Wine as a Tourist Resource: New Manifestations and Consequences of a Quality Product from the Perspective of Sustainability. Case Analysis of the Province of Málaga

Abstract

Wine tourism, as a model of sustainable economic development in certain areas, is able to boost the competitiveness of a territory, improve wine production, respect the environment, and improve the living conditions of citizens. In this sense, this work will present an overview of this type of tourism worldwide and nationally, focusing on the province of Malaga. The diversification of the tourist industry has promoted the appearance, or extension, of new tourist activities beyond the typical activities associated with beach or cultural tourism. This has resulted in new job creation and new income generation options. Wine tourism promises and delivers a complete sensory experience, as tourists experience the consumption of wine from all senses: taste, smell, touch, sight, and sound. This experience is not limited to the consumption of the wine, but also includes the experience of a visit to wineries or vineyards, together with the necessary lodging, depending on location. In this way, the grouping of activities and the development of tourist routes stimulate cooperation between different companies in rural areas. Thus, we propose that tourism is a means by which economic and social development can be achieved in these areas and regeneration strategies can be implemented.

1. Introduction

Tourism related to wine is already an established industry and has been consolidating itself as a tourist option for the future. Thus, it should be viewed as an important development and means for regional promotion. Many Spanish autonomous communities are investing in this new type of tourism. In fact, it should be noted that the consolidation of this industry is closely associated with an adaptation to the new demands of tourists, who seek high-quality experiences.

As an initial hypothesis that governs the entire framework of this research, we aim to prove that luxury destinations are based around the land’s natural resources—specifically, high-quality products derived from the primary sector, such as wine in the study area. This causes a destination to increase (sustainably) its international business potential and become more competitive. The main objective of our work is to demonstrate this point. We use luxury tourism products linked to a traditional coastal destination, such as Málaga, as the focus of our analysis. All of this diversifies tourism and generates a knock-on effect.

It is necessary to follow a methodological approach, since we must conceptually distinguish wine tourism or enotourism from food and wine tourism [1]. Wine tourism implies that the wine and its associated characteristics is the most important factor for the tourist, while in food and wine tourism the wine is a part of a broader experience.

Today’s tourist must be offered more sensations, as tourists seek new sensory experiences. This has influenced the generation of new trends in tourism, with non-traditional and less crowded destinations now being favored. As Cracolici and Nijkamp point out, there has been a change in the needs, expectations, and attitudes of tourists [2].

Previously, traditional tourism cast the tourist as a simple observer of the destination; therefore, the tourist did not gain a broad or holistic experience of a location. Now, the atmosphere of a place; the flavors of its gastronomy; and its wines, traditions, pilgrimages, etc., are experiences that today’s tourist wishes to enjoy, leading to a transforming and innovative type of tourism. This is, in short, a clear paradigm shift.

Wine tourism, as a type of gastronomic tourism, is configured as a way of combining tourism with culinary adventure; it offers the possibility of enjoying a complete and complex sensory experience that takes into consideration all of the senses [3,4]. According to [5], the tourist feels a connection with the location they are visiting. This is because gastronomy and wine have been an integral part of the history of the people of these regions [3].

If one looks back at history, we can say that activities relating to wine tourism increased exponentially throughout the first decade of the 21st century. To cite some statistics, in the United States, 27 million travelers (17% of all American leisure travelers) take part in culinary activities. We can also refer to another country in Europe that is similar in some respects to Spain: Italy. In Italy, this figure is approximately five million travelers, who together generate an economic input of 4000 million euros.

The origin of wine tourism in Spain is not entirely clear. As a concrete date, in the 1970s La Rioja, a region known and internationally recognized for the quality of its wines, began to plan and design tourist routes. Based on this, other plans for Spanish wine regions emerged. Then, in 1994 the Spanish Association of Wine Cities (ACEVIN) was created at the national level. From 2000, Spain began to work on the design and the certification of official wine routes.

Although it is true that Spain is one of the great wine-producing countries worldwide, Spanish wine and wine companies have adapted their products somewhat slowly. However, for some time now their evolution has been such that the sector is now undergoing diversification and is directly involved in the creation of oenological tourist routes to enable it to compete with other large wine powers of the world.

