The impact of different product messages on wine tourists' willingness to pay: A non-hypothetical experiment

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to learn how commonly used promotional messages impact tourists' willingness to pay (WTP) for wines in an emerging wine region. This research differs from many WTP studies by using a non-hypothetical experiment design, the Becker, DeGroot, Marschak (BDM) experimental auction method. Results show that wine tourists' WTP is different depending on the promotional message shared. Messages with sensory information about the wines had no impact on WTP, whereas messages about awards won in wine competitions generated the highest levels of WTP. Messages that emphasized "local" production of the wines generated modest increases in WTP. Findings suggest that in emerging wine regions, quality perception is important. The BDM auction method was an effective way of simulating the tasting room point of purchase context, which is important in emerging wine regions where most of the wine is sold directly to tourists from the winery tasting room.