Wine Tourism Destination Research Articles

The Impact of Social Media on Wine Tourists’ Decision‐Making Intentions: An Empirical Study Using the Elaboration Likelihood Model

Social media shapes travel, particularly wine tourism. Wine travel demands wine expertise, which many Chinese lack. This research surveyed 432 wine visitors in Ningxia, a popular wine tourism destination near Helan Mountain, China, using the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM). Descriptive statistics assessed model construct validity, whereas Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) tested hypothetical links among theoretical components for reliability. The intervening effects of variables were examined using bootstrapping for mediation analysis. Argument quality substantially affected wine tourists with better wine knowledge's decision‐making intents, driving perceived utility. Tourists with less wine expertise were more impacted by opinion leaders, eWOM, and source credibility, which shaped their emotional decisions. This research extends the ELM model to social media and wine tourism and incorporates additional mediating elements like perceived utility and emotional attitude to bridge the gap between influencing factors and decision-making intents. The report also emphasizes the relevance of social media for wine tourism marketers, advocating strategic usage to improve results.

Consumer-based brand equity of US domestic and global wine tourism destinations from the American market perspective

Purpose This study aims to measure and compare consumer-based brand equity (CBBE) of several US and global wine tourism destinations from an American market point of view. Design/methodology/approach An online randomized experimental design was used to assign respondents to different wine tourism destination contexts and measure their perceptions and intentions. A structured survey was designed with CBBE scale items related to the most commonly studied components of CBBE, namely, familiarity, perceived quality, image, consumer value, brand value and brand loyalty. Findings The study revealed that respondents were unfamiliar with multi-regional and global wine-growing destinations and their wines, implying that wine tourists belong to different market segments that seek different experiences. Among the US wine tourism destinations, Napa Valley is the destination with the strongest CBBE, with the highest overall ratings in all five CBBE components, on average. In terms of country-level wine tourism destinations, the US has the strongest CBBE, with the highest overall ratings in familiarity and brand loyalty. Research limitations/implications Wine tourism destination CBBE is shown to include components that may not relate exclusively to wine and variations in perceptions concerning global wine-growing regions may be associated with consumer familiarity. Future studies may include respondents from different countries to determine the generalizability of the current findings. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the current study is the first to assess consumer-based brand equity of wine tourism destinations in the US and globally from a US resident perspective.

Uncorking the potential of wine: an empirical prediction of consumers’ intention to visit wine tourism destinations (WTDs) post-COVID-19

PurposeThe study aims to examine consumers' intentions to visit wine tourism destinations (WTDs) in Canada post-COVID-19 by combining destination-related constructs with the theory of planned behavior (TPB).Design/methodology/approachConvenience sampling was employed in the online survey method to gather data. Using AMOS and SPSS software, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the data.FindingsThe outcomes of the SEM show that a powerful model for predicting consumers’ intention to visit WTDs was developed by combining the TPB with additional variables. More precisely, the study identified that consumers' attitudes, perceived behavioral control, wine product involvement and motivation exhibit positive influences on their intention to visit WTDs. Conversely, subjective norms and the destination wine image did not influence the intention.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings have important ramifications for various parties involved, including the government, travel agencies, tourism associations and wine producers. This research's emphasis on consumer behavior enables practitioners to adjust to the changing needs of consumers in the post-pandemic environment.Originality/valueThe drawn-out model gives an improvised view of consumers’ behavioral intentions to visit WTDs post-COVID-19 by testing an integrated structural model comprising TPB and destination-related constructs. As far as the authors are aware, this research represents the first-ever effort to predict consumer's intentions to visit WTDs post-COVID-19.