The role of the Public Administration of Spain is noteworthy. For example, the Junta de Andalucía, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and the Environment, is clearly determined to promote wine tourism in the province of Malaga [6]. In addition, the Malaga Provincial Council and the Malaga Wine Regulatory Council promote new tourism products associated with oenological activities in the province of Malaga, together with the Malaga–Antequera–Ronda axis.

2. Wine Tourism as a New Modality of Tourism: Tradition and Modernity around the Wine Axis

In recent times, tourism related to the rural environment has developed more and more and specialized options have emerged, such as those that include wine, gastronomy, and tourism at the same time. The final product is something of extraordinary quality that favors the growth and consolidation of rural wine-producing areas. In the previous section, we attempted to provide a conceptual overview of wine and gastronomic tourism. The next step of our research is to review the authors, focusing more specifically on wine tourism.

Sánchez and Peribáñez state that wine tourism can be considered as a specialized segment of cultural tourism [7]. Thus, people who travel to cultural destinations take advantage of these settings to taste wine. The objective of these tourists is to acquire new information and experiences so that they can gain new knowledge of this area [8].

In fact, this type of tourism experience is broad and holistic, in that the objective of wine tourism is not solely to visit wineries and wine production areas. Other activities, such as horseback riding and gastronomic days, are also included. Wineries and the enjoyment of the natural environment are configured as leisure alternatives with great potential. Hall et al. analyzed the development of various areas where wineries are located [9] and Carlsen [10] deepened the exploration of the relationship between tourism and wine [11].

Today, the demand for wine has expanded greatly and has become so important and representative that it can be said to be in worldwide demand. The main wine consumers are listed below in

Table 1. The main wine-consuming countries.

Mill. hab	2000	2007	2009	Prov. 2013	Prov. 2014	Variation 2013/2014	World Quota
							2000	2007	2014
US	21.2	27.9	27.3	30.2	30.7	2%	9%	11%	13%
France	34.5	32.2	30.2	28.7	27.9	−3%	15%	13%	12%
Italy	30.8	26.7	24.1	21.8	20.4	−6%	14%	11%	9%
Germany	20.2	20.8	20.2	204	202	−1%	9%	8%	8%
China	10.9	14.3	14.9	17.0	15.8	−7%	5%	6%	7%
UK	9.7	13.7	12.7	12.7	126	−1%	4%	5%	5%
Russia	4.7	12.7	11.8	10.4	9.6	−7%	2%	5%	4%
Argentina	12.5	11.2	10.3	10.4	9.9	−4%	6%	4%	4%
Spain	14.0	13.1	11.3	9.8	10.0	2%	6%	5%	4%
Australia	3.9	4.9	5.1	5.4	5.4	0%	2%	2%	2%
Rest of the world	63.3	72.6	73.5	742	73.7	−1%	28%	29%	31%
WORLD (1)	226	250	242	242	240	−1%

(1) Estimate ranges between 235,2 and 244,3. Source: OIV, OIV experts, specialized press [12].

. Note the importance of the United States and France. The presence of Russia is also significant.

The concept of wine tourism encompasses different definitions and versions. Only some of them have been selected:

