Purchasing and Use Behaviour of the Wine Tourist on the Setúbal Peninsula Wine Route
10.4 Results
10.4.1 Profi le of the Wine Tourist on the Setúbal Peninsula Wine Route
Table 10.1 shows the profi le of visitors to the Setúbal Peninsula Wine Route based on demographic characteristics.
The sample is virtually equal in terms of gender balance. The average age of the sample is 43.36 years and the median is 40 years. The lowest age recorded was 18 and the highest 86. The age group most representative of the sample of visitors to the Setúbal Peninsula Wine Route is from 35 to 44 (28.2 %). However, the age dis- tribution is fairly uniform and only the youngest, from 18 to 24 years old, was neg- ligible in the sample (6.2 %). There is, however, a strong incidence of those aged over 35. The education level of the sample is quite high with 45.8 % of the sample having a fi rst degree and a 21 % a Master’s or Ph.D. The majority of respondents are full-time employees (54.5 %), followed by a signifi cant percentage of the self- employed (15.6 %) and retirees (14.9 %). There are various sizes of household in the sample, although households composed of two people are signifi cant (37.2 %), and the household type which is least represented is the single occupant (16 %).
Households with four or more people were particularly signifi cant, accounting for 26.5 % of the sample. Given the level of schooling and employment status, it is not surprising that more than half of the respondents have a total gross annual house- hold income above €20,000. However, there are differences between Portuguese and foreign visitors in terms of gross annual income; the income of foreign visitors to the Setúbal Peninsula Wine Route is higher than that of the Portuguese visitor. It should also be mentioned that 20 % of the sample did not respond to this question.
Visitors to the Setúbal Peninsula Wine Route are essentially Portuguese (84.9 % of the sample), the majority from the districts of Setúbal and Lisbon. The countries of
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origin of foreign visitors to the Setúbal Peninsula Wine Route are quite varied, but Brazil and the USA stand out.
10.4.2 Purchasing and Consumption Behaviour and Level of Satisfaction
With regard to the holiday and leisure habits and behaviours of visitors to the Setúbal Peninsula Wine Route, the most common number of holidays taken is twice a year, accounting for 35.6 % of responses. The type of tourist product which was most often mentioned and most frequently sought after was Sun and Sea. However, and given that respondents were on a wine route, it is no surprise that the second type of product mentioned most often is Cuisine and Wines. Cultural Tourism and Landscape also account for signifi cant proportion at 14.6 %. The region most sought after by visitors was the Algarve (21.9 %), which is in line with the type of product
Table 10.1 Visitor profi les on the Setúbal Peninsula wine route ( n = 819)
Gender Men: 50.2 %
Women: 49.8 %
Age Average: 43.36
18–24: 6.2 % 25–34: 25.4 % 35–44: 28.2 % 45–54: 15.9 % 55 or over: 24.3 %
Level of education Up to 9 years of schooling: 7.4 % From 9 to 12 years of schooling: 24.8 % First degree: 45.8 %
Master’s/Ph.D.: 21 % Professional status Employed: 57.9 %
Self-employed: 15.6 % Unemployed: 3.9 % Retired: 14.9 % Household size 1 Person: 16 %
2 People: 37.2 % 3 People: 20.3 % 4 or more people: 26.5 % Annual gross
household income
Up to €5,000: 10.2 %
From €5,000 to €10,000: 10.6 % From €10,000 to €20,000: 20.3 % From €20,000 to €40,000: 28.9 % From €40,000 to €60,000: 15 % Over €60,000: 15 %
Place of residence Portugal: 84.9 % (Setúbal: 40.7 %; Lisbon: 37 %) Abroad: 15.1 % (Brazil: 4.4 %; USA: 4 %) 10 Purchasing and Use Behaviour of the Wine Tourist…
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most sought. Very close behind were the regions of the Alentejo (18.2 %) and the North (17.8 %). The Setúbal Peninsula, with 13.9 % of responses, appears ahead of the Lisbon region (12.7 %).
