Exploring the spread of Food and Wine Tourism: A preliminary analysis

Food and wine are acquiring an increasingly important role in the development of the Italian tourist offer. On the other hand, tourists spend a significant share of their travel budget to interact and experience the destination’s food and wine, consume culinary products on-site and purchase food and wine products to take home. On the other hand, food and wine support local cultural knowledge and identity and provide an authentic and emotional travel experience. The phenomenon of food and wine tourism (F&WT) is today at its peak. This study analyses the strengths and weaknesses of the phenomenon and tries, through interaction with F&WT operators, to understand its future evolution. The results of a preliminary semi-structured survey carried out among F&WT operators are discussed to derive insights for scholars and practitioners.