Italy Connects with United States, France and More Countries Supercharging Travel Economy with Wine and Gastronomy Tourism

Italy connects with the United States, France and more countries, while wine and gastronomy tourism supercharge the travel economy. Meanwhile, authentic food, vineyards and local culture attract travellers.

Italy connects with the United States, France and more countries as wine and gastronomy tourism strengthen the travel economy. Meanwhile, France and other destinations are expanding wine experiences. As a result, travellers can explore vineyards, regional cuisine and cultural traditions while discovering how food and wine increasingly shape international tourism. Wine tourism is no longer limited to cellar-door tastings or visits to famous vineyards.

Across Europe, the Americas, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, destinations are combining wineries with gastronomy, heritage, landscapes, festivals and rural experiences to attract international visitors and extend their tourism economies.

Countries are increasingly treating wine as a tourism asset that can connect travellers with local communities and agricultural traditions. France, Italy, Spain and Portugal have long-established wine regions, while destinations such as Georgia, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile and the United States have developed distinctive tourism models around their vineyards and wine-producing landscapes.

The growth of wine tourism also gives destinations an opportunity to spread visitor spending beyond major cities. Vineyard regions can encourage travellers to stay longer, visit smaller communities, explore local restaurants and participate in seasonal events.

Italy: How Is Sicily Strengthening Italy’s Wine Tourism Appeal?

Italy combines wine with food, heritage, landscapes and regional culture, making wine tourism an important part of the country’s wider tourism offering.

From Tuscany and Piedmont to Veneto, Sicily and Emilia-Romagna, wine-producing regions offer visitors different experiences shaped by local grape varieties, traditions and landscapes. Travellers can move between historic estates, family-run wineries, wine festivals and restaurants where regional dishes are paired with local wines.

Sicily provides a particularly distinctive example. The island’s volcanic terrain, Mediterranean climate and historic wine-producing communities create a strong foundation for wine-led travel.

Following its opening event dedicated to Sicilian white wines, Calici al Village returns on Sunday, 4 October, from 4pm, at Sicilia Outlet Village, for the second event in the series, this time placing the spotlight on the red wines of Sicily.

The afternoon will offer visitors an opportunity to discover the territories, grape varieties and labels that define Sicilian wine production, while meeting the participating wineries and producers directly. The event combines wine culture with entertainment and shopping at the Village’s 170 shops. Participants will receive a complimentary wine glass and tasting ticket, allowing them to explore the Village through wine tastings, shopping and music from a DJ set.

The initiative, organised in collaboration with WineSicily, follows the strong turnout recorded during the opening event on 27 September, which was dedicated to Sicilian white wines and attracted a large number of visitors.

Following Sunday’s celebration of red wines, Calici al Village will return for its final event on Sunday, 11 October, when Sicilian sparkling wines will take centre stage.

PARTICIPATING WINERIES

The wineries participating in the 2026 edition of Calici al Village are:

Aziende Tamburello, Costantino Wines, Casa Grazia, Planeta, Dei Principi di Spadafora, Tasca d’Almerita, Cantine Pellegrino, Travaglianti, Cantoneri, Vigne Alte, Cantine La Contea, Campisidrasi, Destro Vini, Giacomo Mannone Viticoltore, Tenute Lombardo, Tenute dello Jato, Gurrieri, Musìta, Nina Gandolfo, Tenute Valso, Tenute 50, Tenute Rapitalà, Azienda Agricola G. Milazzo, Cantine Cellaro, Eccellenze dell’Etna-Turi, Giovinco, Duca di Salaparuta and Azienda di Rachele.

The Calici al Village event at Sicilia Outlet Village demonstrates how wine can also be connected with mainstream visitor experiences. The 2026 programme brings together Sicilian wineries, tastings, music and shopping, with separate events focusing on white wines, red wines and sparkling wines.

This approach broadens wine tourism beyond traditional vineyard visits. Visitors can encounter producers and regional wines while combining the experience with entertainment and retail tourism.

France: Why Does Wine Remain Central to French Tourism?

France has one of the world’s most developed wine tourism networks, with destinations such as Bordeaux, Champagne, Burgundy, Provence, the Loire Valley and Beaujolais attracting visitors throughout the year.

Atout France, the country’s tourism development agency, promotes wine tourism as a dedicated tourism segment. Its information highlights France’s extensive network of wine-producing territories and visitor-accessible wineries.

The French model relies heavily on the connection between wine, landscape, gastronomy and heritage. A traveller visiting Bordeaux, for example, can combine winery tours with historic architecture, food experiences and river tourism. Champagne offers another distinctive model, where wine is closely connected with underground cellars, prestigious houses and regional heritage.

