Tourism Destination Image (TDI) Perception Within a Regional Winescape Context

Abstract

This study conceptualizes the perception of a tourism destination image (TDI) in the process integrating multiple theories such as servicescape, place-based, and destination perceptions. The research outlines the conceptualization of a wine TDI in the form of a regional winescape framework as perceived by visitors. The nature of the wine tourism product and experience requires that a research approach be developed that differs from the generic approaches used in mainstream TDI studies. A free form approach was used to integrate TDI perception, services marketing, servicescape, and place-based marketing theories. The winescape construct is identified within a framework of eight dimensions for a well-known Australian region. The most important winescape dimension is the natural beauty/geographical setting. The in-state and out-of-state origin dynamic affects visitors' wine tourism behavior and perception of the region's winescape. For in-state and out-of-state visitors, there are pronounced differences in their perception of the region's winescape dimensions. Increasing distance from the destination region is pivotal in the perception of the winescape dimensions and thus the TDI.

Wine tourism and hedonic experience: A motivation-based experiential view

“…The literature use the descriptors of “winescape” (Bruwer et al., 2016; Quintal et al., 2015) to denote a wine regional destination, place attachment (Prayag and Ryan, 2011) to denote an emotional bond with a place, and terroir (Holland et al., 2014; Marzo-Navarro and Pedraja-Iglesias, 2009) which refers to a soil-specific site such as a vineyard within a wine region, interchangeably. In the current study, we use regional setting (winescape) as it has had broader appeal in the context of wine tourism.…”

Why wine tourists visit cellar doors: Segmenting motivation and destination image

“…In this context, wine tourism has emerged as a special‐interest tourism field from an academic research perspective. During this process, the inclusion of wine as a TDI element received some coverage in the literature (i.e., Bruwer et al, ; Getz & Brown, ; Quintal et al, ). This coincided with visitation to wineries to experience winemaking, grapegrowing, and wine consumption becoming popular tourist activities (Marzo‐Navarro & Pedraja‐Iglesias, ).…”

“…The first, a macro approach, defines the winescape in general terms, by referring to it as “the whole region and its attributes” (Alebaki & Iakovidou, , p.123) and “physical, social and cultural dimensions … and its components” (Douglas et al, , p.313). The second approach defines the winescape in specific terms by identifying three main elements: the presence of vineyards, winemaking activity, and winery facilities where wine is produced and stored (Bruwer et al, ).…”

“…The items were adopted from previous wine tourism studies (Bruwer et al, 2012). Destination image was measured using 24 items that employed a free-text macro approach similar to that used by Bruwer et al (2016) and Bruwer and Gross (2017). Several sociodemographic and wine consumption-related questions were also measured (see Table 3).…”

“…The wine tourist is someone who feels a need to "connect" with the origin of the product through visitation of the location (wine region) where wine is produced. Wine tourism research has brought some salient factors and differences to light based on sociodemographics (Charters & Ali-Knight, 2002;Getz & Brown, 2006), destination analysis (Bruwer, Gross, & Lee, 2016), and travel motivation (Getz & Brown, 2006). Although many segmentation studies exist of different types of tourists using different methodologies, existing research segmenting the wine tourism experience remains rather scant.…”