• In France, wine tourism is defined as “the organization and animation of activities related to tourist stays in wine-growing regions: visits to wineries, tastings, accommodation, restaurants and activities related to wine and agri-food products and regional traditions” [13].
• The VINTUR project, which has been implemented by the European Network of Wine Cities (RECEVIN) [14], defines wine tourism as: “the wine tourism product consists of the integration under the same thematic concept of existing and potential tourist resources and services of interest from a wine-growing area”.
• The Spanish Association of Wine Cities (ACEVIN) refers to wine tourism as follows: “a tourist product, a trip that offers visitors the possibility of immersing themselves in the culture, tradition and customs of a wine-growing area, of a Wine City. Stroll through a vineyard, visit a winery and learn about the winemaking and production process, participate in commented tastings of the best wines of a Denomination of Origin, stay in a rural setting, have a good wine in a tavern and buy typical products in a specialized store are some of the experiences that a Wine Route offers the visitor, without forgetting, of course, the opportunity to get to know the historical, cultural and natural heritage of our cities”.
• Getz and Brown explain wine tourism like this: “it is simultaneously a consumer behavior, a strategy to develop the geographical area and the wine market of said area and a promotional opportunity for wineries to sell their products directly to consumers” [15].
• O’Neill and Charters point out that “wine tourism attracts an ethical and responsible tourist who interacts well with residents and spends large sums of money” [12,16].
• Stewart et al. point out that this type of tourism embraces the idea that gastronomy, wine, and, in general terms, culture can be the main attraction of visiting a certain region [17]. Wine reflects, in short, the cultural, social, and patrimonial heritage of the peoples of a region—that is, the characteristic idiosyncrasies of its inhabitants, even going so far as to define all this kind of tourism has to offer in a more general and encompassing way as “the landscape of wine” [18].
• Pastor defines wine tourism as “the trips and stays directed to the knowledge of the landscapes, the tasks and the spaces of winemaking, and the activities that increase their knowledge and acquisition and can generate development in the various wine-growing areas” [19].
• The Western Australian Wine Tourism Strategy [20] specifies wine tourism as “the journey that is developed with the purpose of having experiences with wineries and wine regions, as well as with their lifestyles”. It is, in short, an experience based on a lifestyle that has a high educational component or provides knowledge about the wine; the place where it is made; and, consequently, its traditions. Wine tourism is, therefore, closely linked to culture.
• Morales specifies that “wine tourism is the displacement of a tourist who approaches a territory with the will to know and discover the world of wine” [21].
• Morales states that wine tourism offers an interpretation of a territory. In this context, the common thread is the wine and its added characteristics [21].
• Hall. et al. defines wine tourism as the experience of visiting vineyards and getting to know wineries. Attending festivals and consuming products associated with wine are an integral part of the experience and are the main reasons for tourists to visit these regions [9].

In general, we can say that oenological tourism is based on the various manifestations of the world of wine (traditions, businesses, folklore, etc.), which are all oriented towards tourism. It is also true that there has been another shift, as the commercial characteristics of the wine have been added to another qualitative value that is difficult to measure: tourist attraction. This type of tourism establishes a new tourism modality, promoting knowledge of the wine industry in its place of origin. Therefore, wine tourism also involves the development of gastronomic tourism [22].

According to the Vademecum on European wine tourism, European wine tourism is based on the following six pillars [23]:

• Wine culture: the oenological-cultural value of wine tourism resources or services due to the fact that wine culture is the basis of wine tourism, with this culture being the fundamental thematic axis.
• Tourism and tourists are two key factors that determine and drive the demand for, and supply of, the wine tourism product. In this equation, the tourist is the key element of the tourism business. The quality of the product, the destination, and the tourist facilities are fundamental factors.
• Territory: The frame of reference and basis for the development of ecotourism opportunities at the destination. Take, as an example, the territory of the European wine route, which is made up of both natural and urban spaces and the environment or general setting in which it is based. It should be noted that to guarantee the oenological character of a route, this territory must be linked to a Protected Designation of Origin (D.O.P.).
• Sustainability: Sustainability must be seen in all its pillars—economic, social, and environmental. In fact, European wine tourism must be developed based on the principles of sustainable tourism. According to the UN World Tourism Organization (WTO), the principle that defines sustainable tourism are that all resources, both natural and cultural, must be passed on to the next generation intact. Tourism development must always be planned and managed in accordance with the pillars of sustainability so that it does not generate environmental or socio-cultural problems; maintaining environmental quality is essential throughout this process.
• Authenticity: The authenticity of the territory, destination, and tourism experience are factors that are highly valued by the wine tourist. Faced with developmental tourism models that are clearly outdated, we find ourselves with a differentiated and authentic version of tourism.
• Competitiveness: This is the result of adapting the supply of products and services and their production systems to changes in the market segments and the forces of supply and demand. All this must be done in a sustainable way, respecting the use of resources. In summary, there is a direct relationship between the concept of sustainability and competitiveness, as highlighted by Millán Vázquez de la Torre, G. et al. [23].

