Wineries and terroir: the synergy of landscape, culture, and identity in Alentejo´s wine tourism
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29352/mill0229.44474Keywords:
wine tourism; online communication; sustainability; wineries; AlentejoAbstract
Introduction: In wine tourism, wineries serve as hubs, offering not only wine production, storage, and bottling but also a variety of tourist experiences, such as wine events, vineyard tours, and accommodation. Wineries are therefore well placed to promote other attractions in the tourist destination.
Objective: Investigate how four notable wineries in Alentejo, Portugal, promote their surroundings, including local attractions, complementary services, and sustainability practices, focusing on community well-being.
Methods: A two-step empirical analysis was employed: first, in-depth interviews with wine tourism managers about these topics; second, analysing the content of their official websites to find features promoting their broader environment.
Results: Results indicate that while managers stress the significance of highlighting their surroundings and sustainability initiatives, the websites mostly spotlight wine products and internal tourism experiences.
Conclusion: Although the websites of two wineries address their environmental and social policies, they are not prominently featured, serving more as informational rather than integral parts of their online communication.
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