Uncorking the virtual frontier of wine experiences: interest drivers and potential consumers’ profile

PurposeVirtual wine experiences (VWEs) replaced in-person wine experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic and continue to be offered by some actors. This study aims to investigate the factors driving interest in VWEs and identify relevant traits of potential consumers to help assess VWEs long-term potential.Design/methodology/approachA representative sample of 399 Oregon and California wine consumers answered a structured online survey. The authors combine ordered logistic regression and qualitative techniques to analyze the data.FindingsVWEs may effectively attract potential wine consumers and tourists. High interest in VWEs is associated with strong wine involvement and intentions to visit wine regions. Digitization, aversion to travel-related risk and convenience are other relevant drivers of VWE interest. The segmentation analysis revealed that consumers with a potentially higher interest in VWE have distinct traits.Practical implicationsWineries and wine tourism destinations could leverage VWEs to attract wine tourists and consumers. The authors discuss specific characteristics of high-interest consumers.Originality/valueParticipants in VWEs interact with hosts and explore products in real time. This engagement has long-term marketing potential for attracting them as customers or visitors. The study provides strategic information for practitioners and academics on VWE interest drivers and potential demand, which is currently missing from the literature.

Spatial structure and influencing factors of an emerging wine tourism network: a case study of the Ningxia wine region

PurposeNetworks linking tourist attractions or organizations are a major focus of tourism research. Despite extensive research on tourism networks, academic research on the spatial structure and formation of wine tourism networks is limited. This study aims to investigate the spatial structure and factors influencing the development of a network among Ningxia wineries, an emerging wine tourism destination in China.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses social network analysis to uncover “what” the spatial structure of wine tourism networks looks like. Sixteen in-depth interviews were conducted among key stakeholders to explain the “why” of such structural characteristics.FindingsThe results show that in an emerging wine tourism destination, popular tourist attractions enjoy high centrality and hold key positions in the wine tourism network. Small wineries exhibit high closeness centrality, and only one winery serves as a network broker. According to the stakeholders, the importance of network actors will increase as their economic and political importance increase, while small wineries that lack differentiation in the network may perish.Practical implicationsLocal governments can implement the suggested measures for improving network connections, and wineries are advised to find suitable positions to improve the experiences of tourists.Originality/valueThis study pioneers the identification of the distinct structure and factors influencing the network of an emerging wine tourism destination, thus enriching the understanding of the interplay and roles of different actors.

Collaborative Performances of Wine Tourism Destinations in the Northern Rhone Valley

Purpose: The main aim of this article was to identify the wine tourism destination models set up on collaborative performances driven by Tourism Offices (Destination Marketing Organization, DMO) and wineries (private enterprises) from the appellate areas in the Northen Rhone Valley. Design/methodology/approach: The ethnographical methodology was used, including methods of participating observation (applied by a mysterious tourist method), study tours (to explore the study field), expert analysis (based on knowledge exchange with Tourism Office Managers) and official interviews (with Mangers of small and large wine producers from the areas). Findings: Two of the three surveyed wine tourism destinations from the Northern Rhône Valley (Vienne Condrieu and Rhône Crussol) are distinguished by the very active role of tourism organizations in building collaborative wine tourism offerings, in particular with small wineries. The third destination surveyed (Ardèche Hermitage) is more oriented toward collaborations with large wine producers and their independent role in leading wine tourism marketing. Research limitations/implications: Managers of tourism organizations should be oriented toward collaboration with both: large and small wine producers. Large wineries are helpful in raising the visibility and image of a wine destination. Small producers, on the other hand, offer a distinctive and individual wine tourism experience. Originality/value: The key aspect of wine tourism marketing is the building of collaborative wine tourism offerings led by DMO’s collaboration with both large and small wineries from the destination.

Using Structural Equation Modeling to Enhance Decision-Making in Wine Tourism in the Federal District and RIDE.

The Federal District and RIDE region is emerging as a new wine tourism destination in Brazil. Wine tourism offers opportunities for modernization at economic, social, and cultural levels. It is important to understand the most relevant experiences and the level of satisfaction among wine tourists to plan and structure the sector effectively in the region. This research aimed to present a roadmap to enhance the satisfaction and experience of wine tourists. Researchers conducted an exploratory study using structural equations with a quantitative approach involving 67 wine tourists. The findings indicate that quality of service accounts for 43.82% of tourist satisfaction, making it the most critical aspect of the wine tourism experience. Consequently, the study produced a roadmap based on the importance and performance matrix, outlining strategies to enhance service quality perceptions through high-quality wines during tastings, memorable tour experiences, and staff friendliness.

