Vino e cibo: da elementi accessori a fattori determinanti nelle scelte di viaggio degli italiani

Wine in tourism has gained importance in recent years. From being just an inconsequential holiday necessity, it has become a distinct sector in tourism as well as a motivator to travel. Thus, studying travellers’ attitudes towards wine experiences has a practical importance to the tourism industry, especially in Italy, where wine production has always represented an attraction itself. This paper aims at gaining a deeper understanding of the role of wine and wine experiences in Italian travellers’ decisions by extending culinary theory. For the purpose of the paper, a Computer-Assisted Web Interview survey on a representative sample of 1,001 Italian travellers was carried out. Findings shows that wine experiences such as wine events and visits to wineries appeal to all tourists, but often in combination with other food activities. This means that Italian travellers seek not only one type of experiences, but a wide variety of. Additionally, wine and food offering tend to influence also travellers’ decision before the departure, not just in site. When choosing the destination, they are concerned with the quality of local wine and food products and sustainability of the offerings.