The ability for wineries to identify the needs and demands of their customers provides value for designing marketing strategies and customer experiences. The growth and complexity of the wine industry has been challenging in finding a standardized and simple typology of wine consumers. A recent empirical study by Nella and Christou (2021) advances our knowledge on the ability to segment the market of wine visitors and tourists. The study explores differences among national and international wine visitors. Although the study is from a single European country, the findings are noteworthy:
- “Significantly higher percentages of domestic visitors exhibited a strong motivation to purchase wines while at the winery, interact with the winemaker or the oenologist, and participate in an organized tour of the winery or experience the winery environment and ambiance. By contrast, higher percentages of international visitors appeared motivated to participate in a group activity and have an excursion.” [p.6-7]
- “Domestic respondents were mostly of younger age (18-34), as well as 45-54 years old, whereas international visitors ages ranges mostly 35-44 and 55-64 years. Significance differences were also evident in income levels and wine spending. International visitors appeared to have higher financial status…” [p.7]
- “…awareness and loyalty levels, pre-visit attitudes of domestic visitors were more positive compared to international visitors.” [p.8]
- “Domestic respondents exhibited stronger intention to visit the winery in the future, to spread positive word of mouth about the winery, and purchase the winery’s products after the winery visit.” [p.8]
- “Group visitors had lower levels of involvement and consumption frequency than individual visitors. Group visitors also had significantly lower expectations before the winery visitation, knowledge and brand loyalty levels for the winery’s products and less positive attitudes.“ [p.10]
- “Men had significantly higher scores for agreement with the statement that they considered themselves as wine experts as well as higher pre-visit brand loyalty to the winery’s products.”[p.10]
- “Women, by contrast, had more positive pre-visit feelings for the specific winery and more positive evaluations of service quality during their winery visit.” [p.10]
The findings came from 528 completed questionnaires distributed to 1,400 customers at 18 wineries in Greece. The study focused on finding differences among international and domestic visitors to wineries but also looked at other distinctions such as previous experiences, or type of visit. The survey captured the wine consumers pre-visit knowledge, visitation experience and post-visit evaluation.
Although this study took place in Greece, it has relevance for wine researchers and marketing professionals. The different motivations between domestic and international wine consumers provides information on developing appropriate marketing strategies and consumer experiences.
For further information, Athina Nella (Hellenic Open University, Greece) and Evangelos Christou (International Hellenic University, Greece) document their study Market segmentation for wine tourism: Identifying sub-groups of winery visitors in the European Journal of Tourism Research (Vol 29, 2903). The introduction and literature review of the article provides a comprehensive analysis of market segmentation studies of wine consumers.
