HOTELS RAMP UP THEIR WINE-TOURISM EXPERIENCES
‘With so many lodging choices, wine programs offer companies another way to stand out.’
While overall wine sales have slowed in recent years, at least in the United States, oenophiles have started to consume more — and demand — better quality wines. To attract this traveler, hotels and resorts are increasingly ordering private-label bottles, producing their own and ramping up wine-centric experiences.
“With so many lodging choices, wine programs offer companies another way to stand out,” Renée Allen, founder of the Wine Institute of New England, said, noting that two desirable demographics, millennial and Generation Z consumers, want to become more knowledgeable about what they drink.
Cheryl Stanley, who lectures about food and beverage management at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, said that with margins being so tight, hotels and restaurants make more money on beverages than on food. “Wine tourism has always been pretty big in Europe, but I’ve seen more of that growth in the United States,” she said.
From wine weekends to grapes grown on-site, here are a few ways the hospitality industry is elevating their wine-related offerings…
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