Wine tourism and sustainable regional development: A triple bottom line perspective

Abstract

Wine tourism is increasingly recognized as a driver for value creation in wineries. The main objective of this research is to analyze the economic, social, and environmental effects of wine tourism at the firm and the regional levels. The methodology used is the case study. The findings unveil the capacity of wine tourism activities to strengthen brand positioning, stimulate regional value chains, contribute to skilled employment, promote community engagement, foster the construction of a shared territorial identity rooted in the denomination of origin, support vineyard landscape preservation, and drive ecological awareness among visitors, as well as the importance of institutional support and formal sustainability monitoring for driving its positive influence in the region. This research contributes to advancing understanding of how wine tourism fosters economic, social, and environmental performance, and emphasizes the need for coordinated governance and impact-measurement systems to consolidate wine tourism as a long-term development strategy.