However, as in all questions of a social nature, wine tourism has its detractors and critics, who consider this industry to represent an interference in the autochthonous activities of wine-making regions. In this sense, we find that the innovative processes related to wine-growing regions are promoted and developed by the entrepreneurs themselves, while tourism innovation encounters enormous levels of reluctance.

This attitude of reluctance can be seen as an important factor limiting the development of this tourism branch, meaning that this area has still not been fully developed. Therefore, it is necessary to review all the affected social agents so that we can achieve the full and real development of this industry.

At the beginning of our article, we provided a brief historical account of the beginning and development of wine tourism. We explained that it is a relatively new form of tourism, although it is more established in certain regions and its history varies from area to area. In some regions—such as, for example, the Napa Valley in California—great growth in this industry can be observed as a result of the commercialization effort implemented in 1975.

We can also refer to the example of Catalonia in Spain, which began a determined effort to associate tourism with commercialization in the mid-2000s, which is a very recent date. In this case, the region was seeking an alternative to seaside tourism.

Tourism agencies are the true protagonists of this process, having observed that this tourism segment has great potential for acquiring a niche market. VINTUR [24] confirmed the existence of a series of pillars on which wine tourism pivots [25].

As with all tourism areas, location is fundamental, as this is the setting in which the wine tourism experience is based. Location is also especially significant in the case of wine tourism, given that the vineyards have to be planted in a specific terrain with the necessary characteristics. In fact, it should be noted that the distinctive and identifying characteristics of the wine-making territory are based on the natural area in which it is located. In this case, the territory determines the product.

The concept of sustainability tells us that it is necessary to take into account the carrying capacity of the land. Tourism activity must always be properly planned so as not to exceed the capacity of the region. This is just one of the important considerations of the tourism sector (and greatly affects wine tourism in particular). The tourism industry will be negatively impacted by the loss of the authenticity of destinations, which is often a consequence of their overcrowding. This is far less of a risk in the case of wine tourism, as the flows of tourists are small enough that the authenticity of the area is not lost.

3. Wine Tourism Analyzed from the Pole of the Offer

Tourism and its different manifestations must be analyzed from the perspective of supply and demand in order to determine their possible market niches and potential demands. Wine tourism has mainly been developed in stages in different production areas. It is a type of tourism that usually branches into various routes around the world. If we carried out a global analysis, we would find that the pioneering wine tourism areas are the various European wine regions. These regions have the longest wine-making traditions and are still popular destinations today. As we have said, tourism in these areas is based around the different wine routes. The most important wine-producing countries are detailed in the following. France, which has a total of 17 wine routes, is visited by 7.5 million tourists per year [26].

On the other hand, Spain has a total of 23 certified routes integrated under the name “Wine Routes of Spain”, which together receive 1.8 million visitors a year (ACEVIN) [27]. Italy is also a country with a deep winemaking tradition and has 140 registered routes, the most visited being those in the Tuscany region.

If we were to carry out an analysis at the level of the continent, we could say that in Europe the thematic routes model is associated with the denominations of origin of wine [1].

In Napa Valley in the United States, there is a total of 400 wineries, with 260 being located in Sonoma Valley [1,28]. A specific case worth highlighting is that of Latin America, because this can be considered as an emerging market with high levels of market growth. For example, in Argentina there was an increase in the number of tourists from 400,000 in 2004 to 1,500,000 in 2011. The country that has experienced the greatest increase is Brazil, with the Vale dos Vinhedos in Bento Gonçalves being a prime example, having a flow of tourists that grows progressively [29].

In summary, the wine tourism industry has been growing progressively in recent years in different countries around the world. This must be taken into account, as it has allowed the creation of an association between the wine sector and the tourist activity of a country. For example, in Spain it is possible for new geographical areas to become tourism destinations by offering visits to wineries.

The different activities offered within the wine tourism industry can be grouped into three blocks—namely, natural heritage, the cultural heritage of wine, and tourism services. These are shown in

Table 2. Activities offered within the wine tourism industry.

