Vinitaly Tourism - Wine Tourism: Regional differences, new challenges, and opportunities

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Wine tourism is a rapidly expanding sector, with 24% of the surveyed sample reporting revenue increases of over 10% compared to last year. This industry blends culture, landscape, and hospitality, transforming wine tasting into an immersive experience.

This study, based on data collected from 237 wineries affiliated with the Movimento Turismo del Vino, analyzes the Italian wine tourism landscape, highlighting challenges, opportunities, and trends.

The wine tourism offering has evolved beyond traditional winery visits to include personalized experiences, such as wine tastings paired with local products (87% of wineries), vineyard walks (30%), lunches and picnics among the vines (33%), and exclusive events like wine weddings (21%). However, structured hospitality services with accommodation and dining remain limited (28%), indicating that the sector is still predominantly focused on day tourism.

Hospitality remains a cornerstone of the industry, with 95% of wineries offering guided tours and 88% employing dedicated staff. However, only 58% have specialized personnel, with winery owners often handling visitor interactions, underlining the need for targeted training. The most in-demand skills include foreign language proficiency (88%), effective communication (86%), and tourism marketing (86%).

At a regional level, significant differences emerge in both economic variables—such as revenue and business size—and the types of wine tourism experiences offered. Some areas feature a more structured tourism model with a wider range of services, while others focus on a more intimate and authentic approach. This diversity is both an asset and a challenge, requiring a flexible strategy to enhance the unique characteristics of each region.

Finally, technological innovation remains an area for growth: only 20% of wineries use artificial intelligence tools to optimize communication and customer management, highlighting a significant gap in digitalization. To ensure the sector's competitiveness and sustainability, investing in professional training and advanced service integration is crucial, making wine tourism an increasingly comprehensive and accessible experience for a diverse audience.