The landscape as a competitive advantage for wine tourism

Petar Borisov, Teodor Radev, Dimitre Nikolov

Abstract: In recent years there has been significant interest in landscape management as a tool for achieving competitive advantage in a particular industry or economic sector. Proper combination of the realities of the landscape of a region with opportunities for economic development may lead to rapid and multiplier effect. The aim of this study was to analyze the contribution of the landscape in the creation of value in the wine tourism and to provide guidelines for increasing its competitiveness. Main working hypothesis that is put to verification is that the landscape has contributed in creating a competitive wine tourism and it can be used as a source of competitive advantage in the industry. Landscape features that play a significant role in the formation of the final product are determined by the method of ranking. This approach revealed statistically significant consistency in consumer preferences for landscape features of wine tourism. Based on statistical analysis we construct a model of competitive wine tourism product. Offering competitive wine tourism requires the following combination of key resources and activities: wine cellar with separate testing room and accommodation of visitors, views varied landscape of the complex in which to present the vineyards as a key element of the landscape, providing quick access to the complex, through adequate road network.

Keywords: competitive advantage; consumers preferences; landscape; wine tourism

Date published: 2017-10-03