Winescape through the lens of organized travel – a netnography study

Abstract

Purpose Winescape is the space where wine experiences occur, consisting of both tangible and intangible elements, and its understanding is very important for both the wine and the tourism industry. The purpose of this study is to define the attributes of winescape as seen from the perspective of organized travel. Design/methodology/approach The study uses the netnography approach by analyzing online user-generated content. A total of 118 TripAdvisor reviews for a wine tour company in Piemont, Italy, were coded using NVIVO12 software. Findings Six major elements of winescape were identified: tour guiding, core wine product, tour planning and logistics, complementary activities, food and dining and nature and scenery prominent. When compared to previous research, the findings show that the type of travel (organized versus independent travel) has a significant impact on the perceived winescape. Research limitations/implications As the study refers to a particular type of destination (Piedmont, Italy), and a specific product (private or small group tours), findings may not fully apply to wine regions and market segments of a different kind. Practical implications The proposed winescape model can be used by both practitioners (for enhancing the quality of their products) and researchers (for comparative studies or as a basis for customer satisfaction models specifically tailored to wine tours). Originality/value Organized wine tours as a specific aspect of wine tourism have been neglected in research so far. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to focus on winescape as seen through the lens of organized wine tourists, and the resulting model differs significantly from the existing ones.

Pairing Co-Creation with Food and Wine Experiences—A Holistic Perspective of Tourist Experiences in Dão, a Portuguese Wine Region

“…Moreover, based on study findings, more engaged tourists seem to co-create value in a deeper way, which is in line with the study by Cubillas et al [44]. Understanding visitors' wine involvement profiles and wine consumption patterns is therefore of particular importance for supply agents who aspire to create wine experiences satisfying the needs and preferences of their visitors [11,25], with differentiated and personalized approaches certainly adding quality to the experience outcomes [8,9].…”

“…Based on the study results, another aspect contributing to tourists' value co-creation in wine routes is their high interest in other destination elements aside from wine. In fact, visitors' multiple interests in natural and cultural wine terroir resources also contribute to adding value to the wine tourist experience, which is in line with other study findings [7][8][9]22,24,32,57]. This understanding justifies the adoption of a holistic perspective in food and wine experiences in wine regions, stimulated by collective, articulated action and corresponding governance entities, such as regional DMOs or wine route structures that integrate diverse kinds of wine-focused attractions and stakeholders.…”

“…Social interaction also highly contributed to visitors' value co-creation, mainly with local wine producers and staff, also enhancing knowledge transfer and the empathy felt for the visited places and its people. The contact with the wine producer was perceived as a privilege, contributing to the uniqueness, authenticity and memorability of the experience, which was already perceived in other studies [3,8]. The co-creation of value also resulted from visitors' social interactions with other visitors and the travel group, which seemed to be meaningful in food and wine experiences, particularly in the more active harvesting and wine workshop.…”

“…Food and wine experiences are sensory-rich, involve travellers in a pleasurable and relaxing way and may contribute to memorability [3][4][5][6]. Hence, in rural wine destinations, experiences such as food and wine pairing, wine tasting, grape harvesting, wine festivals and wine-related workshops are emerging, complementing traditional visits to wineries and cellar doors [7,8]. The rural wine region experience definitely comprises more than wine, requiring a set of tangible and intangible resources that, when combined, may be part of a highly immersive, creative food and wine experience [9][10][11].…”

The Wine Influencers: Exploring a New Communication Model of Open Innovation for Wine Producers—A Netnographic, Factor and AGIL Analysis

“…One of the challenges encountered by the researcher is the definition of the boundaries of the research field, which is determined according to the researcher's perception and interest regarding the characteristics of the interactions that occur between the members of groups that become potential objects of study [45].…”