Are Winegrowers Tourism Promoters?

Abstract

Winegrowers are significantly shaping the landscapes of wine regions around the world. These landscapes are often the most important reason why tourists decide to visit. Although it could be concluded that winegrowers play a central role in attracting tourists, the question of whether they can be considered tourism promoters remains unanswered. This paper aims to develop a theoretical framework to better understand the function of winegrowers in relation to tourism promotion. In doing so, the different disciplines of wine production, tourism, and landscape research are brought together. The created framework shows a variety of positive touristic influences that can be attributed to winegrowers, such as developing cultural landscapes, promoting regional identity, and furthering intersectoral cooperation. More importantly, it allows for a holistic assessment of a relatively unexplored research field. This is vital to understanding the impact that winegrowers have on the touristic success of wine regions. Based on careful consideration of individual factors, compensating winemakers for their yet little-recognized function as landscape stewards could be appropriate. In this context, the concept of ecosystem services may be helpful to monetize services for public goods.