Sustainable Wine Tourism in Greece: Preserving Tradition, Building the Future ^†

Abstract

Wine tourism is an emerging form of special interest tourism that combines wine tasting, vineyard tours, and cultural experiences. In Greece, where viticultural traditions are deeply rooted, wine tourism remains at an early developmental stage but shows increasing interest. This study investigates the level of development and sustainable practices in Greek wineries engaged in wine tourism. Primary data were collected via a structured questionnaire distributed to wineries across Greece. The results reveal a growing entrepreneurial interest in wine tourism, with significant variation in infrastructure and visitor engagement. Sustainable practices are partially adopted, with environmental education and eco-certifications still limited. This study highlights the potential of wine tourism as a catalyst for local economic, environmental, and cultural sustainability, proposing policy recommendations to strengthen its strategic role in Greece.

1. Introduction

Wine tourism combines rural tourism, gastronomy, and cultural heritage, offering immersive experiences centered around wine production and tasting. Globally, regions like Tuscany, Champagne, and Napa Valley have successfully capitalized on wine tourism, not only for economic growth but also for preserving local identity [1,2]. In Greece, although the wine tradition is deeply rooted, wine tourism remains fragmented, with development largely dependent on regional initiatives and lacking national coordination [3].

Sustainability in wine tourism refers to the integration of environmental responsibility, social cohesion, and economic viability [2,4]. When wineries adopt sustainable practices—such as ecological packaging, community partnerships, and cultural preservation—wine tourism can become a model of integrated rural development [5,6].

This research focuses on the role of sustainability in Greek wine tourism through the practices and perceptions of wineries. The study aims to assess how Greek wineries engage in sustainable wine tourism and the challenges they face in implementing environmental, social, and economic sustainability strategies.

2. Methods

A quantitative research approach was adopted using a structured questionnaire divided into thematic sections covering wine tourism activity and environmental, social, and economic sustainability, as well as future prospects. A purposive sampling method was applied, targeting 30 wineries across four geographical regions of Greece during the months of March and April, 2025. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, correlation, and regression techniques with SPSS 31.0.

This study focuses on examining the role of wine tourism and sustainability in modern wine-producing enterprises. Three research hypotheses were formulated to explore the relationship between sustainability and wine tourism.

In line with these hypotheses, the following research questions were addressed:

• Does the perceived importance of wine tourism vary according to the size of the winery?
• Does the perceived importance of wine tourism differ depending on the winery’s geographical location?
• Does participation in environmental programs vary based on the size of the winery?

The questionnaire served as the main tool for data collection, enabling comparative analysis and statistical evaluation. It consisted of five sections and included 27 variables, designed to explore the perceptions, practices, and attitudes of wineries regarding the significance of wine tourism and sustainability.

3. Results and Discussion

In our study, most wineries (93%) state that they are open to visitors and offer wine tastings (100%), guided tours (90%), and occasionally seminars or gastronomic events. Also, wine tourism is considered very important by the respondents (mean rating 4.1/5). However, only 40% offer comprehensive wine tourism packages.

Environmental sustainability practices are adopted by 67% of respondents, including recycling (52%), solar energy use (26%), and water reduction strategies (31%). Bio-cultivation is practiced by 18%. Use of eco-friendly packaging scores a moderate 3.4/5, while participation in environmental education programs remains low.

Socially, 74% collaborate with local communities, and over 60% participate in festivals. The promotion of Greek culture through wine tourism scored 4.2/5. Economically, 78% report a positive contribution of wine tourism to revenue, but lack of funding and seasonal demand are expressed as major barriers.

Policy support and financial incentives are cited as key needs. Wineries plan to invest in infrastructure, expand services, and collaborate with travel agencies. For more details, see

Table 1. Pearson Correlation Matrix.

