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Co-Creating Sustainable Food & Wine Tourism and Rural Development

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Tourism, Culture, and Heritage".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 2417

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
CERNAS-IPV Research Centre, Campus Politécnico, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal
Interests: sustainable tourism; regional development; rural tourism; rural entrepreneurship; sustainability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of Economics, Management, Industrial Engineering and Tourism, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
Interests: destination marketing; consumer behavior in tourism; sustainability; rural tourism; accessible tourism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In an era of intense competition and need for the diversification of experience-rich rural tourism destinations and products, food & wine tourism may serve as an instrument of sustainable rural development, especially if based on valuable local resources and competences. However, to promote co-creative and sustainable food & wine tourism development, knowledge of terroir resources, co-creation experience potential with local stakeholders and the features and evolution of demand is paramount. The link between the place and its market(s), benefitting everyone involved, is crucial to the development of the rural space, where tourists seek engaging, authentic experiences and local actors make the best use of scarce resources. Recognizing the great potential of co-creative and sustainable food & wine tourism in terms of economic, social, cultural and environmental benefits for both food & wine businesses and rural communities, it is important to study the reality of the sectors, actors, and territories involved. In this vein, in order to suggest practical and/or political sustainable development measures, this Special Issue is dedicated to research in diverse areas of knowledge concerning co-creative and/or sustainable food & wine tourism, only modestly investigated up to now. Research topics related to this key theme include issues such as the analysis and identification of key features of successful food & wine tourism supply (service and terroir aspects), challenges and best practices in co-creative and sustainable practices, perceptions and involvement of rural communities, characteristics and involvement of visitors, heterogeneity of food & wine tourism demand and supply, governance of food & wine tourism (e.g. through routes), regenerative rural food & wine tourism, and diverse, possibly interdisciplinary research approaches enriching our understanding of tourism-related practices and challenges, particularly regarding contributions to sustainable rural development.

Dr. Maria Lúcia Pato
Dr. Elisabeth Kastenholz
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • food & wine tourism
  • co-creation
  • sustainability
  • tourist experience
  • stakeholders
  • local resources
  • heritage
  • governance
  • rural regeneration
  • rural development

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 1309 KiB  
Article
Strategic Customer Insights: Leveraging Online Reviews for Service Enhancement in Wine Tourism
by Fatheia Ibrahim, Serdal Işiktaş and Ayşem Çelebi
Sustainability 2025, 17(9), 3999; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17093999 - 29 Apr 2025
Viewed by 482
Abstract
Wine tourism is a key segment of the global tourism industry, offering visitors opportunities to explore vineyards, taste wines, and experience cultural heritage. This study examines online reviews to identify positive and negative themes of wine tourism experiences and explores how perceptions vary [...] Read more.
Wine tourism is a key segment of the global tourism industry, offering visitors opportunities to explore vineyards, taste wines, and experience cultural heritage. This study examines online reviews to identify positive and negative themes of wine tourism experiences and explores how perceptions vary among traveler types. Data were collected from 2850 TripAdvisor reviews of wineries in Bordeaux, Champagne, and Burgundy, France, and analyzed using Leximancer software. The findings reveal seven key themes, including Wine Quality, Tasting Experiences, Tour Guides, Vineyard Views, and Cultural Charm, alongside Dissatisfaction with Time Management and Value for Money. Variations among traveler types highlight distinct preferences, with solo travelers valuing education, couples prioritizing romance, groups focusing on culture, and families concerned with organization. This study contributes to research on experiential tourism by addressing diverse visitor expectations and enhancing service quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Co-Creating Sustainable Food & Wine Tourism and Rural Development)
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22 pages, 1026 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Pairing Local Food and Wine on the Sustainability of Hospitality Businesses in the Wine Region of Srem (Vojvodina, R. Serbia)
by Tamara Stošić, Dragan Tešanović, Bojana Kalenjuk Pivarski, Maja Paunić, Snježana Gagić Jaraković, Jasmina Lazarević, Velibor Ivanović and Stefan Šmugović
Sustainability 2025, 17(2), 476; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17020476 - 9 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1373
Abstract
This research examined how food and wine pairing affects the sustainability in local hospitality settings. This study focused on hospitality employees’ attitudes in Srem, where it explored the importance of integrating local produce, the economic and environmental benefits of reduced food miles, and [...] Read more.
This research examined how food and wine pairing affects the sustainability in local hospitality settings. This study focused on hospitality employees’ attitudes in Srem, where it explored the importance of integrating local produce, the economic and environmental benefits of reduced food miles, and customer satisfaction through authentic experiences. Key research questions investigated the perceived value of food–wine pairing, factors that influenced sustainable practices, and employee motivation. Data were gathered via a structured survey that highlighted challenges like limited ingredient availability and high costs. The results show that the employees recognized the importance of sustainability but displayed limited motivation for further initiatives. The findings suggest that enhancing local sourcing can bolster economic resilience and cultural preservation, promoting a sustainable tourism model for the region. This study recommends additional research on ecological impacts and local community benefits to further embed sustainability in hospitality practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Co-Creating Sustainable Food & Wine Tourism and Rural Development)
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