Why Every Wine Region Needs a Destination Strategy

@Calice Hospitality and Wines

Because today, it has become essential for vineyards that want to exist as destinations in their own right. A domain, however remarkable it may be, can seduce occasionally. But only a collective and structured project transforms a vineyard into an identifiable destination , capable of sustainably attracting and retaining travelers.

The difference is not only in the quality of the wines. It lies in the ability of a region to offer a readable, coherent and shared experience. When it comes together, it becomes a true tourist destination , driven by a clear promise , seamless journeys, tailored services and a collective brand that encourages people to stay, return and recommend.

A welcoming wine cellar, an estate offering tourist harvests or charming guest rooms… are all valuable initiatives. But taken in isolation, they remain fragmented experiences. When dozens of wineries offer the same “tour + tasting” formula, the visitor struggles to find their way around and grasp what makes up the soul and uniqueness of a vineyard . To gain visibility and establish themselves on the world map of wine tourism, it has become essential to build a strategy supported collectively by the region.

The key role of interprofessional organizations and rankings

In recent years, interprofessional organizations have played a decisive role in structuring wine tourism. In Bordeaux , the Bordeaux Interprofessional Wine Council - CIVB has created a real destination offering around the Cité du Vin, thematic routes and emblematic events such as Bordeaux Fête le Vin , which welcomed more than 40,000 visitors in 2023. The BNIC - Cognac interprofessional organization has strengthened the attractiveness by creating visitor routes integrating major houses, sensory workshops and cultural events, placing the destination in the high-end tourism sector.

UNESCO classifications are also powerful levers. The Climats of the Burgundy vineyard, listed in 2015, have helped restore the cabottes, enhance the landscapes and boost the event offering. Saint-Émilion, listed in 1999, has become a global destination, where the increase in attendance has directly benefited the hotel, restaurant and local businesses. The Douro in Portugal or the Wachau Valley in Austria also demonstrate internationally how this recognition transforms the perception of a wine-growing region.

Concrete territorial strategies

Defining a wine tourism strategy means giving a common identity and assuming an increase in the quality of the service offering. This is the entire commitment of Calice Hospitality and Wines to our institutional clients. In the Côte Roannaise , we supported the creation of a 55 km wine route inaugurated in 2023, linking villages of character, estates and viewpoints, with consistent signage and a gentle roaming logic. This 215-hectare vineyard, long confidential, is now gaining visibility and attracting a clientele sensitive to gastronomy, heritage and hiking.

In the Gulf of Saint-Tropez , we have developed a wine tourism development strategy for an area previously dominated by seaside resorts. This approach led to the Vignobles & Découvertes label in 2025 and will help diversify the clientele and deseasonalize tourist numbers. The Vignobles & Découvertes label, created by Atout France in 2009, provides a framework and clarity for destinations. It encourages the unification of wineries, accommodation, restaurants and heritage sites around a shared strategy. Today, 74 destinations are labeled in France , representing nearly 8,700 services .

In Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole, certified in 2022, the approach has brought together 16 wine cellars, 21 restaurants, 8 wine-growing activities and 5 incoming agencies, with today nearly 69 partners involved. The ambition is clear: to integrate wine tourism into a destination already rich in its cultural and urban heritage, and to capture a portion of the 5.2 million annual tourist arrivals.

In a completely different register, the Anjou-Saumur Val de Loire, certified since 2011, illustrates the effect of a strategy followed over time. In 2023, the 350 tourist cellars of the Loire welcomed 1.9 million visitors, generating 94 million euros in turnover. These results confirm the interest in professionalizing the reception and diversifying the experiences offered.

An economic and sustainable lever

A well-thought-out territorial strategy leads to multiplier effects. It extends the length of stay, moves visitors between wineries, villages and cultural sites, and increases average spending. It encourages the upgrading of accommodation and catering, supports the organization of events and stimulates the creation of complementary services.

In the long term, wine tourism is also a resilience tool for wine-growing regions. It diversifies the income of wineries in the face of climatic hazards, encourages investment in soft mobility and heritage restoration, and promotes public-private partnerships that anchor development over the long term.

A real territorial challenge: moving from addition to composition

Wine tourism can no longer be limited to individual initiatives. Communities and institutions must make it a strategic axis of development, and interprofessional organizations have a key role to play . For several years, they have increasingly supported the structuring of the offer: by uniting producers, creating events, supporting collective promotion in Bordeaux, Cognac or elsewhere. But the challenge today is to go further. It is no longer just a question of communication or promotion, but of building real territorial narratives, clear and unifying, capable of carrying a destination over the long term.

UNESCO rankings and labels like Vignobles & Découvertes provide increased recognition and visibility. But for these distinctions to become real drivers of development, they still need to be transformed into global territorial strategies , capable of articulating wine, heritage, culture and hospitality to create a coherent and attractive destination, backed by ambitious promotion. And this is often where the problem lies. While Spain invests around 190 million euros per year in tourism promotion , Atout France's budget stagnates at around 80 million euros. In this context, it is difficult for new entrants or emerging destinations to make a place for themselves on the international map without powerful marketing support.

However, attractiveness agencies and tourist offices play a central role: they support the creation of renewed activities, the networking of stakeholders and the invention of

new forms of experiences, from thematic wine routes to cultural festivals, including immersive events that bring the vineyard to life in a different way. It is at this local and territorial level that innovation is born, and can then be amplified by a national promotion strategy.

It is precisely at this pivotal moment that we intervene with Calice Hospitality and Wines. We help regions to give coherence and clarity to their offering, to unite stakeholders, to build a strong destination brand and to put in place the concrete tools that ensure lasting success.

A winery attracts. A structured territory creates a destination. Wine tourism can't be improvised: it has to be built. We're here to help you write this strategy.

www.calicehospitality.com