Source: WineSur
By: Gabriela Malizia
12.28.2010
In the first six months of 2010, 768,846 people went through Argentina’s Wine Roads, which means an increase of 57.7%, compared with 2009.
Mendoza (34%), San Juan (14%) and Salta (11%) were the Argentinian provinces with more wine tourists of the country in the first 6 months of the year. These data was published in the last report of Bodegas de Argentina’s Tourism Department, which reports on the wine tourism activity of 127 wineries, located in Mendoza, San Juan, La Rioja, Salta, Catamarca, Río Negro, Neuquén and Córdoba.
In the province of Mendoza, 569,226 tourists went through the wineries, which meant an increase of 68%, compared with the same period in 2009 and a 10.5% more than the national average.
The visitor’s profile
According to the report, 35% of wine tourists are foreign people, coming from United States, Brazil, Chile, England and France. The European continent stands out with countries such as England, France, Spain, Germany, Italy and Portugal, which are in the “top ten” of countries with arrivals in the winemaking provinces. 64% of wine tourists are Argentinian. Buenos Aires is the province with greater influx of tourists, followed by Santa Fe and La Pampa. It is important to highlight the case of Córdoba, since even though it produces wines many tourists from Córdoba visit the Wine Roads.
160 Argentinian wineries offer tourism alternatives and there is a sustained trend in winemaking companies interested in opening its doors to tourism.
Services
79% of wineries have at least one person in charge of Tourism to offer different services. In many cases, the same person in charge of the lab is the one who receives visitors. According to the report provided by Bodegas de Argentina, 42% of the visitors are guided by winemakers or may choose tourism programs.
In the case of boutique and small wineries, in 21% of the respondent wineries tourists are guided by their owners and family members.
It is more and more popular for visitors to eat in the same winery they visit. 46 wineries of Argentina’s Wine Roads offer gastronomic services, among other activities.
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