	Activities
Natural heritage	Vineyards, landscapes, and trails.
Cultural heritage of wine	Museums, wineries, oenology courses, tastings, historic town centers, festivals, traditions.
Tourism services	Thematic accommodation, wine therapy centers, shops, wine bars.

Source: [30].

below.

These wine tourism activities occupy a novel position in the market. According to García [31], the enotourism system can be defined as a set of subsystems relating to territory, wine culture, and tourism [31].

In fact, territory and wine culture are inseparable elements that have been known and analyzed from different perspectives for centuries in Spain. Wine culture has been used as a tourist product to encourage economic diversification in many rural areas, fixing the population to the land and generating economic inputs and opportunities for gaining employment and wealth. For this reason, various development plans and activities have been carried out in the last decade aiming at promoting wine tourism in different wine production areas in Spain.

Museums have been set up that focus on wine as a resource, giving rise to the Association of Wine Museums of Spain, which includes a total of 35 museums. The Dinastía Wine Culture Museum in La Rioja or the Provincial Wine Museum in Peñafiel are examples of this type of museum.

The Somontano Museum and Interpretation Center, the Villa Lucía Theme Center in Álava, and the Wine Museum in Cangas de Narcea offer guided tours, wine tastings, and courses [30], encouraging wine tourism through the promotion of associated tourism products. However, the most outstanding example is perhaps visits to wineries themselves, as these buildings also have architectural value. Andalusia, specifically the Jerez area, is an example of this.

This type of winery is an example of the transformation of a purely functional building to one with ornamental beauty. One can admire the magnificence of its architecture, which dates from the 19th century, and gain information about the process by which winemaking techniques were combined with careful design. Thus, so-called “Wine Sanctuaries” have been created, as well as a new model by which visitors can enjoy wine. All this added to production spaces.

However, throughout this process it is also necessary to take into consideration the importance of small- and medium-sized wineries, which have been preparing their spaces to allow tourist visits. It is also important to mention the numerous wine fairs and popular festivals that take place in wine-making regions, such as popular festivals focusing on the grape harvest (such as the wine festivities in Valdepeñas, Jumilla, and Logroño; the festival of Albariño in Galicia; and the wine night in Requena. There are many more examples besides these). The wine guilds (there are 60 gastronomic guilds, of which at least 12 are winemaking brotherhoods) also play a leading role in this process [30].

For their part, wine tastings and courses (there are 13 schools and tasting centers in Spain) also stand out at the forefront of wine tourism. The sixty-nine regulatory councils of the denomination of origin offer tasting activities, courses, and conferences [30], highlighting the different features of this product.

With regard to thematic hotel establishments, it should be noted that these are usually associated with a winery or vineyard.

The multitude of different experiences related to wine has given rise to the creation of innovative and sustainable tourism products—for example, there are now wine tourism experiences related to health and beauty tourism. In fact, wine therapy, dietetics, and therapies related to the world of wine and the vine are becoming increasingly popular. This type of tourism originated in France. In Bordeaux in 1999, the Chateau Smith Lafitte opened Les Sources de Caudalie, a wine tourism complex by definition, which featured a winery, a luxury hotel, a thermal center focusing on wine therapy, and a cosmetics line [30]. This was used in the article Income Inequality and Status Symbols: The Case of Fine Wine Imports as another reference framework, in order to study luxury tourism resources [32].

4. From the Most General to the Most Particular: An Exhaustive Analysis of the Málaga Wine Sector

4.1. Preliminary

We will now focus on the specific case of Malaga. First of all, we would like to point out that the territory of Malaga has undergone an important transformation, partly due to the footprint of tourism in this area (although not solely). There has been a shift in tourism activity from mass tourism, whose destination is the coast, to other tourist modalities that offer a more authentic experience of the region. In this sense, in recent years the tourism activity in this area has diversified, which has resulted in tourists seeking the interior of the province as a destination, thus promoting the development of non-coastal towns (such as Antequera and Ronda). In addition to the emergence of the wine sector in this area, more traditional forms of tourism also continue to boom, making Malaga a highly competitive tourist destination.

