Family-friendly wine tourism? A debate with evidence from three Portuguese wine routes

2.1 Wine tourism

In addition to being a form of special interest tourism, wine tourism corresponds to a marketing opportunity for wineries and a development strategy for wine-producing regions (Getz & Brown, 2006). Meanwhile, it complements the product portfolio of traditional tourist destinations, inducing tourist flows in areas not yet explored (López-Guzmán, Sánchez, & García, 2009). Although it is conceptualised as a form of tourism primarily motivated by an interest in wine tasting and experiencing the attributes of a grape wine region (Hall, 1996), wine tourism may also include trips to visit wine sites and attractions for other reasons (Byrd et al., 2016; Cunha et al., 2023; Getz, 2000).

Wine tourism’s primary motivations may include tasting, enjoying and buying wine. In contrast, secondary motivations may be socialising, learning about wine, experiencing the atmosphere, being entertained, meeting the winemaker, enjoying the rural setting and eating at the winery (Alant & Bruwer, 2004; Charters & Ali-Knight, 2002; Getz & Brown, 2006). For some tourists, however, these secondary motivations may be more significant due to the rural setting in which wine tourism occurs (Bruwer, Prayag, & Disegna, 2018), personal motivations or even the characteristics of the trip.

Indeed, three factors determine the tourist’s attraction to a wine destination: the core wine product, the appeal of the destination and its essential destination features, and the cultural product and experiences associated (Getz & Brown, 2006). In line with this perspective, Sparks (2007) explains wine tourist behaviour according to three dimensions: core wine experience, related to the engagement with wine tasting or purchasing; destination experience, connected to the interaction with the destination; and personal development, concerning the personal growth that may arise from the wine tourism experience.

Previous research has attempted to understand and explain wine tourist behaviour. The typical wine tourist is described as a middle-aged individual with high levels of income and education, an increased interest in wine who travels in a couple without children (Charters & Ali-Knight, 2002; Cunha et al., 2023; Dawson, Holmes, Jacobs, & Wade, 2011; Getz & Brown, 2006; Grybovych, Lankford, & Lankford, 2013). However, even if it is possible to draw conclusions about the main profile of the wine tourist, they should be applied with great caution since wine destinations have significant particularities and differences determined by their touristic terroir, traditions and industry’s winescape – its vineyards, wineries and wines (Bruwer, 2003) – and they may attract a great diversity of visitors.

2.2 Family tourism in wine destinations

Families represent a significant, large and growing segment of the tourism industry (Schänzel & Yeoman, 2015). Family tourism can be conceptualised as the tourism practised by a family group composed of at least one adult – parent or caregiver – and one child (Schänzel, Smith, & Weaver, 2005). Therefore, the particular characteristic of family tourism is the presence of children as travelling active members (Wu, Wall, Zu, & Ying, 2019).

Like other types of tourism, family trips may be motivated by the desire to have fun, relax and escape from everyday life (Carr, 2011; Gram, 2005; Shaw, Havitz, & Delemere, 2008). They are also seen as opportunities of spending time together, building and strengthening family bonds, and providing children with opportunities for learning and personal development (Li, Wang, Xu, & Mao, 2017; Lucena, Jarvis, & Weeden, 2015; Nickerson & Jurowski, 2001). Creating pleasant memories for the children is also a critical motivation (Li et al., 2017; Shaw et al., 2008). Family trips are also excellent for promoting children’s well-being (Gram, 2005). Indeed, researchers have identified that parents also engage in family holidays to provide children learning and personal development opportunities, recognising the educational role of travel activities (Li et al., 2017).

Although children are not expected to be wine tourists, the lack of family programs has been reported as a constraint to practising wine tourism (Malerba et al., 2023). Gu and Huang (2019) identified a large group of Chinese potential wine tourists constrained by the lack of facilities and attractions, such as wine-related facilities and activities for their families and children. Cho et al. (2017) found that American married couples, highly educated and with high income, have a great interest in wine and wine tourism but are constrained by the lack of family programs. This group is especially sensitive to the offering of programs and activities for families of all ages, such as family-oriented outdoor products. According to Cho et al. (2017, p. 433), this segment “has the greatest potential to become the most important market segment if they can overcome their constraints”. Sigala (2019) identified two main reasons for visiting a winery in family groups: the wish to continue practising wine tourism after having children and/or the interest in the wine process and the region. However, multilevel constraints inhibit this form of tourism, among them the lack of child-friendly facilities, services and products (Sigala, 2019).

Few studies on wineries’ supply mention playgrounds, activities and experiences for families and children in wineries (Back, Lowry, & Higgins, 2021; Carlsen, 2011; Martínez Del Vas, Beltran Bueno, & Rubia Albert, 2021), but do not explore the tourist’s perspective. Some researchers suggest that families are motivated to visit wine destinations and attractions by the desire to provide educational experiences to their children (Sigala, 2019; Singh, Wagner, & Raab, 2020), being very concerned about suitable facilities and activities (Calvi & Gonzalez, 2016; Yue, Govindasamy, & Kelley, 2019), which are crucial to a positive and memorable experience (Saayman & Merwe, 2015). Other studies evidence family visitors’ dissatisfaction regarding the lack and inadequacy of child-friendly provisions (Dimitrovski & Joukes, 2017; Kotur, 2022; Szolnoki, 2016). In this context, very little is known about the profile, travelling characteristics and experiences of families and children visiting wine destinations, which stresses the relevance of this particular study.