	Εvaluation of Wine Tourism to Their Revenue	Size of Winery	Recycling	Renewable Energy Sources	Reduction of Water Consumption	Organic or Biodynamic Farming	Eco-Friendly Materials for Product Packaging? ***	Participation in Environmental Education Programs or Awareness Actions ***	Collaboration with Local Communities or Suppliers ***	Promotion of Greek Culture and Tradition Through Wine Tourism ***	Organization or Participation in Local Events and Festivals ***	Sustainable Tourism Development Trend Drives Positive Business Growth ***	Importance of Wine Tourism for Them ***	Area of Activity/Region	ISO 14001	BioHellas	EMAS	SW—Sustainable Winegrowing
Εvaluation of wine tourism to their revenue	1	0.245	0.254	−0.095	0.290	0.368 *	−0.136	−0.537	−0.327	−0.274	−0.120	−0.248	−0.363	0.085	0.183	0.245	0.000	0.000
Size of winery		1	0.078	0.054	0.042	0.116	−0.125	−0.354	0.050	−0.271	−0.189	−0.154	−0.285	0.285	0.060	0.293	−0.112	0.128
Recycling			1	0.141	0.263	0.162	−0.129	−0.291	−0.521	0.121	−0.523	−0.076	0.127	0.122	0.186	0.083	0.050	0.050
Renewable Energy Sources				1	0.098	0.033	−0.365	−0.332	−0.157	−0.183	−0.292	−0.066	−0.126	0.084	0.069	0.217	0.351	0.351
Reduction of water consumption					1	0.333	−0.281	−0.381	−0.654	−0.282	−0.124	−0.480	0.000	0.066	0.000	0.126	0.189	0.189
Organic or biodynamic farming						1	−0.261	−0.261	−0.136	0.037	0.213	−0.283	0.092	0.245	−0.202	0.331	0.036	−0.234
Eco-friendly materials for product packaging? ***							1	0.468 **	0.243	0.253	0.286	0.436 *	0.173	−0.164	0.166	−0.400	−0.080	−0.346
Participation in environmental education programs or awareness actions ***								1	0.405 *	0.468 **	0.392 *	0.492 **	0.290	−0.142	−0.049	−0.482	−0.269	−0.367
Collaboration with local communities or suppliers ***									1	0.390 *	0.504 **	0.437 *	−0.122	0.162	−0.060	−0.107	−0.088	−0.207
Promotion of Greek culture and tradition through wine tourism ***										1	0.553 **	0.400 *	0.068	−0.051	0.050	−0.290	−0.174	−0.174
Organization or participation in local events and festivals ***											1	0.087	−0.113	−0.049	−0.176	−0.079	−0.071	−0.188
Sustainable tourism development trend drives positive business growth ***												1	−0.031	−0.241	0.045	−0.303	−0.073	−0.254
Importance of wine tourism for them ***													1	−0.057	0.000	−0.203	−0.030	−0.182
Area of activity/Region														1	0.218	0.209	0.325	0.200
ISO 14001															1	−0.089	0.000	0.000
BioHellas																1	0.239	0.239
EMAS																	1	0.464 **
SW—Sustainable Winegrowing																		1

Source: results from primary study, processed by the authors. *: Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed). **: Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed). ***: where 1 = Not at all, 2 = A little, 3 = Moderately, 4 = Very Much, 5 = Extremely.

and

Table 2. Overview of the primary study results.

Aspect	Key Findings
Visitor Accessibility	93% of wineries open to visitors
Main Activities	100% wine tastings, 90% guided tours
Sustainability Practices	67% adopt eco-practices, 52% recycling, 26% solar energy
Cultural Participation	74% collaborate with local communities, 60% join festivals
Economic Contribution	78% report positive financial impact
Challenges	Limited funding, seasonal demand, infrastructure needs
Planned Developments	Expansion of services, travel agency collaborations

Source: results from primary study, processed by the authors.

.

In the following Table 1, the results from the Pearson Correlation Matrix are presented. The Pearson correlation analysis revealed notable relationships among key variables. Positive correlations were found between eco-friendly packaging and participation in environmental education, as well as between environmental engagement and collaboration with local communities, cultural promotion, and local events—showing a multidimensional sustainability approach. Negative correlations emerged between certain environmental practices (e.g., water reduction, recyclable materials) and community involvement, suggesting possible trade-offs. Additionally, skepticism about the economic benefits of sustainable tourism was reflected in a negative link between its perceived importance and business value.

Wineries with sustainability certifications showed stronger adoption of responsible practices. Overall, the results illustrate the complex interplay between environmental, social, and cultural dimensions in Greek wine tourism.

4. Conclusions

This study confirms that Greek wine tourism holds strong potential for sustainable rural development but still faces structural and strategic limitations (in line with the international literature, e.g., [1,2]). Although sustainability practices are increasing, adoption remains uneven. ANOVA and regression analyses suggest no statistically significant differences by region or winery size, yet effect sizes point to emerging trends. Notably, perceived importance of wine tourism does not always align with direct financial returns, while practices like organic farming and local collaboration show positive, if modest, impacts. To support sectoral growth, enhanced institutional backing, targeted training, and financial incentives are essential. When aligned with sustainability, wine tourism can become a key pillar for both Greece’s tourism and agricultural development.

Furthermore, this study’s constraints need highlighting. Despite utilizing a cross-regional sampling approach and statistical methods like ANOVA and regression, no statistically meaningful distinctions emerged when comparing regions or winery scales. This hints at a need for a more nuanced research architecture to successfully detect minor differences across diverse situations. Moreover, even though this analysis concentrated on present-day operations and perspectives, it did not delve into future-oriented approaches aimed at the sustainable advancement of wine tourism. Notably, topics such as the function of digital marketing, contemporary communication instruments, and experience-based promotional methodologies are unexamined. Consequently, upcoming investigations could profit from implementing a larger sampling plan, a long-term viewpoint to monitor emerging tendencies, and a concentrated examination of digital transformation and strategic planning to facilitate the expansion of sustainable wine tourism.