the primary sector.

  3. UNIT 1

    A NEW TYPOLOGY OF TOURISM In recent years, wine tourism has been on the rise and represents a robust segment of tourism, because tourists search for more authentic experiences [See UNIT 2 - Wine tourism demand trends], travelling to wine-producing countries and visiting wine regions. The second main reason of this success is related to the fact that wine tourism can include other tourism ...

  4. Enotourism

    Enotourism, oenotourism, wine tourism, or vinitourism refers to tourism whose purpose is or includes the tasting, consumption or purchase of wine, often at or near the source. Where other types of tourism are often passive in nature, enotourism can consist of visits to wineries, tasting wines, vineyard walks, or even taking an active part in ...

  5. Wine Tourism: What Is It and How To Do It

    Wine tourism is a form of tourism that involves traveling to wineries and vineyards to learn more about the wine production process, taste different wines, and enjoy the local attractions. It can also be described as a type of agritourism — a branch of tourism focused on agriculture and nature-based activities.

  6. What is Wine Tourism and How It Defines You as a Tourist

    The term ' wine tourism ' is defined as a kind of tourism that revolves around visiting wineries, vineyards, festivals, or other events that are about wines, and experiencing the feeling of being in a wine region where winemaking is an everyday business. Most people see winemaking as a hobby, but in reality, it is an earnest business.

  7. What is Wine Tourism? And What type of Wine Traveler are You?

    Wine is a serious business, and since 2016 there is even a United Nations body devoted to the growth and nourishing of Wine Tourism: UNWTO-United Nations Wine Tourism Organization. A wine traveler isn't just a regular traveler. A wine tourist might not be a wine enthusiast, and a wine enthusiast is not just a normal wine lover. Forbes states ...

  8. 15 Tips for Planning the Perfect Wine Tasting Trip • Winetraveler

    Deciding on or mixing up Wine Tours vs. Wine Tastings is also a great way to narrow down your wine vacation experience. First, let's define a wine tour vs. a wine tasting. Wine Tours: Generally, a guided tour by a winery employee or owner who takes you through their grounds and or vineyard property, which also includes tastings at the end.

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    Summarising definition: »WINE TOURISM in the narrower sense refers to visitors with predominantly wine-oriented travel motives, for whom appropriate leisure activities related to wine are provided, which enable the experience of a wine region through activities in the wineries (including tastings) and in nature (including vineyard visits) as ...

  10. What is enotourism?

    What is wine tourism, enotourism or oenoturism? It means to see what is behind a winery's closed doors. A guided tour allows access to a winery to learn what they do, how and why they do it, ending the visit with a delicious wine taste. These visits may be in conjunction with a culture or leisure activity (like sailing or cycling) and paired ...

  11. Who is the wine tourist?

    Much has been written by both academics and the wine and tourism industries attempting to define wine tourism (Hall, 1996, cited in Johnson, 1997; South Australian Tourism Commission, 1997; Getz, 1998). A later definition suggested in the recently prepared Western Australian Wine Tourism Strategy (2000) attempts to consolidate existing research ...

  12. A Complete Guide to Wine Tourism by Dr Prem- Definition, Key features

    Wine tourism popularly known as Enotourism or vine tourism is a niche segment where travelers and wine connoisseurs visit specific destinations known for their premium wine production. They not only take part in tasting the unique produce but also take interest in end-to-end production right from grape harvesting, fermenting, distillation to ...

  13. The dynamics of wine tourism in the world

    The modern history of wine tourism is relatively recent. As far back as we can go, it is the Judgment of Paris in 1976 that is used as the starting point for this adventure in the Napa valley in California. More recently, the film Sideways in 2004 popularized the concept of wine road trips… And boosted the sector. Today, wine tourism accounts for more than 50 billion euros of direct revenue ...

  14. What Is Wine Tourism? (with pictures)

    "Tourism" is term that is used to define travel that is predominately for recreation or leisure. Wine tourism is recreational or leisure travel with wine as the central focus of the trip. It might be visiting a vineyard, winery or wine region. The term "wine tourism" also can be used for recreation and leisure travel to restaurants that feature ...

  15. Wine tourism: An introduction

    This section first reviews the literature on the definition of wine tourism. Hall et al. (2000) describe wine tourism as a category of special interest tourism. Byrd, Canziani, Hsieh, Debbage, and ...

  16. The Four Successful Types Of Wine Tourism

    Here's how you can segment the types of wine tourists: The Wine Geeks: Want to know everything. Wine is the sole purpose. The Gastro-Tourist: Food and wine is an important element. The Passing ...

  17. Best Wine Tours 2024: Top Experiences Around the World

    Trending Wine Tours by Country. France leads the way in offering an opulent "blend" of wine tours, from majestic Bordeaux to the elegant Burgundy. Spain, with its sun-kissed vineyards in regions like Rioja and Priorat, offers bold reds and delightful whites.. In the United States, the world-renowned Napa Valley in California stands as a testament to innovative wine making and luxury ...

  18. The Business of Wine Tourism: Evolution and Challenges

    The business of wine tourism is growing and so does research in this field as well. A recent study (Sánchez et al. 2017) documents the increase of published refereed articles in wine tourism from 1994 to 2014: findings show that during the period 2010-2014, there has been a positive trend in publication numbers with 72 papers contained in WOS (web of science) and 117 articles indexed in Scopus.

  19. Wine culture, territory/landscape and tourism: the Enotourism key

    Wine as a cultural product became the main theme of tourism development in most wine regions in the World and in Portugal. Enotourism is a growing ecosystem, composed by Territory, Tourism and Wine Culture subsystems, involving more than visiting wineries and buy wine, emerging related to landscape, heritage, identity and places memory, following sustainable principles.

  20. Sustainable Wine Tourism

    The main drivers for sustainable wine tourism are to build trust and reputation (57%), to increase visitor satisfaction (55%) and to make the world to a better place (55%). The main barriers for sustainable wine tourism are lack of financial resources (48%), lack of human resources (35%) and lack of infrastructure (35%).

  21. Who is the wine tourist?

    A later definition suggested in the recently prepared Western Australian Wine Tourism Strategy (2000) attempts to consolidate existing research and defines wine tourism as. travel for the purpose of experiencing wineries and wine regions and their links to [Australian] lifestyle. Wine tourism. Methodology and location

  22. (PDF) Wine Tourism

    definition of the wine tourism is made by Hall et al. (2000) as "visitation to vineyards, wineries, wine . festivals and wine shows for grape wine tasting and/or experien cing the attributes of ...

  23. Define Wine Tours

    Define Wine Tours, Healdsburg, California. 236 likes. Private Wine Country Tour Guides exploring the best of Sonoma & Napa Valley. Full itinerary planning