2.3 Wine routes and the cases of Bairrada, Beira Interior and Dão

A wine route is a network of public and private wine and tourist agents in a given area, which work together to promote wine regions’ development, increasing their appeal and competitiveness (Brás, Costa, & Buhalis, 2010; Bruwer, 2003; Brunori & Rossi, 2000). By combining different wineries, wine estates, natural and cultural attractions, equipment and landscapes, wine routes provide complex wine tourist experiences beyond wine tasting and buying (Barroco & Amaro, 2020; Bruwer, 2003).

In Portugal, wine culture and production are crucial for the country’s identity and economy, while wine routes are considered strategic for strengthening the country’s tourism attractiveness (Brás et al., 2010; Correia, Vaughan, Edwards, & Silva, 2014). Since 1995, twelve wine routes have been established in Portugal (Barroco & Amaro, 2020): The Alentejo Wine Route and the Algarve Wine Route, in their respective regions; the Vinho Verde (green wine) Route, the Távora-Varosa Wine Route and The Douro and Porto Wine Route in the North of the country; the Península de Setúbal Wine Route and the Carcavelos and Colares Wine Route, in the Lisbon Metropolitan area; the Tejo Wine Route and the Lisbon Wine Route between Lisbon and Central areas; and finally, the Bairrada Route, the Beira Interior Wine Route and the Dão Wine Route in the northern part of Portugal’s Central region, which are analysed in this study. Figure 1 illustrates the areas covered by these three last routes.

The Dão Wine Route was established in 1995 and inaugurated in 1998, with 17 members among wineries, wine estates and wine cooperatives (Carneiro et al., 2022). Until 2015, it had a discrete development, but a readjustment process took place that year. Under a different strategy, new producers joined, and a new marketing strategy and initiatives were adopted (Barroco & Amaro, 2020). In 2022, the route brought together 49 producers distributed along five different itineraries spread over a territory surrounded by mountains, with a unique microclimate. The region produces elegant red wine and fresh whites, with Touriga Nacional and Encruzado recognised as the main grape varieties, respectively (Carneiro et al., 2022).

The Bairrada Wine Route was created in 1999, connecting producers from eight municipalities between the urban centres of Aveiro and Coimbra (Brás et al., 2010; Correia et al., 2007). In 2006, the wine route was incorporated into the Bairrada Route, with the creation of a regional public-private tourism association composed of more than 40 members among municipalities, accommodations, restaurants, tour operators, wine producers and the Bairrada Wine Commission (Castro, 2014; Lopes et al., 2018). The Bairrada region is a continuous territory between Coimbra and Aveiro, with a Mediterranean climate and maritime influence, known for its natural sparkling wines (Carneiro et al., 2022).

Figure 1:

Wine Routes: Bairrada, Dão and Beira Interior

The Beira Interior Route was established in 2019, joining 70 members among wineries, wine cooperatives, accommodations, restaurants, municipalities, and others. The route covers three wine-growing zones in Portugal’s highest wine region, characterised by high mountains, severe cold in winter and hot and dry summers, producing distinct high-altitude wines (Carneiro et al., 2023).

These three regions provide a wide range of experiences related to wine, culture, nature and rurality. Bairrada has a variety of attractions, such as museums, historical heritage, natural areas, nearby beaches and thermal springs. In the Beira Interior region, visitors can find historical heritage, villages, river beaches and natural areas, notably Serra da Estrela, where winter sports are practised. The Dão, in addition to natural elements, such as parks and river beaches, stands out for its historic villages and for the cultural heritage of Viseu, including the Grão-Vasco Museum, Viseu Cathedral and the Cave of Viriato, an important figure in the country’s history.

4.1 Profile of sample

Respondents are, on average, 46 years old, suggesting a male or female middle-aged visitor (Table 1). When observing the distribution by age group, there is a predominance of respondents between 35 and 49 years, especially in Dão (69.9 %) and Bairrada (58.3 %). In Beira Interior, the percentage of respondents aged 65 or over stands out, suggesting more seniors, as also visible in the fact that visitors of this region have fewer minors in their household than those of the other regions.

Most respondents are domestic visitors, particularly in the Beira Interior, which has few international visitors. Dão has relatively more international visitors, and Bairrada has the highest percentage (17.5 %), possibly suggesting a declining international market concentration from the coastal regions to the inland rural areas. Respondents tend to live in urban contexts, in households with around 3 individuals, including one dependent minor on average. Most of them are professionally active, with a considerable percentage of retired individuals in Beira Interior (25.6 %), reflecting the already mentioned larger number of older visitors. Respondents have a moderate level of education: 27.7 % have at least secondary school, while 55.4 % have at least a Bachelor’s Degree. At Beira Interior, a higher percentage of respondents completed only primary or middle-school levels, which may also relate to the older visitors (Table 1).