Modeling wine consumer typology, motivation, satisfaction and loyalty: Wine tourism destination visitors vs residents in Florida

Diseño/metodología/enfoque (límite 100 palabras)Se realizaron dos estudios para identificar la Tipología del Consumidor de Vino y sus influencias, uno con residentes de un destino enoturístico y otro con sus visitantes. En ambos estudios se llevó a cabo el mismo diseño de encuesta transversal. La encuesta se diseñó utilizando las herramientas de diseño de encuestas de Qualtrics.Objetivo (límite 100 palabras)El estudio identificó la tipología general del consumidor de vino tanto de los visitantes, como de los residentes, así como su tipología específica para un destino vinícola, como el de Florida, e investigó las influencias de estas tipologías en la motivación del consumidor para visitar una bodega en Florida y las influencias de sus motivaciones en su satisfacción con la visita a la bodega y la probabilidad de volver a visitarlaResultados (límite 100 palabras)Los resultados del estudio mostraron una tipología general del consumidor de vino similar tanto para los visitantes, como para los residentes, pero ligeras diferencias en la tipología del consumidor de vino específica del destino. Los resultados también revelaron diferencias en las influencias de estas tipologías sobre la motivación, con distintas influencias sobre la satisfacción y la fidelidad para los dos segmentos.Originalidad/valor (límite 100 palabras)Aunque se ha hablado de tipologías de consumidores en la toma de decisiones y la elección de destinos turísticos, la tipología de consumidores en el consumo de destinos vinícolas ha estado ausente en la literatura. Éste es el primer estudio que identifica tanto la tipología general del consumidor de vino de los visitantes y residentes como su tipología específica para un destino vinícola como el de Florida, e investiga las influencias de estas tipologías en la motivación del consumidor para visitar una bodega en Florida y las influencias de sus motivaciones en su satisfacción con la visita a la bodega y la probabilidad de volver a visitarla.

Factors Explaining Resident Stakeholders’ Perception and Support for Wineries and Wine Tourism in Florida

Although resident support for tourism is accepted as an important determinant of tourism success, knowledge of resident support for wineries/wine tourism has not been substantiated with academic research. This study investigates resident stakeholders’ support towards wineries/wine tourism in a non-traditional wine tourism destination, more popular for its theme parks, and identifies determinants of support. Online survey data from Florida residents living close to wineries were analyzed using a two-step analysis procedure. T-tests and one-way ANOVA were used to test the categorical variables’ relationship with resident support, followed by OLS multiple regression analysis to identify the relative influence of all relevant variables. Results did not support the influence of personal benefits from tourism based on Social Exchange Theory; instead, they indicated that the wine consumer typology identified as Loyal Florida Wine Consumer Type and Occasional Wine Consumer Type had a positive influence on resident stakeholders’ support for wineries/wine tourism in Florida.

Experiences in a wine tourism destination from the visitors’ perspective

PurposeThe objective of this study is to analyze the experiences in wine tourism according to narratives shared by the visitors themselves. Furthermore, this study aims to examine the levels of intensity associated with these experiences within a wine destination, considering the segmentation of visitors.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a mixed-methods approach to analyze data, incorporating a deductive process followed by content analysis. Data collection procedures include a bibliographic review and a data survey conducted through netnography research to analyze 954 visitor reviews on TripAdvisor shared by visitors to Vale dos Vinhedos. Also, statistical analysis is performed to assess whether there are any significant variations in attribute citations among different market segmentation profiles.FindingsThe study’s discoveries indicate that there are no significant differences in intensity among profile segments for the dimensions of entertainment, aesthetics, educational and interactions, unlike escapism. The findings reveal that attributes such as “winery,” “wine,” “products and services” and “landscape” are essential for all visitors. In addition, the study shows that social interactions in the wine tourism destination are not as significant as previously assumed.Originality/valueThis research study constitutes a methodological advancement in the field of market segmentation using electronic word-of-mouth data. It provides crucial insights into the experiential nuances of the research locus and the varying degrees of these experiences in relation to visitor segmentation. Additionally, the contributions of this study are not only of theoretical importance but also hold practical implications for market segmentation strategies.

