Perfiles de los consumidores de vino en la ruta del queso y vino de Querétaro, México

Wine consumption in Mexico has constantly increased over the years, with a growing interest in wine among the population. Particularly during the last decade, the wine tourism routes have positioned themselves as spaces that have the purpose of attracting a significant number of oenological tourists interested in exploring the unique cultural, naturalistic and gastronomic aspects of these regions. Around this activity, it is possible to know a set of consumption preferences by its visitors, which allows identifying the most important criteria regarding the choice of a wine. This article had as its objective generating a characterization of wine consumers, taking as a reference the route of art cheese and wine from Queretaro (Mexico). The methodology followed during the research consisted of the application of 379 surveys to winemakers. Among the themes addressed, he was interested in knowing about the general habits of wine consumption, such as frequency and reasons of consumption, and election reasons for wine. To contrast this information, some socio-demographic questions were included in the interview: age, origin and place of birth, monthly income, scholarship, average expenditure during the visit, among others. Among the most relevant findings, it is that much of the consumers who attend this wine tourist route do not have sufficient experience or knowledge to identify key elements that distinguish the quality of wine, that their consumption is associated with recreational purposes, and that among the key factors that determine the choice of this product are the cost and recommendation of other people with whom there is a relationship of trust. Based on these results, the study reveals that understanding the specific characteristics and preferences of winemakers who visit these routes could help tour operators to develop specific marketing strategies and improve the general experience of wine tourism.