Beyond the Vineyard: Reframing Wine Tourism Ecosystems Through Palm Wine and Indigenous Fermentation Practices

This study explores how indigenous fermentation practices, specifically palm wine production, operate within wine tourism ecosystems and shape visitor experiences and value co-creation. Guided by Wine Tourism Ecosystem Theory and Winescape Theory, it asks: (1) How can palm wine production be understood within wine tourism frameworks? (2) How do these practices influence tourism experiences and community engagement? Using 30 qualitative interviews in Rivers and Bayelsa States, Nigeria, findings show that indigenous knowledge, storytelling, and social relationships create authentic, immersive experiences, highlighting the need to support indigenous practices and community-led, sustainable tourism policies.