Designing sustainable and responsible wine tourism experiences

Wine in Moderation (WiM) Association, Avenue des Arts 43, 1040 Brussels, Belgium

Abstract

Wine tourism involves a wide ecosystem of actors. It is not only a source of revenue for wine regions, for the wine business value chain and for local societies, but it can also reveal and safeguard the cultural heritage of wine and support wine regions sustainability. Wine in Moderation – Art de Vivre is an international programme of the wine sector for a sustainable wine culture looking to inspire well-being and contribute to the reduction of alcohol related harm. The article recognises the opportunity which arises through wine tourism, to introduce the visitor directly to wine culture and to educate him on how to best appreciate wine in moderation and responsibly, while looking to present activities and sustainable wine tourism business models that place sensible consumption in the design of their visitor experience. The article takes into consideration current consumer, policy and business trends, principles of sustainable business models, design thinking and systems’ theory, and good practices developed in the framework of the 10 years of the Wine in Moderation programme, to understand how to develop a sustainable wine tourism experience and help create and capture value for wineries, local communities and the wider wine tourism ecosystem. Sustainable wine tourism is an opportunity for growth for the wine value chain. Organising better the visiting areas and offering choices to the guest to experience wine responsibly will prove beneficial both for operators and visitors. Co-creation can provide solutions and far more services which visitors would be willing to experience and pay for. In a growing wine tourism market, wineries and related actors should be fit for purpose, creative and open for partnerships. Adapting a systemic approach, transforming and expanding current business model will be necessary to fully capitalise on the potential of more open and sustainable societies and economies.