The geography of Malaga is very varied. The region is made up of a coastal strip, mountainous reliefs, and interior plains. The warm temperate Mediterranean climate predominates, with long dry summers combined with short mild winters. The eastern coastal areas experience a subtropical Mediterranean climate, while in the extreme west, the climate is oceanic Mediterranean, with more abundant rainfall [33]. The geography of the region and its meteorology facilitate the cultivation of vines, which are produced under the brand name of “Málaga”. Currently, a total of 1000 hectares of vineyards dedicated to wine exist in the province of Malaga, producing around 6–7 million kilos of grapes and 4 million liters of wine, of which a total of 2.5 million liters are qualified by the regulatory council. This is a sector with a great efficiency and profitability, since the global turnover of wineries monitored by the aforementioned regulatory council is estimated to be between thirty and forty million euros for wine with a designation of origin (DO). Of this, almost 40% is exported to the foreign market; in the case of wine with the denomination of origin of Sierras de Málaga, this figure is reduced to 10% (Available online: www.vinomalaga.com, accessed on 12 March 2021).

The distribution of wineries and wine brands registered with the regulatory council for these two designations of origin are shown in

Table 3. Distribution of wineries registered with the regulatory council.

D.O.P.	Number of Warehouses	Wine Brands Registered with the Regulatory Council
Málaga	14	115
Sierras de Málaga	39	150
Total	53	265

Source: [34].

.

The complexity of Malaga wines is due to the fact that this is an area that produces a huge diversity of wines. The recovery of the wine sector in the province of Malaga began with the creation of the regulatory council. The precedent for this council was the Regulations of the Malaga Wine Exporters Guild Association dating from 1900, whose objective was to advocate in the interests of the wine trade. The council issues certificates and guarantees, through its seal of origin, the legitimacy of wines destined for foreign trade (Available online: https://vinomalaga.com/consejo-regulador/d-o-malaga/, accesed on 12 March 2021). In 1924, the Association of Malaga Wine Exporters Breeders requested the registration of the Malaga brand, which was published in the Official Industrial Property Gazette for 16 March 1924 (Available online: https://vinomalaga.com/consejo-regulador/d-o-malaga/, accesed on 12 March 2021). In 1933, the Regulatory Council of the Denomination of Origin “Málaga” was created and its first regulation was published in the Madrid Gazette in 1935. In 2001, its fourth regulation was published in the Official Gazette of the Junta de Andalucía, which also recognized the D.O. Sierras de Málaga, then called the Regulatory Council of Denominations of Origin “Málaga” and “Sierras de Málaga” (Available online: https://vinomalaga.com/consejo-regulador/d-o-malaga/, accesed on 12 March 2021), which in 2004 merged with the Regulatory Council of the Denomination of Origin “Pasas de Málaga”, becoming the Regulatory Council of the Denominations of Origin “Málaga”, “Sierras de Málaga”, and “Pasas de Málaga”.

4.2. An Approach to the Denomination of Origin Malaga

The denomination of origin of a wine guarantees its quality. It is awarded because the geographical environment in which a product is produced means that it has unique attributes that make it specific and special. The geographical environment helps to make the wine a quality product, as well as the raw material used, the manner of production, the soil, the climate, and the human factors involved [23]. The denomination of origin for Malaga is recognized by ninety percent of natives in this area, while the denomination of origin for Sierras de Malaga is only recognized by 36.6%. Consumers consider Malaga denomination of origin wines to be prestigious and they are associated with the land in this area. On the other hand, the denomination of origin Sierras de Málaga is not so well known, but experts consider that the wines produced in this area to be of good quality with their own character and to be capable of being promoted at the market level; therefore, the promotion, commercialization, and distribution of these wines is seen to be necessary [35].

The Malaga wine production area is made up of 67 municipalities, all of them located within five geographical areas of production: Axarquía, Montes de Málaga, Norte, Manilva, and Serranía de Ronda. Each of these areas is characterized by different terrain, orography, climate, and soil. The wines of the Denomination of Origin Malaga are made mainly with the white varieties Pedro Jiménez and Moscatel, with special importance placed on sweet wines (overripe or raisined grapes) and dry wines. There are also the so-called liquor wines. Depending on when the alcohol is added to the must and whether the must come from fresh or overripe grapes, different types of sweet wines can be obtained (Available online: https://vinomalaga.com/consejo-regulador/d-o-malaga/ (accesed on 12 March 2021)).

