Activating Authenticity: Experiential Embeddedness and the Structural Logic of Wine Tourism Competitiveness

Wine tourism is widely framed as a driver of rural development and destination differentiation, yet the mechanisms through which product authenticity translates into sustained competitiveness remain insufficiently understood. Drawing on survey data from 399 visitors to Cassis (France), this study examines how wine uniqueness and experiential embeddedness shape visitor retention motivations. Factor analysis and structural equation modeling identify three dimensions: wine experience, wine uniqueness, and return reasons. The findings show that authenticity alone does not generate competitiveness unless activated through experiential design and loyalty mechanisms. By analytically contrasting Cassis with Sremski Karlovci (Serbia), the study proposes a structural framework explaining how authenticity becomes competitive capital.