Co-creating wine and food tourism experiences: The case of rota da Bairrada

Abstract

Tourism experience has played a role in changing the tourism offer paradigm, based on the fact that it has promoted deeper and engaged interaction with local resources as well as memorable and immersive experiences in the destinations, all key elements according to the concept of co-creation. Simultaneously, the increase demand for wine tourism experiences has required a more strategic planning of the tourism offer to guarantee destinations’ sustainable development, and the valuing of local features.

This paper analyses the co-creation of wine tourism experiences in rota da Bairrada, enhancing co-creation dimensions resulting from visitors’ perspectives. Based on a qualitative exploratory study, 22 semi-structured interviews to visitors of the route were conducted. The main results show that social interaction, learning and the involvement derived from the contact with the local community and resources are significant co-creation dimensions. At the same time, active participation was, according to visitors, less noticeable. The results contribute to realigning destinations’ management and marketing strategies in order that the positioning of wine destinations can be reinforced.