The types of wine (

Table A1. Types of sweet wines.

Type of Wine	Grape Type	Process
Natural sweet	Fresh grape must	Fermentation ends with the addition of wine alcohol
Master	Fresh grape must	Before the start of fermentation Alcohol is added
Tender	Sunny grapes, musts with a lot of sugar	Fermentation ends with the addition of wine alcohol

Source: https://vinomalaga.com/ (accesed on 12 March 2021).

, Appendix A) and the wines according to the elaboration (

Table A2. Wines according to their elaboration.

Dry wines	Dry Pale Pale Dry
Sweet wines	Dulce crema o cream Pale cream Sweet

Source: https://vinomalaga.com/consejo-regulador/d-o-malaga/ (accesed on 12 March 2021).

), together with the wine-growing areas of Malaga (

Table A3. Vineyard area and number of winegrowers in Malaga.

Area registered at the end of the campaign (ha)	973
Number of winegrowers	517

Source: [36].

) and the number of “wineries” in Malaga (

Table A4. Number of wineries in Malaga.

Registered wineries	No bottler	2
	Bottling	43
	Total	45

Source: [36].

) help us to analyze the volume of qualified wine. A comparative analysis is shown in

Table A5. Volume of qualified wine (hl).

Campaign 2013/14	14.339
Campaign 2014/15	15.419

Source: [36].

. Table A5 shows the volume of qualified wine in the specific geographical area of study. Two specific periods, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015, are taken into consideration. These temporal cohorts were chosen because they represent three particularly significant temporal periods for Malaga wines. There is a clear upward trend, acquiring a quantity of 14.339 for the 2013/2014 period and reaching a quantity of 15.419 for the 2014/2015 period, showing a boom in the sector as in Table A1, Table A2, Table A3, Table A4, Table A5 and

Table A6. Indoor marketing and outdoor in Malaga.

Indoor Marketing	hl	10.121
	% s/total	63
Outdoor Marketing	hl	6.055
	% s/total	37
Total Marketing		16.176

Source: [36].

of the below appendix.

4.3. The Denomination of Origin Sierras de Málaga

The production area of the Denomination of Origin of Sierras de Málaga is made up of 67 municipalities located in four production areas (Axarquía, Montes de Málaga, Norte, and Manilva) and one sub-area: Serranía de Ronda. Wines with Denomination of Origin Sierras de Málaga are made in wineries located in the Serranía de Ronda and 100% of the grapes used for their production come from this sub-area. Sierras de Málaga wines can be made with the Blanca varieties: Pedro Jiménez, Moscatel, Chardonnay, Macabeo, Colombard; Sauvignon Blanc: Lairen and Doradilla, Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Verdejo and Viognier; and the red varieties: Romé, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shyrah, Tempranillo, Garnacha, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Petit Verdot, Graciano, Malbec, Monastrell and tintilla (Tintilla de Rota) (https://vinomalaga.com/consejo-regulador/d-o-malaga/ accesed on 12 March 2021).

The vineyard area, the number of wineries, the volume of qualified wine, the internal commercialization, and the external commercialization in the production of denomination of origin wine for Sierra de Málaga are shown in

Table 4. Vineyard area and number of winegrowers in the Sierra de Málaga.

Area registered at the end of the campaign (ha)	973
Number of winegrowers	517

Source: [36].

,

Table 5. Number of wineries in the Sierra de Málaga.

Registered wineries	No bottlers	2
	Bottling	43
	Total	45

Source: [36].

,

Table 6. Volume of qualified wine (hl) in the Sierra de Málaga.

Campaign 2013/14	10.801
Campaign 2014/15	8.929

Source: [36].

and

Table 7. Indoor marketing and outdoor marketing in the Sierra de Málaga.

Indoor marketing	hl	5.858
	% s/total	89
Outdoor marketing	hl	726
	% s/total	11
Total Marketing		6.584

Source: [36].