Wine tourism therefore becomes part of a wider destination experience rather than a standalone activity. This helps regions attract visitors with different interests, including culinary travellers, culture seekers and luxury tourists.

Spain: How Are Wine Routes Supporting Regional Tourism?

Spain has developed an extensive network of wine routes that connects wineries with towns, restaurants, accommodation providers and cultural attractions.

Official tourism promotion highlights destinations including La Rioja, Catalonia, Castilla y León, Andalusia, Galicia and the Basque Country. Each region offers a different interpretation of Spanish wine culture.

La Rioja is particularly well known internationally, while other regions provide opportunities to discover lesser-known grape varieties and wine-producing traditions.

Spain’s wine-route approach is important because it encourages travellers to explore beyond individual wineries. A route can combine tastings with historic villages, local cuisine, museums, festivals and rural landscapes.

For tourism businesses, this creates opportunities for collaboration. Accommodation providers, restaurants, transport operators, guides and wineries can all benefit when visitors spend more time within a wine-producing region.

Portugal: Why Is Wine Tourism Becoming a Strategic Tourism Product?

Portugal has built a strong international reputation around wine tourism, with the Douro Valley providing one of its most recognisable experiences.

The country’s tourism promotion combines vineyards with dramatic landscapes, gastronomy, heritage and river journeys. The Douro is particularly suited to experiential travel because visitors can explore vineyards while also travelling along the Douro River.

Other important wine regions include Alentejo, Vinho Verde, Bairrada and Setúbal.

Portugal’s approach demonstrates how wine can support several forms of tourism simultaneously. A visitor may arrive for wine but remain for food, scenery, history and rural experiences.

Wine tourism also supports destinations outside Lisbon and Porto by encouraging visitors to travel into agricultural regions. This geographic distribution is important for regional tourism development.

Georgia: How Is Wine Being Used to Promote Cultural Heritage?

Georgia offers one of the most distinctive wine tourism stories because wine production is closely associated with the country’s cultural heritage.

The Kakheti region is at the centre of Georgia’s wine tourism development. Visitors can explore vineyards, wineries, traditional wine-making methods, food and local communities.

Georgia’s qvevri wine-making tradition, involving large earthenware vessels, provides a strong cultural element that differentiates the destination from more conventional winery tourism.

The country also gained international visibility when the UN World Tourism Organization held its first Global Conference on Wine Tourism in Kakheti in 2016.

Georgia demonstrates how wine tourism can become a vehicle for cultural storytelling. Instead of focusing solely on the finished product, destinations can use wine to introduce travellers to agricultural practices, traditions, cuisine and community life.

Australia: How Does Wine Support Regional Travel?

Australia has developed internationally recognised wine regions across several states, including South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia.

The Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Hunter Valley, Margaret River and Yarra Valley are among the destinations associated with Australian wine tourism.

Australia’s wine tourism experience often combines winery visits with restaurants, accommodation, scenic drives and outdoor activities. This creates an attractive proposition for travellers seeking a multi-day regional escape.

South Australia’s Barossa Valley is particularly significant, with wine closely integrated into the region’s tourism identity.

Australia’s approach also demonstrates the value of combining wine with food. Culinary experiences can encourage visitors to move from a short tasting visit towards longer stays involving restaurants, accommodation and regional attractions.

South Africa: Why Are the Cape Winelands Important to Tourism?

South Africa’s wine tourism industry is strongly associated with the Cape Winelands around Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Paarl and Constantia.

The region benefits from dramatic mountain scenery, historic estates, restaurants and established hospitality infrastructure.

Stellenbosch, in particular, combines wine with heritage architecture, university life, gastronomy and outdoor experiences. Franschhoek has also developed a strong reputation for food and wine tourism.

Cape Town’s proximity provides another advantage. International visitors can combine an urban stay with excursions into the surrounding wine-producing areas.

South Africa’s wine tourism model therefore illustrates how a major international city can act as a gateway to nearby rural and agricultural destinations.

New Zealand: How Are Vineyards Being Integrated Into Destination Experiences?

New Zealand has developed a strong wine tourism profile despite its relatively small population and geographically dispersed wine regions.

Marlborough, particularly known for Sauvignon Blanc, is one of the country’s best-known wine destinations. Other important regions include Hawke’s Bay, Central Otago and Wairarapa.

New Zealand’s wine tourism experiences frequently connect wineries with cycling, walking, food and scenic landscapes.

The country’s reputation for outdoor tourism provides an additional advantage. Visitors can combine wine tasting with nature-based activities, creating a broader itinerary rather than a single-purpose trip.

Hawke’s Bay’s participation in the Great Wine Capitals network also reflects the region’s international positioning as a wine and tourism destination.

