Paper Example on Wine Tourism: Italy, Tuscany

Introduction

Wine tourism is continually becoming a crucial sector for the wine producers, not only in Italy but also in other wineries, globally (Per & Karlsson, 2017). Currently, wine primarily sold directly to the consumers. Italy is a typical destination for wine tours, and it is mainly known for its natural attractions and rich historical heritage (Romano & Natilli, 2009). As a wine tourism destination, Italy boasts of ancient tradition, which enhances its wine tasting experiences. According to Brscoe and Delamere (2011), there exists a collection of peculiar opportunities, when it comes to the diversification of the wine tourism products, leading to the creation of synergies through the packaging of various products to develop a unique blend. Golden Travel and Italy and Wine Tour are two providers of multi-day packaged tours operating in the Tuscany wine region.

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Selected Multi-day Packaged Tour

Golden Travel and Italy and Wine Tour were selected for the completion of this task, and they are vital in the provision of a profile of the wine tourist who would be attracted to the relatively higher quality package. According to the study on 'Who is the wine tourist' by Charters and Ali-Knight (2002), wine producers offer a wide variety of wine tourism experiences which comprise of train rides as part of the touring package on wine production and tours to various wine regions (museums). In Italy, there are different wine regions such as Tuscany, which is characterized by multiple synergies between the consumers and wine tour providers, thus enhancing the experiences for wine-lovers (Maizza & Rosato, 2008). Motivational factors such as recreation and relaxing, sophistication appearance and passion for wine are vital in the profiling of the wine tourists.

When comparing the packages that they offer, it can be asserted that Italy and Wine tour provides a relatively higher quality as compared to Golden Travel tour. According to Charters and Ali-Knight (2002) description and profiling, wine tourists have sufficient income, which implies that they will not be attracted to the cheap package deals. The wine market is highly segmented prompting wineries to be realistic regarding the segmentation of their industry (Chartersa & Ali-Knight, 2002). This indicates that those wine tourists who would be attracted to the inferior providers and they are considered to be 'casual' wine tourists who are only after tasting. However, those wine tourists who are always interested in the package deals of higher quality are referred to as 'sophisticated drinkers,' and they usually seek for more experiences and fun beyond wine tasting (Per & Karlsson, 2017). It follows that the wine tourists who will be interested in the package deal provided excellent wine tours (Italy and Wine tours) will be specifically be seeking for pleasant experiences and learning for the new winery concepts.

Comparison of Italy and Wine and Golden Travel Tours

Italy and Wine

Italy and Wine s tour was founded over a decade ago, and it mainly offers premium wine tour product which focuses on the value and quality of the services provided. Italy and Wine were founded in Vittorio Del Bono Venezze, and its business model utilizes shared and private tours plying in Tuscany, Piedmonte and Veneto (Italy and Wine, 2018). Italy and Wine offer a five-day (four nights) tour package which allows the clients with a peculiar opportunity to explore Tuscany by touring the beautiful sceneries of Florence, Chianti hills and the medieval town of Montalcino. Transportation involves picking up a wine tourist from either Florence or Pisa airports and moved to the 5-star accommodation in Florence (Italy and Wine, 2018). In the afternoon of the first day, the client is given a ride by Ape Car.

The package also includes the airport transfer and private transfer when checking out. Italy and Wine offer private transfer to and fro Florence and Pisa airport. The use of the Quaint Ape Car provides the client with a panoramic tour which gives the best views of the Tuscany region (Italy and Wine, 2018). As part of the 5-day packaged offered, the wine tourists are accorded movements in various scheduled areas daily. Italy and Wine tour provides the clients with a 5-star accommodation in Florence.

The wine tourist using the Italy and Wine package are accommodated for five days, where the company provides various itineraries (Italy and Wine, 2018). The tour package also includes daily meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). Each day has specific activities. For example, on the second day, after breakfast at the hotel, the client can visit various sightseeing places such as the Uffizi Gallery and the majestic cathedral (Italy and Wine, 2018). On the 4th day, there is touring of various wine estates such as Brunello DOCG and Rosso DOC, which are famous local wineries. The visits also allow the clients to enjoy the typical Tuscan menus which are accompanied by a tasting of the Brunello di Montalcino wine.

