Title: Wine tourism in India: prospects and challenges

Authors: Dinesh Kumar Jayswal; Jayaprakashnarayana Gade; Ramesh Kumar Miryala

Addresses: Department of Tourism and Airline, School of Hotel Management and Tourism, Lovely Professional University, Punjab, 144411, India ' Department of Tourism Management, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh, 484887, India ' Department of Business Management, Mahatma Gandhi University, Nalgonda, 508254, India

Abstract: Wine tourism, an emerging tourism and hospitality industry segment, blends culinary delights with visits to Wineries and vineyards, attracting 75 % of leisure travellers inspired by culinary activity (WETA 2016). In India, Maharashtra and Karnataka, especially Nashik - dubbed the 'Wine Capital of India' with 39 of the 77 wineries located in the state - lead wine production, accounting for 80% of the national total (TOI, 2017). Popular brands like Sula, Grover, and Fratelli, as well as vibrant events like SulaFest, showcase wine tourism. They appeal through vineyard tours, wine tasting and luxurious stays at vineyards. Despite the 1.2 million cases market (IWA, 2018), promotional and developmental challenges persist. This conceptual study examines the value of winery visits and wine tastings in India, identifying opportunities and challenges to enrich tourist experiences drawn from the secondary data available on wine tourism services.

Keywords: wine tourism; Indian wine industry; Nashik vineyards; Sula vineyards; SulaFest; culinary tourism; winery visits; wine tasting; vineyard tourism; wine festivals; tourism and hospitality; wine production; wine market India; wine tourist profile; wine tourism challenges; India.

DOI: 10.1504/IJKMTH.2025.150058

International Journal of Knowledge Management in Tourism and Hospitality, 2025 Vol.4 No.3, pp.208 - 228

Received: 27 Apr 2025
Accepted: 05 May 2025
Published online: 28 Nov 2025 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article