4.2 Motivations to visit the destination

When the whole sample is considered, leisure, relaxing, having a good time with the family, getting to know the region better and having fun correspond to the five most cited reasons to visit the destination (Table 2). However, some particularities can be observed when examining each region’s main motivations. For instance, at Bairrada and Dão, leisure, recreation and/or holiday and having a good time with the family motivated almost at least half the respondents, while at Beira Interior, 21.7 % and 25.7 % referred to these reasons, respectively. In turn, Beira Interior respondents are more concerned with socialising with others than others. Notably, Beira Interior respondents indicated less motivation to visit the region, which can be observed in the smaller percentages for many items. In Table 2, the top five motivations per region are shaded.

Despite these differences, which are probably connected to each region’s offerings and attributes and dynamics of tourist flows, wine-related motives seem to be little relevant for the three regions’ family visitors, notably for those in the Beira Interior. Although with much less weight than other motivations, Bairrada and then Dão, are the routes that seem to attract more family visitors to participate in traditional wine tourism activities, such as tasting (23.8 % and 17.6 %) and learning about wine and winemaking (14.3 % and 10.2 %), which may indicate a more mature wine tourism supply or destination identity, which is expected given these routes earlier establishment comparing to the Beira Interior Wine Route.

4.4 Satisfaction and loyalty

The respondents classified their satisfaction with values from 1 (very unsatisfied) to 7 (very satisfied). Table 6 shows that the visit to the destination and the experience with the place and its people received higher scores than the visit to wine-related places and tourism facilities and activities, suggesting that, despite the regional natural, social and cultural attributes, the tourist supply may not fully meet the expectations, needs and particularities of the family wine visitors. Besides, it is noteworthy that wine-related places show lower scores in Beira Interior and Dão than in Bairrada.

This evaluation confirms the loyalty intentions of the respondents, who indicated the likelihood of returning to or recommending the destination with values from 1, meaning not likely at all, to 7, certainly (Table 7). While the probability of recommending the destination and repeating the visit is very high, visitors are not so likely to recommend wineries to their family and friends and to post information on social media.

4.5 Types of family visitors to wine routes

In order to better understand families visiting wine routes, respondents were grouped according to the relevance of wine-related attractions and attributes to their experience. Thus, family visitors interviewed at wine-related places, declaring wine-related motivations or/and naming a wine attraction as one of the places visited, were classified as wine-interested visitors. For this study’s purpose, the remaining respondents with valid answers were classified as general visitors.

Then, the variables analysed in this study were explored to assess statistically significant differences among them. According to the variable type and if the test’s assumptions were met^[2], Chi-square tests and t-tests were performed, revealing statistically significant differences that suggest particular travelling behaviour patterns.

Table 8 presents statistically significant differences related to travel context derived from Chi-square tests. While nearly all general family visitors came from other Portuguese regions, there are significantly more international family tourists visiting wine-related places (22.5 %). General visitors tend to consider the region where they were interviewed as their main destination. In contrast, for wine visitors, it is more likely to be a secondary or minor destination, suggesting that, for these families, wine-related regions and attractions are one of a set of travel interests, visited within a larger regional or even country visitation context.

Most wine-interested visitors were surveyed in Bairrada, suggesting that this region can already attract this market and, as previously indicated, may be a more mature wine destination. Children aged 10 or less are much more frequent among general visitors’ groups, and those aged 11 or more are slightly more observed in wine-interested visitor groups, which may be connected to more constraints associated with visiting wine-related attractions with younger children, a hypothesis to be explored in further studies.

Differences concerning motivations, attractions visited, and improvements required provide evidence of each group’s particular interests (Table 9). Besides wine-related motives, which obviously show a strong distinction between groups, there are also significant differences concerning other motivations, although at a moderate level. More wine visitors appear to be interested in leisure than general visitors, who, in turn, are more motivated by having fun and socialising with others. Regarding places visited, significant differences were observed only in the percentages of respondents citing natural attractions: half of the general visitors and only 26.8 % of wine-interested visitors.

When asked about suggestions for improvements, wine visitors, as expected, have shown to be more concerned about some wine experiences, such as wine-related activities for children, events, pairings, and storytelling. However, it is noteworthy that even general visitors refer to wine tourism offerings as relevant improvements for these destinations, suggesting they may be interested in wine tourism under different circumstances, constituting a potential market to be targeted. Moreover, the non-significant differences regarding other motivations, places visited, and suggestions for improvements indicate not only common interests for both groups but an interest in wine tourism by tourists in search of leisure, fun and socialising with others, especially in contact with nature.

Finally, t-tests revealed peculiar significant differences in satisfaction and loyalty (Table 10).

Although general family tourists are more satisfied with the visit to the destination, wine-interested family tourists are more likely to recommend destinations’ wineries for family and friends, highlighting a possible benefit of properly catering to this market.