Argentina: How Does Mendoza Drive Wine Tourism?

Argentina’s wine tourism identity is closely connected with Mendoza, the country’s best-known wine-producing region.

The destination is particularly associated with Malbec and offers travellers vineyard visits, tastings, restaurants and accommodation against a backdrop of the Andes.

Mendoza demonstrates how wine can become the central theme of an entire destination rather than simply one attraction.

Wine tourism also works alongside adventure tourism. Visitors can combine vineyard experiences with mountain excursions and other outdoor activities.

This combination gives Argentina an opportunity to appeal to travellers interested in both gastronomy and nature.

Chile: How Are Wine Valleys Supporting Tourism?

Chile’s wine tourism industry stretches across several valleys, including Casablanca, Maipo, Colchagua and Aconcagua.

The country’s geography creates a diverse backdrop for vineyard tourism, while its proximity to Santiago makes several wine regions accessible to international travellers.

The Casablanca Valley, for example, is well positioned for travellers exploring central Chile, while Colchagua has developed a strong reputation for wine-focused visitor experiences.

Chile’s wine tourism strategy demonstrates the importance of accessibility. Wine regions can attract significantly more visitors when they can be incorporated easily into wider national itineraries.

United States: How Has Wine Tourism Expanded Beyond California?

The United States is internationally associated with California’s Napa Valley and Sonoma County, but wine tourism extends far beyond the West Coast.

Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Washington State, New York’s Finger Lakes and Texas Hill Country have developed their own wine tourism identities.

Napa Valley demonstrates the power of combining wine with luxury hospitality, restaurants and destination experiences. Other emerging regions offer visitors different experiences, often with a stronger emphasis on rural landscapes and smaller producers.

The expansion of wine tourism across multiple states also reflects a broader change in American travel. Visitors increasingly seek regional food, local producers and experiential attractions rather than relying exclusively on traditional sightseeing.

Germany: How Are German Wine Regions Attracting Visitors?

Germany’s wine tourism is closely associated with scenic river valleys, historic towns and vineyard landscapes.

The Mosel, Rheinhessen, Pfalz and Baden regions provide opportunities to combine wine with cycling, walking, cultural tourism and regional cuisine.

The Mosel is particularly notable for its vineyard-covered slopes and riverside settlements. This creates an experience where the journey through the landscape becomes as important as the wine tasting itself.

Germany demonstrates how wine tourism can complement existing cultural and outdoor tourism products. Visitors can build itineraries around vineyards while also exploring castles, historic towns and countryside.

What Does the Global Growth of Wine Tourism Mean for Destinations?

The international expansion of wine tourism reflects a broader shift towards experience-led travel.

Travellers increasingly want to understand where products come from, meet producers and experience the culture behind local food and drink. Wine is particularly suitable for this approach because its production is closely connected with geography, agriculture, climate and local traditions.

The economic benefits can also extend beyond wineries. Wine tourism can generate demand for hotels, restaurants, guides, transport operators, cultural attractions and local retailers.

For rural communities, this can create an additional tourism economy alongside traditional agricultural activity.

Sustainability is another increasingly important consideration. When properly managed, wine tourism can encourage visitors to explore established agricultural landscapes rather than concentrating solely on major urban centres. However, destinations also need to manage visitor numbers, transport, water use and environmental pressures associated with tourism.

Why Could Wine Tourism Remain Important for Global Travel?

Wine tourism is evolving from a specialist interest into a broader destination-development strategy.

Italy is using wine alongside food, shopping and cultural experiences. France and Spain have developed sophisticated wine-route networks. Portugal integrates vineyards with river, landscape and heritage tourism, while Georgia uses wine to showcase cultural traditions.

Australia, South Africa and New Zealand demonstrate how wine can support regional travel, while Argentina, Chile and the United States have built strong identities around distinctive wine-producing landscapes. Germany, meanwhile, shows how vineyards can be integrated with outdoor and cultural tourism.

The common thread is clear: successful wine tourism is rarely just about drinking wine. It is about place, people, food, heritage, landscape and experience.

As destinations compete for travellers seeking meaningful and locally rooted experiences, wine offers tourism boards and regional businesses a powerful way to connect visitors with the character of a destination. From Sicily’s wine events to Mendoza’s vineyards and Portugal’s Douro Valley, wine tourism is increasingly becoming part of the wider global tourism economy.

Overall, Italy connects with the United States, France and more countries through wine and gastronomy tourism. Furthermore, these experiences strengthen the travel economy by encouraging longer regional stays.

Wine routes, culinary traditions and local producers give travellers deeper connections with destinations, while countries continue developing food-led tourism experiences worldwide.