The wine-tourism offer is marked by a wide variety of experiences, although guided tours and tastings remain the core. These are complemented by cultural activities, vineyard walks, events and, in a growing number of cases, food service and accommodation. Italy stands out in particular for the way it valorises the vineyard and production spaces, integrating the landscape into the visitor experience more intensely than in many other wine-tourism countries. This link between territory, product and storytelling reinforces local identity and broadens the appeal of rural areas.
From an economic perspective, wine tourism demonstrates notable robustness. For a significant share of wineries, it accounts for a meaningful portion of overall profits, and none of the businesses analysed report losses connected to this segment. The report emphasises that wineries investing more decisively in hospitality, digitalisation and sustainability achieve better outcomes in revenue growth and productivity, confirming the direct connection between strategic investment and business performance.
Most Italian wine-tourism wineries are small and medium-sized enterprises, operating with lean teams and a strong seasonal component in employment. Even so, they show a high propensity to invest. In recent years, a large majority have devoted resources both to improving production facilities and to strengthening the quality of the visitor experience. The report notes a gradual transition from investments focused exclusively on production towards those aimed at technological innovation, environmental sustainability, accessibility and inclusion.
In terms of demand, domestic visitors clearly predominate, while the share of international tourists remains limited compared with other international wine-tourism contexts. This points to a major growth opportunity in internationalisation and outbound promotion. A pronounced seasonality is also evident, with visits concentrated in spring and summer, raising the challenge of designing products capable of attracting flows throughout the year.
Digitalisation is another critical area for improvement. Although nearly all wineries have a web presence, only a minority enables direct online booking or fully leverages digital experience-marketplace platforms. Larger firms display higher levels of digital maturity, suggesting that training and support for smaller wineries could be decisive in boosting overall competitiveness.
The report also highlights the fragmentation of territorial governance in wine tourism, with multiple stakeholders involved but varying degrees of coordination. Many wineries indicate a willingness to participate in public–private structures for joint destination marketing, although usually with modest financial contributions. This signals a collaborative intent that could be strengthened through more integrated management models and shared strategies linking tourism, agriculture and local development.
Looking ahead, the sector faces a phase of selective, quality-led growth. Businesses expect to continue investing, but they are also aware of challenges such as regulatory pressure, shortages of qualified staff, and the need to accelerate digital transformation. In this scenario, wine tourism consolidates as a strategic lever capable of generating economic value, reinforcing territorial cohesion, and projecting Italy’s wine culture internationally.
