The effect of wine tourism on the sustainable performance of Spanish wineries: a structural equation model analysis

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of wine tourism on the economic, social and environmental performance, i.e. the sustainable performance, of Spanish wineries. In addition, age, size and membership in the protected designation of origin are introduced as control variables to increase the precision of the cause-effect relationships analyzed.Design/methodology/approachA conceptual model is proposed, which is tested by means of structural equation modeling based on data from a survey of 202 Spanish wineries.FindingsThe results indicate the existence of a positive and significant link between wine tourism activities and the three performance typologies analyzed in the Spanish wine context.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the academic literature on wine tourism in a remarkable way, as, to the best of the authors' knowledge, there is no previous literature that has addressed the effect of wine tourism on the sustainable performance of Spanish wineries, making the study useful for both academics and wine professionals who are considering the implementation or development of this typology of tourism in their facilities.