Food tourism development in wine regions: perspectives from the supply side

Abstract

ABSTRACT While food tourism research has increased over the decades, calls for enhancing academic discourse remain, including more critically-focused investigations on conceptual and practical aspects of this leisure activity. In adopting the realms of the knowledge-based view and dynamic capabilities, the present study critically examines the development of food tourism experiences from the perspective of providers from four different wine regions. On-site, face-to-face interviews with 22 winery owners-managers of wineries offering wine tourism experiences in Argentina and Chile were undertaken. Three identified dimensions, notably, enhancing availability, guidance, and foundation setting, highlight key opportunities for wineries to positively contribute to food tourism through wine tourism experiences. In contrast, four factors associated with challenges in developing food tourism emerge, namely the necessity for involvement, enhancing food repertoires, generating excitement, and creating a niche. Extending from these findings, a theoretical framework is developed, and various practical and theoretical implications are discussed.