Golden Travel

On another hand, Golden Travel touring company is situated in Florence, Siena, and Chianti, which are the three main wine tasting destinations in Tuscany. Golden Travel is specialized in the provision of prestigious wine tours where the movement is mainly through limousine transportation (Golden Travel, 2018). The guide drivers have a vast knowledge of the regions since they are primarily born in Tuscany. Golden Travel is licensed by National Transportation Department. The company also utilizes luxurious vehicles for its clients' movement with all of its cars supplied with air conditioning and fully insured. Golden Travel tour also uses cruise boards, airport transportation and trains, which ensures the wine tourists gain excellent experiences when they hire their services. Transfers are luxurious, and they involve transfers to and from railway stations, restaurants, airports and popular wineries in Tuscany (Golden Travel, 2018). For example, on the 5th day, there is an excursion to Maranello, including visits in the Ferrari museum and a balsamic vinegar factory.

Analysis of Golden Travel's transferring services indicates that the company offers chauffeur-driven and personalized tours in various parts of the Tuscany. As for the Golden Travel, the company provides 8-day and 4-day tour packages, where the clients are accommodated in the 4-star hotel (Golden Travel, 2018). When it comes to meals, every day has specific menus. Golden Travel also accords the clients with a unique experience attending private cooking classes to learn Tuscan cuisines. The cooking classes are also accompanied by touring wine cellars and popular wineries in Tuscany.

Elements of Itinerary

Italy and Wine

The company has designed the events within the five days of the tour in Tuscany. Italy and Wine tours have included a variety of activities. For example in the 2nd day, clients visit workshops and learn the tasty cheeses, wine tasting, and understanding Tuscan wines. The price starts from 2750 euros per person (Italy and Wine, 2018). The afternoon tour is mainly done by the use of Ape Car, which moves the wine tourists across the Renaissance capital. The touring package offers limited evening and night activities, with evening meals and dinner being served in the restaurant. In the first day, the client is picked up from the airport in Florence or Pisa and privately transferred to the 5-star accommodation. The afternoon tour by Ape Car gives the tourists the impression that their visit is going to be memorable. On the last day, the clients enjoy swimming and relaxation in the countryside surroundings before using the private transfer to the airport.

Golden Travel

The sequence of the events is scheduled within eight days. In the first day, the client is picked up from Firenze train station to the hotel. Some of the activities included in this package tour included cooking classes (cooking Tuscan meals), sightseeing and wine and food tasting. There are also boat cruising and expert tour guides (Golden Travel, 2018). In the last day, the client is driven to the train station, marking the completion of the tour.

Conclusion

The inception of the wine tour concept in the wine industry paved the way for the new approaches of improving wine value and quality, thus ensuring consumers have excellent memories regarding wine drinking. The comparisons of the two selected tour companies (Golden Travel and Italy and Wine Tour) demonstrated that wine tourists are often motivated with the packages that guarantee them unique experiences which go beyond wine drinking. This highlights the significance of creating synergies that enhance the value and quality of wineries.

References

Chartersa, S., & Ali-Knight, J. (2002). Who is the wine tourist? Tourism Management, 311-319.

Golden Travel. (2018). PACKAGED TOURS - Vintage & Vintages in Tuscany. 1-3. Retrieved from https://www.tuscanwinetastingtours.com/packaged-tour-vintage-and-vintages-in-tuscany.html

Italy and Wine. (2018). About: Italy & Wine. 1-3. Retrieved from https://www.italyandwine.net/about-us.php

Maizza, A., & Rosato, P. (2008). Wine Tourism and Enhanced Value: A Comparison Between Italian Successful Destinations. Academy of Wine Business Research, 1-14.

Getz, D. & Brown, G. (2006), "Critical success factors for wine tourism regions: a demand analysis", Tourism Management, 27, pp. 146-158.

Dodd, T. & Bigotte, V. (1997), "Perceptual differences among visitor groups to wineries", Journal of Travel Research, winter, pp. 46-51.

Per, & Karlsson, B. (2017). The Four Successful Types Of Wine Tourism. Forbes, 1-5.

Romano, M., & Natilli, M. (2009). Wine Tourism in Italy: New Profiles, Styles of Consumption, Ways of Touring. Research Paper, 1-23.