Port wine and wine tourism: the touristic dimension of Douro’s landscape

Abstract

Wine tourism is one of the most important products for developing tourism in Portugal. The aim of this paper is to assess the importance of Port Wine for the tourism development of the Douro landscape, using a case study approach based on interviews with several stakeholders, through qualitative research. For this purpose, we selected a sample of respondents composed of the sector stakeholders of Port vineyards. The results allow us to ponder and highlight the importance of the PortWine culture for the region’s development, as well as to identify the economic, social, and emotional values inherent to those who work in the sector based on an identity connected to the territory. This study focuses mainly on the approach taken to wine tourism, identifying the level of investment made in this area in terms of specialized training for employees, the creation of facilities and procedures suited to the practice of this type of tourism, as well as the values of the territory and wine that should guide the development of wine tourism activities in the Port Wine region. The impacts of COVID-19 on the sector are also analyzed, classifying them into different dimensions.