Promoting a winery abroad as a wine tourism destination is not a solo endeavour. Even the most well-prepared wineries struggle to close deals with international tour operators when the surrounding territory lacks adequate accommodation, services, and cultural infrastructure. Success in international markets requires a collective, integrated approach, where the winery becomes part of a compelling, sellable destination.
There are wineries that excel at wine tourism. They have invested in hospitality, carefully designed spaces, trained staff, and engaging tastings. They have built a strong, identity-driven, coherent narrative.
Yet, when they sit down at a B2B table with an international tour operator, something gets stuck. The interest is there. The appreciation too. But the contract doesn’t close.
The problem is not (only) the wineries
Despite the quality of the wine tourism experience package making a significant difference, the problem may lie in what surrounds the winery.
Today, tour operators don’t buy a winery. They buy a destination. They need to build a multi-day itinerary, with adequate accommodation, reliable dining, services for groups or families, simple logistics, and genuinely accessible cultural attractions. If even one of these elements is missing or weak, the package loses its balance.
If around your winery the tour operator finds:
- few available rooms,
- only luxury facilities that are out of budget,
- fragmented and uncoordinated accommodation,
- cultural heritage that is inaccessible or poorly organised,
- transport difficulties,
the package doesn’t hold together. And when the package doesn’t hold together, the tour operator chooses a different destination.
Wine tourism is a team effort
Many wineries think: “I do my job well, the rest is not my concern.” That’s understandable. Everyone manages their own perimeter.
The point is that the international market thinks in terms of destinations, not isolated individual excellences. An extraordinary winery in a weak region struggles far more than a good winery embedded in a solid system.
For an American, Canadian, or Northern European tour operator, this means operational risk. And in organised tourism, risk is avoided. As a result, collaborations are often limited to nearby markets. Wineries become border stops, not central destinations in international circuits.
The challenge today is to transform a single wine-producing excellence into part of an integrated tourist destination. A joint reflection between public and private actors, between neighbours and regional stakeholders, is needed to bridge the gap that separates us from foreign markets. Only a holistic vision can turn your winery from a passing stop into the heart of a journey the world is ready to buy.
What do you think? Have you encountered these difficulties in closing deals with international tour operators due to shortcomings in your region?
Key points
- Tour operators buy destinations, not individual wineries: a weak territory undermines even the best wine experience.
- Missing elements like accommodation, transport, or cultural access can prevent a B2B deal from closing.
- The international market avoids operational risk: fragmented territories lose out to better-organised competitors.
- Wineries must collaborate with local public and private actors to build an integrated tourist offer.
- Only a collective territorial vision can turn a winery into a central stop on international circuits.