With regard to choosing a wine route, it was found that the most popular amongst respondents was the Setúbal Peninsula Wine Route, followed by the Port Wine and Douro Wine Route and the Alentejo Wine Route. The main criterion in choosing a Wine Route was the Price of Visits and Tastings (13.6 %), followed very closely by the Prestige of the Wineries and Wines (12.2 %), the Cuisine (10.5 %) and Holidays and Leisure Purpose (10.2 %). The least important criterion was Advertising (1.6 %). The most popular activity on a wine route was the Wine Tasting (25.6 %), closely followed by a Visit to the Cellars (24.2 %). Cuisine again appears here with a signifi cant percentage of responses (11.4 %). Events such as Wine Fairs (1.8 %) or Watching Shows (2.6 %) are seen as of little relevance. There is a signifi cant correlation between the choice of activities and length of stay, this being a conditioning factor to the activities chosen by the visitor. The source of information most often referred to when planning a visit to a wine route was the Specialised Internet Portal (33.7 %), closely followed by Friends’ Recommendations (24.1 %). Tour Operators are very infrequently mentioned (2.3 %). It was found that the sources of information consulted vary depending on whether the visitor was from Portugal or abroad. The biggest difference appears in the use of Travel Agencies or Direct Contact with the Wineries as sources of information. In the fi rst case it is foreigners who are the largest percentage resorting to travel agencies, while direct contact is most favoured by the Portuguese. The average age also infl uences the source of information. Direct Contact with Wineries is the source most popular with the lowest average age (39.9 years) and tour operators with the highest average (56.7 years). A visit to a wine route lasts 1 day (47.8 % of replies).
But there are also those who visit a route for a week or more (9.7 % of replies).
There are no signifi cant differences in the average length of stay on a route between Portuguese and foreign visitors, although more foreigners spend a week or more on a wine route. The majority of respondents stated that they only visited a wine route once a year (63 %). It should be noted, however, that 37 % visited two or more times. There were no signifi cant differences between the number of visits per year to a wine route between Portuguese and foreign visitors.
Overall, respondents were Very Satisfi ed or Satisfi ed with the Setúbal Peninsula Wine Route (94.4 % in total). At over 90 % Very Satisfi ed and Satisfi ed, the fac- tors attracting the greatest satisfaction levels were the Wines, Visits to Cellars, Regional Products and Hospitality. The factors with lower levels of satisfaction (68.2 %) were the Events and Museums and Exhibitions, these also being the fac- tors with the greatest number of Don’t Know/No Answer responses. The vast majority would visit the Setúbal Peninsula Wine Route again (63.1 %) as well as recommend the visit to others (65 %), confi rming the level of overall satisfaction with the route.
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10.4.3 Travel Agencies and the Wine Route
For travel agencies, Wine Tourism is perceived as a combination of two aspects: wine and tourism. Associated with the wine are expectations such as fi nding out about grape varieties, the production process, wine histories, wine growing, wine tasting and following the wine from the grape harvest to the table. In terms of tourism, there are the wine routes, walks and winery visits. Experiences, accommodation or direct sales in shops are occasionally mentioned.
Wine tourism is still not a big investment for travel agencies and most do not offer properly structured programmes. When agencies offer a wine tourism pro- gramme they resort to tour operator packages or, when warranted, develop custom- ised solutions for a client’s specifi c needs.
The length of a wine tour is very variable because, for agencies, it depends on the distance, region and associated tourist programme. However, short programmes seem to be the norm.
The price of a wine tour is also quite variable. There are no fi xed price lists and it depends on the programme required by the wine tourist. In setting prices, agencies fi x a margin over the cost structure or receive a fi xed commission when they sell packages from tour operators.
Wine tourism products are communicated mostly in agency branches face-to- face or through leafl ets. The larger ones have their own magazines, partnerships with large companies and participate in tourism fairs. The majority also take advan- tage of e-mail campaigns or telemarketing for their customer base.
Travel agents state that they work with national and international clients, from countries such as Brazil, Angola, Italy, Russia and Germany. Clients are mostly over 40 years of age (from 35 to 80), from the middle and upper-middle classes, with some purchasing power and from a wide variety of professions. Senior tourism seems to be increasingly interested in this type of product.
The agencies do not know the existing wine routes and the word route still appears associated with a region or tour. The Douro/Porto is the region that most know and work in, by virtue of its natural appeal, cruises on the River Douro and wineries. This is followed by the Alentejo and Setúbal Peninsula. Knowledge of and proximity to the region seem to be determining factors for working with a region/route.
There is an expectation that wine tourism will grow in importance for agency business, because the starting point is still low and because of the increasing value of anything Portuguese in terms of gastronomy, wine and historical culture (includ- ing international prizes won).
Points for improvement at product level include Sunday opening, a greater asso- ciation with regional products (such as Moscatel tasting with Azeitão rolls), creat- ing programmes to accompany grape-picking and the production of wine. Another suggestion is to combine visits to wine cellars with boat trips to Tróia and Arrábida or dolphin watching in more comprehensive and fl exible packages. In terms of com- munication with agencies, one suggestion is greater publicising of the wine tourism
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product and participation in professional events such as fairs in Portugal and abroad.
As for communicating with the end customer, one suggestion is that there can be greater impact by combining the wine tourism route with increased investment in advertising. Greater proximity and relationship may be achieved by inviting agencies to make inspection visits of routes and increase training for tourism profes- sionals (including wine tasting).