The Rioja Alta Wine Route stood out as the most visited in 2023, according to the sixteenth Annual Report of Visits to Wineries and Wine Museums prepared by the Tourist Observatory of the Wine Routes of Spain. This report reveals that the Rioja Alta Wine Route attracted 389,399 wine tourists, distributed between 313,813 visits to wineries and 75,586 to museums. This number represents a significant increase of almost 20% compared to 2022, when it received 313,974 visitors.
The most visited routes during 2023 were, first, the Rioja Alta Wine Route, followed by the Marco de Jerez Wine and Brandy Route with 382,716 visitors, and the Ribera del Duero Wine Route with 368,537 visitors.
Wine tourism in Spain reached 2.97 million visitors in 2023, with an increase of 18.2% compared to the previous year. This growth reflects not only the recovery of the sector after the pandemic, but also a growing interest in wine culture in the country. The economic impact of wine tourism exceeded 100 million euros, reaching 102,208,200 euros, a figure that sets a new record. This increase is due in part to the increase in the number of Wine Routes and the higher average spending of visitors. When the total spending on accommodation, restaurants and other tourist activities is considered, the economic impact triples this initial figure.
The report highlights that 78.8% of visitors were national, although a significant increase was also observed in the number of international visitors, attributable to the constant promotion of the routes both nationally and internationally, in collaboration with Turespaña.
During 2023, the offer of wine tourism services exceeded 2,600 companies, including wineries, accommodations, restaurants and themed leisure companies. The Almansa Wine Route joined the Spanish Wine Routes product club, bringing the total number of routes to 37.
Regarding the seasonality of wine tourism, October and August were the months with the greatest influx of visitors. October stood out especially because it coincides with the harvest season. These data indicate that wine tourism is establishing itself as an attractive alternative to traditional sun and beach destinations.
The Report on Visitors to Wineries and Museums of Spanish Wine Routes is one of the two annual studies carried out by ACEVIN to analyze the supply and demand of wine tourism in Spain. These reports are prepared by the Spanish Wine Routes Tourist Observatory, the only organization that carries out periodic, contrasted analyzes with a broad and representative population framework.