Us Residents' Perception of Local and Global Wine Tourism Destinations

Consumer perceptions of wine tourism destinations have been documented to be based on prior visitation, the reputation of the wine region, or the quality of its wines. This study assessed US consumers??? perceptions of wine destinations within the US and across the world that they may or may not have visited. A semistructured questionnaire that was designed and executed on Amazon???s Mechanical Turk (MTurk) generated 495 completed surveys. The findings revealed that the respondents??? most important criteria for judging a wine destination brand were the quality of wines, the taste of wines, and the reputation of wines. US respondents??? image of the wine regions in the US was better than those of the global wine regions. Winery and wine-related attributes were rated more highly than the attributes related to the destination???s attractions, local cuisine, or natural beauty. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.

Developing a Wine Tourism Destination Image Measurement Scale

Wine tourism plays an important role in the positioning strategies of wine destinations. As the competitiveness is high among wine destinations, it is important to identify the main factors that affect wine tourists’ decision making. One of the most important factors is the wine tourism destination’s image. To measure the image of a wine region, there is a need for a scale that is adapted to the characteristics of wine tourism destinations. Our purpose is to develop a scale that can measure any wine region’s image. We used a literature review and focus group interviews to collect scale attributes. We gathered responses using an online survey. Our respondents were mostly non-visitors. We used FA to analyze the data. We also tested the reliability of this scale using Cronbach’s Alpha. As a result, we developed a reliable scale with six factors. This can be further tested and used by any wine tourism destination to measure the people’s perceptions about them. The developed scale can have various purposes. It can be used by destination management organizations or marketing agencies. Measured images of wine region can be used in the planning of future positioning strategies and promotions. The scale can be used to compare the images of competitor wine regions. Images can also be studied during a period and any changes can be observed.

Rural areas and wine tourism: The case of Romania

"The purpose of the present paper is to provide an integrated approach to the development of wine tourism in Romania’s rural areas. The main research question is: are the communes hosting vineyards and wine-producing facilities and/or cellars/wineries in a better position to attract tourists, compared to the other communes? This question was induced, first, by the fact that Romania is among the top 15 wine pro-ducers worldwide, and some of its wine brands are (well)known at least at the regional level, hence this position might influence Romania as a wine tourism destination. Second, Romanian rural tourism is still in its early stages of development at the national level and therefore a differ¬entiation feature represented by wine-related activities might enhance the attractiveness of a rural destination. Furthermore, wine tourism is a fastly developing trend at the international level and those destinations which have the resources to establish and/or improve wine tourism should take advantage of this trend. The findings of the current paper indicate that wine tourism is poorly developed for the group of wine-producing Romanian rural localities. The extra tourist potential of these localities (represented by vineyards and wineries) is used in an unsatisfactory and inexpertly manner for attracting tourists. The findings are in line with the relatively low level of rural tourism development in Romania presented by other academic works. Keywords: vineyards, wine tourism, rural area, Romania JEL Classification: Z32, L83, C10, R00."

How diverse are residents’ perceptions of wine tourism impacts in three Portuguese wine routes? The role of involvement with tourism, wine production and destination life-cycle stage

Purpose Wine tourism has been growing considerably over the past decades. The literature highlights its relevance in the social, economic and cultural development of the regions where wine routes are located. However, few studies examine residents’ tourism impact perceptions and even fewer analyse the diversity of these perceptions. This study aims to fill this gap, examining this diversity according to the life-cycle stage of the wine route and residents’ involvement with wine and with tourism activities. Design/methodology/approach Data obtained from a questionnaire-based survey (N = 882) of residents from three wine routes of the Central Region of Portugal – Bairrada, Dão and Beira Interior – were used, with dimensions of perceived impacts tested for internal consistency via Cronbach’s α. T-tests and ANOVA tests were used to compare residents’ perceptions of wine tourism impacts according to the life-cycle stage of the wine route and residents’ involvement with wine and with tourism activities. Findings Generally, residents perceived that wine tourism generates more benefits than costs, with positive economic and socio cultural impacts standing out, while negative environmental and social impacts were perceived less. Some differences are observed according to the life-cycle stage of the wine route, with both the most and the least developed routes presenting more pronounced both positive and negative impact impressions in diverse dimensions. Also, a moderating effect (however not as pronounced) of working in tourism and (even less visible) of working in the wine sector is observed. Possible explanations of these findings and implications on wine route development are discussed. Originality/value This article analyses a subject of great relevance for the sustainable development of wine tourism destinations that has been little studied in the literature. Thus, relevant theoretical and empirical contributions are identified.

