WINE TOURISM AS A
CENTRIPETAL FORCE IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL
TOURISM
Marcel Meler, Ph. D., Full professor in tenure
University of Osijek, Faculty of Economics in
Osijek

ToSEE - Tourism in South East Europe
3rd InternaDonal ScienDfic Conference
Sustainable Tourism, Economic Development and Quality of Life
University of Rijeka, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management OpaDja
Rural tourism as a selec.ve form of tourism includes a
number of ac.vi.es, primarily various services and
addi.onal facili.es which are provided by rural
popula.on for the purpose of a9rac.ng tourists,
genera.ng extra revenue on behalf of rela.ng family
businesses, raising the standard of living, decreasing
the ou<low of rural households, all on the principles of
sustainable development and preserva.on of the
exis.ng natural resources. Rural tourism may, as its
components and in the principle, involve agro-tourism,
outdoor ac.vi.es, ecotourism, wine tourism, cultural
tourism, adventure tourism, excursion tourism and
similar. 2

ToSEE - Tourism in South East Europe
3rd InternaDonal ScienDfic Conference
Sustainable Tourism, Economic Development and Quality of Life
University of Rijeka, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management OpaDja
Wine tourism can be defined as visits to vineyard,
wineries, wine fesDvals and wine events whereat wine
tasDng and acquisiDon of the knowledge on a parDcular
vineyard represent primary moDvaDng factors for the
visitors. Wine tourism as a form of selecDve tourism is
gaining more importance as a gradually more
interesDng component of the tourism product in the
coastal and conDnental tourism of the Republic of
CroaDa, parDcularly from the standpoint of creaDng
experience and atmosphere for tourists during their
stay in a certain tourist desDnaDon.
3

ToSEE - Tourism in South East Europe
3rd InternaDonal ScienDfic Conference
Sustainable Tourism, Economic Development and Quality of Life
University of Rijeka, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management OpaDja
The basic moDvaDon to visit wine tourism desDnaDons is
generally wine tasDng while other moDfs include, for instance,
acquisiDon/expansion of the knowledge on wine and
appertaining producDon processes, gaining new experiences,
introducDon to wine and food pairing, purchase of wine and
similar. Therefore, wine tourism should not be exclusively based
on wine tasDng and sales but it should be bound to the
gastronomic, natural, cultural, historical, entertainment and
other aSracDons of a concrete desDnaDon. This is what our
wine tourism truly lacks and it reflects in a lack of stakeholders
of desDnaDon management, the role of which should be taken
over by desDnaDon management companies (DMC) and/or
desDnaDon management organizaDons (DMO).
4

ToSEE - Tourism in South East Europe
3rd InternaDonal ScienDfic Conference
Sustainable Tourism, Economic Development and Quality of Life
University of Rijeka, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management OpaDja
The link between wine and tourism arises from the
nature of wine as a drink connected with pleasure,
social gathering, food consumpDon, new experiences
and hospitality. Moreover, there is a study suggesDng
that winery visitors spend on average 7.5 EUR on
purchase of bulk wine, 10 EUR on purchase of boSled
wine, 5 EUR on wine tasDng and 10 EUR on food/meals
5

ToSEE - Tourism in South East Europe
3rd InternaDonal ScienDfic Conference
Sustainable Tourism, Economic Development and Quality of Life
University of Rijeka, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management OpaDja
Wine tourism can be compaDble with other forms of
tourism if it appears as tourism of specific interests in
popular regions. It can also be a fundamental primary
centripetal force or an embryo of tourism
development in wine-rich areas which are o]en
popular tourist desDnaDons as well. Wine tourism can
be perceived from the viewpoint of interested parDes,
meaning from the viewpoint of wineries, consumers
(tourists) and the tourist desDnaDon.
6

ToSEE - Tourism in South East Europe
3rd InternaDonal ScienDfic Conference
Sustainable Tourism, Economic Development and Quality of Life
University of Rijeka, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management OpaDja
The advantages of wine tourism regarding wine producers are
as follows:
• aSracDng visitors
• beSer understanding of the needs of wine consumers/visitors
• promoDon of direct sales with a higher margin
• brand promoDon
• prompt and comprehensive tesDng of new wine brands
• diversificaDon of the wine consumers’ profile
• public relaDons
• cross-selling
• possibility of educaDng visitors
• approaching wine consumers.
7

ToSEE - Tourism in South East Europe
3rd InternaDonal ScienDfic Conference
Sustainable Tourism, Economic Development and Quality of Life
University of Rijeka, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management OpaDja
The flaws of wine tourism concerning wine producers
are as follows:
• investment of financial resources in equipping wine
tasDng shops and addiDonal faciliDes
• emergence of extra costs, parDcularly if wine tasDng
is free of charge
• wasDng Dme on conducDng some other acDviDes or
employment of necessary staff which results in a cost
increase
• possible infeasibility due to a small quanDty of sold
wine.
8