:

After the established analyses, a different trend from that indicated in the previous tables can be observed. In this last part of the work, we can see that there is an inverse tendency compared with the previous tables. Table 6 shows the volume of qualified wine. For the 13/14 campaign, the amount contributed is 10.801; for the 14/15 campaign, this amount reaches 8.929. In summary, there are two clearly divergent trends between the tables in the first part and the tables in the second part of this work.

5. The Malaga Wine Experience and Its Tourism and Sustainability Consequences

The tourism experience offered by the Malaga wine routes is based on the product itself, together with all complementary experiences, which are usually focused around the Serranía de Ronda, which is the most important wine production area in Malaga. This complementary experience originated in the Serranía, a natural territory that covers 240,519 hectares, within which the Natural Parks of Los Alcornocales, Grazalema, and Sierra de las Nieves are located, the latter of which has been declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. These are areas of great natural wealth and are exploited for tourism purposes under the premise of sustainability. In addition, natural and human sites, past and present, are also on offer, forming a wide, global, and high-quality tourism experience. An example of this is Ronda, which stands as the center of the wine routes. Ronda is also a historic city that was declared a Site of Cultural Interest in 1966. It has a rich heritage, featuring monuments, cultural attractions, and important natural resources that the traveler cannot be indifferent to. There is also the archaeological site of the Acinipo, which has a rich history [25].

Wine tourism centering around wineries includes different guided tours in other languages, indicating that international tourism is very important. Half of these wineries measure visitor satisfaction and thus should be able to improve and adapt the tourism experience they offer [25].

No collective promotion of these wineries takes place, since only 67% allocate a budget to promote themselves individually. Achieving a new market niche would depend on seeking the unification of these wineries.

Finally, it is important to emphasize the importance of the ability of wine producers to adapt to tourism demands depending on the time of the year. Wine producers must take into account the so-called “demand peaks” (the months with the highest and lowest influx of tourists) and allocate resources for both the busiest months of the year and the months with less influx in order to increase the number of visits and achieve sustained growth during all periods of the year.

6. Conclusions

As can be seen in the present work, wine tourism includes the activities of tasting, consuming, and purchasing wine. Wine tourism activities are located in the places where wine is produced. In summary, wine tourism activities include a visit to the place where the wine is produced; an explanation of the history and idiosyncrasy of the specific winery; and an overview of the place, the territory, and the production processes used. Thus, visitors have the opportunity to taste the wine and enjoy the tourism activities in the area. Thus, wineries play a commercial and distribution role that is very important in this process.

It has been seen that gastronomy, culture, and tourism can be associated with a single activity in such a way that they create a perfect symbiosis in a global product, helping boost the development of geographical areas that produce these crops. Similarly, the growing trend of tourists desiring to seek more authentic and interesting destinations that offer new types of tourism activities, such as wine tourism, has caused these types of tourism to become more common. Likewise, economic inputs that help the local economy through the circular flow of income have been generated. In fact, it has been proven that wine tourism routes generate many positive benefits for the area where these routes are located, generating potential synergies that can be transmitted to nearby cities where wine products are produced. Additionally, it has been observed that the continuous improvement of wine tourism is the result of the growing awareness of the importance of these products, in accordance with the new demand for more active and high-quality tourism activities for visitors to engage in. In this way, important improvements have taken place in the development of the models of these wine tourism areas, as is the case of Malaga (which is just one example of this).

In this work, the important winemaking history of Malaga has been highlighted, as well as the renowned wines of the province of Malaga, which have resulted in a high-quality tourism experience. Great progress has been made in recent years, in line with new tourism demands. In summary, it can be concluded that the wine tourism industry will continue to grow. Wine-growing areas will have to manage these growing flows of tourists from the perspective of sustainability. In fact, the good planning of this industry based on the pillars of sustainability has made wine tourism a model that should be emulated by other subsectors of tourism.

It should be noted that it is still necessary to improve some issues relating to wine tourism. Wine tourism must include the collective development of all types of tourism involved in this area. The international perspective must also be considered in the development of this type of tourism, since, as has been discussed in this work, a significant percentage of current wineries offer guided tours in other languages in order to supply the international demand for this experience.