Contribution of wine tourism by the implementation of an urban vineyard in a Portuguese Historic Hotel: Challenges, perspectives, and impacts

Abstract

Wine tourism is essentially tourism in rural areas linked to wine and vineyards. However, the dissemination of viticultural heritage and wine culture with the aim of contributing to a greater connection between tourists and wine sector, even in urban environments, is an option that has been increasing in some countries. In fact, wine tourism involves a wide ecosystem of actors, which can include the hotels located in the center of the cities. In addition, inside of some cities, it could be possible for some hotels to implement small-scales vineyards. These places could represent an agricultural, historical, and cultural heritage with enormous value which could also be used for tourist purposes. Thus, the main goal of this work is to present the experience and the technical challenges during the implementation of an urban vineyard in a Portuguese Historic Hotel located in the center of the city of Viseu. In addition, the activities related with wine tourism centered on the urban vineyard are shown. The strategy for the recovery of green spaces and the hotel's communication policy are also presented and discussed.