ToSEE - Tourism in South East Europe
3rd InternaDonal ScienDfic Conference
Sustainable Tourism, Economic Development and Quality of Life
University of Rijeka, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management OpaDja
The advantages of wine tourism considering wine
consumers are as follows:
• visitors can communicate in person with grape
growers or winemakers
• gecng familiar with the wine producDon process
• visiDng the tourist aSracDons of a desDnaDon
• sharing the acquired experience with others.
On the other hand, the flaws of wine tourism with
respect to wine consumers do not actually exist.
9

ToSEE - Tourism in South East Europe
3rd InternaDonal ScienDfic Conference
Sustainable Tourism, Economic Development and Quality of Life
University of Rijeka, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management OpaDja
The advantages of wine tourism regarding relaDng
tourist desDnaDons are as follows:
• valorisaDon of the natural and social aSracDons of a
parDcular tourist desDnaDon
• contribuDon to the development basis of a parDcular
tourist desDnaDon
• full integraDon of the tourism product of a concrete
tourist desDnaDon.
10

ToSEE - Tourism in South East Europe
3rd InternaDonal ScienDfic Conference
Sustainable Tourism, Economic Development and Quality of Life
University of Rijeka, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management OpaDja
Wine tasDng shops or wineries-wine cellars occur to be a
significant wine distribuDon channel, parDcularly within the
framework of wine routes or broadly speaking, within wine
tourism. A wine tasDng shop/winery-wine cellar is a facility in
which not more than 50 guests at a Dme are offered and served
with wine and/or fruit wine and/or products made from wine
and/or fruit wine and/or other alcohol drinks and/or cold plates
(smoked sausages, cheese and similar) which are paired with
the said drinks and/or spreads. On the other hand, wine route is
a special form of selling agricultural, catering and tourism
products of a certain wine-rich area in which family farms and
other natural persons and legal enDDes associated under the
joint name – wine routes offer their products, especially wine,
homemade beverages and other homemade specialDes.
11

ToSEE - Tourism in South East Europe
3rd InternaDonal ScienDfic Conference
Sustainable Tourism, Economic Development and Quality of Life
University of Rijeka, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management OpaDja
Together with gastronomy, wine tourism represents
one of the relevant strategic guidelines of the tourism
development in the Republic of CroaDa. Likewise,
gastronomy and oenology are represented as products
with a disDncDve development perspecDve in the
Tourism Development Strategy of the Republic of
CroaDa unDl the Year 2020.
12

ToSEE - Tourism in South East Europe
3rd InternaDonal ScienDfic Conference
Sustainable Tourism, Economic Development and Quality of Life
University of Rijeka, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management OpaDja
Considering that CroaDa can really be proud of its high quality
wine and gastronomic offer dispersed throughout the whole
country, it is to be expected that this form of tourism gains
momentum and experiences a rapid growth in the future. This
asserDon is supported by the fact that the European wine
tourism brings about app. 700,000 internaDonal travels per
year. It should also be stressed that the annual revenue
received from wine and gastronomic businesses in Europe
reaches 900 million EUR, the daily consumpDon ranges from
150 to 450 EUR per person and the average rise of the number
of internaDonal travels ranges from 7 to 12 %, which certainly
represents a great challenge for the Republic of CroaDa to
bravely aSack this undoubtedly promising niche tourism market
in a near future. 13

ToSEE - Tourism in South East Europe
3rd InternaDonal ScienDfic Conference
Sustainable Tourism, Economic Development and Quality of Life
University of Rijeka, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management OpaDja
CONCLUSION
As far as the tourism in a concrete desDnaDon is concerned, wine can be
its component with a strong centripetal force in the sense of aSracDng
interested tourist segments within a country and worldwide. The
centripetal force of such desDnaDons may, if the desDnaDons are
managed in compliance with the rules of contemporary markeDng and
management, be vastly gaining its intensity towards their epicentre
according to the principle of concentric circles, but it cannot greatly
weaken by moving away from the epicentre. Anyway, stressing their main
advantages and eliminaDng or miDgaDng their main obstacles, the
CroaDan wine and gastronomic tourism may reach a level they both
deserve and contribute to the development of the CroaDan tourism in
general, parDcularly with respect to high season extension on one hand
and increase in the consumpDon of CroaDan wines on the other hand.
14

Thank you for your a=en?on!
E-mail: marcel.meler@os.ht.hr

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