A study on the influence of media opinion leaders on consumers' brand recognition of wine tourism destinations – the moderating effect of the degree of media informatization

Based on the extensive influence of opinion leaders in the media field and the prevalence of wine tourism, this study introduces the concept of the degree of media informatization and attempts to reveal the influence mechanism of media opinion leaders' communication contents on consumers' brand recognition of tourism destinations from the perspective of media informatization. Yantai, China, a famous wine grape producing area, was used as the study site for empirical analysis through 382 questionnaires. The results show that the expertise, interactivity and popularity characteristics embodied in opinion leaders' communication content positively influence consumers' flow experience and brand recognition; flow experience significantly and positively influences consumers' brand recognition; the degree of media informatization plays a moderating effect in the relationship between opinion leaders' characteristics and flow experience. The findings enrich and improve the research on the influence of media opinion leaders in the field of wine tourism, and provide insights for wine tourism destination brand building and wine business operators, guiding them to improve their business strategies, enrich wine tourism experiences, and enhance consumer brand recognition.

Sustainable wine tourism in a non-sustainable world

The 6th Conference of Wine Tourism, organized by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO, 20222), dealt with very important questions regarding the future of wine tourism. It is obvious that the rapidly growing and increasingly complex social-economic-political and natural environmental challenges create a chaotic (non-sustainable) world in which the answers are possible through broad cooperation and radical innovations. This is the case with tourism, including wine tourism, because they are especially sensitively affected by these changes. (UNWTO, 20221) All of this goes far beyond the boundaries of the sector but, at the same time, creates broad opportunities for the active participation of all members in the value chain of wine tourism. Innovation in services, marketing, and partnerships creates broad opportunities for all value chain members, including travelers, companies, authorities, and locals, at a critical moment when active participation and conscious thinking can increase the value of wine tourism destinations and their environment. Failure to do so can significantly weaken the competitiveness of a given region. The work aimed at this may be the key to the future development of wine tourism and the survival of those interested who have lived from it until now. The last two years have brought significant changes in wine tourism and transformed travel logistics, wine experience planning, and consumer behavior. In addition, a number of challenges that had already appeared came to the fore - from digitalization to sustainability and network cooperation. Sustainability increasingly determines the services offered by wineries and vineyards and travellers' attitudes and purchasing decisions. Meanwhile, digitization and e-commerce have become vital tools in the hands of producers, distributors, and wine tourism businesses, as well as destinations. Necessary innovations in experiences, marketing, and partnerships create broad engagement opportunities for all value chain members. We are focusing on looking for answers to the following research questions, especially taking into account the Hungarian specialities: - On a global level, how important is it to consider sustainability in the wine tourism services of wineries, and to what extent is this differentiated depending on local conditions? - Globally and per country, what aspects do wineries consider in relation to the imple­mentation of sustainable wine tourism? - How do the various sustainability aspects appear as a complex system in decisions about sustainable wine tourism services? Based on the analysis of international experiences and surveys, we try to provide local answers for Hungarian wineries to these questions.

