Opportunities and Pitfalls of Tourism in a Developing Wine Industry

Abstract Although there are some drawbacks, winery tourism offers some significant benefits for wineries which are struggling for recognition. These benefits include the opportunity to build brand loyalty, the chance for consumers to try products with a reduced level of risk, increased margins, and marketing intelligence opportunities. A study of Texas wineries found that winery visitors tend to have high incomes and are highly educated. The attributes most important to these visitors are the taste of the wine, overall quality, the cleanliness of the winery and several factors associated with the service that is provided. Implications for managers, and future research directions are discussed.