Original scientific paper
Wine routes in Spain: A case study
Tomas Lopez-Guzman
orcid.org/0000-0001-8800-8223
; University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
Sandra Maria Sanchez Canizares
; University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
Rodriguez Garcia
; University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
Abstract
Spain is a country with an enormous wine-growing tradition and with a huge tourist industry, although it has not made the importance of wine tourism profitable. Thus, it was not until 2000 that different official wine routes seemed to appear, with the main objective, amongst others, being to help develop rural areas where wine production is of crucial importance and to offer alternatives to traditional sun and beach tourism. In this paper, we will present an analysis of wine tourism in Spain based on the premise that wine (and regional cuisine) may be, and very frequently is, the main reason for visiting a certain area. To investigate this, we will present the results of an empirical study carried out in one of the official wine routes of Andalusia, a Spanish region where sun and beach tourism and cultural tourism represent a highly significant part of tourist activity. We have analysed how this tourist route is bringing about significant socioeconomic changes to the geographical area. To achieve this aim, we have conducted a survey of the companies involved in the wine route in order to ascertain their opinions on the impact and influence of the route. The main results of the study demonstrate the need to consolidate the development of such routes through collaboration between public institutions, ensuring the participation of all the different social actors involved.
Keywords
wine tourism; development economics; rural areas; tourist routes; Andalusia; Spain
Hrčak ID:
52995
URI
Publication date:
30.4.2010.
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