Impact of climate change on sustainable production of sherry wine in nearly-zero energy buildings

Wine is the main economic resource in the ‘Area of Jerez’, located in the south of Spain. It is one of the most important wine tourism destinations in the world. However, its sustainable production process, so strongly influenced by climatic conditions, can be clearly affected by the phenomenon of global warming. The ageing process of “Sherry wine” takes place in buildings known as ‘Cathedral warehouses’, an example of Nearly-Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs). For centuries, they have been used to provide specific ecological conditions for biological ageing without any type of mechanical heating/cooling system. The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of climate change on this production model. For this, the annual thermal behavior of a representative winery was monitored during several years. The first energy simulation model of this type of buildings was developed and validated (daily R2 = 99%; hourly R2 = 97%). Finally, the model was simulated by modifying the outdoor climatic conditions (9 years training data sets) for a climate change scenario, applying the ‘morphing’ method for the transformation of the weather data. The results show that, by the middle of this century, the average outdoor temperature will increase by 2.3 °C (in summer up to 3.6 °C). As a consequence, the temperature in the ageing zone would exceed the comfort limit for 19% of the year, (up to 34% in hot years). For 2080, the prediction is even worse (average value of 27%). As a result, the microorganisms responsible for this unique process could not maintain their activity. This fact will force the sector to face a harsh reconversion through the adoption of new mechanisms and strategies, which endangers the economic sustainability of an entire region dedicated to this practice. Beyond the specific case, the work highlights the need to evaluate the future behavior of NZEBs through simulation.

Analyzing user-generated content to improve customer satisfaction at local wine tourism destinations: an analysis of Yelp and TripAdvisor reviews

PurposeSocial media use has increased in recent years, and businesses are looking to capitalize on the plethora of marketing opportunities afforded by this digital shift by paying attention to user-generated content (UGC) posted on review websites. Leveraging UGC can help small businesses gain a competitive advantage over late-adopters. At the same time, there is evidence to suggest that small businesses do not have the time, resources or skill level to properly use social media to create a competitive advantage. This paper aims to explore how wine tourism businesses can analyze consumer feedback on online review websites to evaluate customer perceptions and expectations and generate more effective ways to improve customer satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachThe qualitative method of thematic analysis was used to map out consumer reviews online to assess service satisfaction and dissatisfaction. A total of 848 reviews were gathered and qualitatively analyzed from two online review websites (TripAdvisor.com and Yelp.com) using open and axial coding and thematic analysis.FindingsThe results show that wine consumers are interested in the hedonic aspects of their experience, are most often attracted to wineries as a special outing and focus on factors such as scenery and atmosphere, service quality and products in their reviews. Hence, service and sales personnel have a key opportunity to capitalize on generating better service experiences through social media analysis.Originality/valueThe present study fills a gap by providing a more in-depth, qualitative exploration of the wine consumers’ psychology and experience, including factors such as atmosphere and special occasions. Furthermore, this study uses interpretive, manual coding to pick up on nuanced themes that are often missed by using automated qualitative analysis software or by looking at frequency counts in isolation.

Why Travel to Georgia? Motivations, Experiences, and Country’s Image Perceptions of Wine Tourists

This study examined the wine tourists’ perceptions of the country’s image and the motivations and expectations of experiences in Georgia as a wine tourism destination. A survey of tourists in the most important wine region—Kakheti—resulted in 227 usable questionnaires. Using factor analyses, four dimensions were assigned to the country’s hedonic and aesthetic related image. Based on the experience economy of Pine and Gilmore, two motivational and three experiential factors were identified. Implications for the country’s branding strategy and managing the wine tourist’s experience in Georgia are discussed.

Modelling TripAdvisor satisfaction metrics to optimise wine venue experiences: the case of the Western Cape

ABSTRACT With social media ratings serving as a filter in the selection of visitor wine tourism options, we employ the 4E experiential model as a theoretical framework to explore destination activities and their link to visitor ratings; here with the aim of establishing whether high satisfaction ratings conform to the so-called 4E ‘sweet spot’. Using regression-based data from 270 wine tourism destinations in the Western Cape, results demonstrate how significant activity-mentions stemming from the immersive quadrants of esthetics and escapism increased visitor ratings, while those from the absorptive quadrants of entertainment and education decreased them. Complemented by further analysis of the upper, middle and lower ratings strata, we show that high satisfaction ratings do not necessarily incorporate experiences from all four quadrants. This refutes the 4E sweet spot idealization. As an alternative we suggest formulating optimal visitor experiences from a methodology that draws inference from highly rated activities submitted directly by the online tourist-customer.