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Sustainable Tourism, Economic Growth and Employment—The Case of the Wine Routes of Spain

Author

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  • Guillermo Vázquez Vicente

    (Department of Applied Economics I, Faculty of Social and Legal Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, 28933 Mostóles, Spain
    Research Group Non Nobis Social Research, Applied Economics I and History and Economic Institutions (and Moral Philosophy), Rey Juan Carlos University, 28933 Mostóles, Spain)

  • Victor Martín Barroso

    (Department of Applied Economics I, Faculty of Social and Legal Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, 28933 Mostóles, Spain
    Research Group in Labor Market and Economic Analysis, Applied Economics I and History and Economic Institutions (and Moral Philosophy), Rey Juan Carlos University, 28933 Mostóles, Spain)

  • Francisco José Blanco Jiménez

    (Department of Applied Economics I, Faculty of Social and Legal Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, 28933 Mostóles, Spain
    Research Group in Open Innovation, Applied Economics I and History and Economic Institutions (and Moral Philosophy), Rey Juan Carlos University, 28933 Mostóles, Spain)

Abstract

Tourism has become a priority in national and regional development policies and is considered a source of economic growth, particularly in rural areas. Nowadays, wine tourism is an important form of tourism and has become a local development tool for rural areas. Regional tourism development studies based on wine tourism have a long history in several countries such as the US and Australia, but are more recent in Europe. Although Spain is a leading country in the tourism industry, with an enormous wine-growing tradition, the literature examining the economic impact of wine tourism in Spanish economy is scarce. In an attempt to fill this gap, the main objective of this paper is to analyze the impact of wine tourism on economic growth and employment in Spain. More specifically, by applying panel data techniques, we study the economic impact of tourism in nine Spanish wine routes in the period from 2008 to 2018. Our results suggest that tourism in these wine routes had a positive effect on economic growth. However, we do not find clear evidence of a positive effect on employment generation.

Suggested Citation

  • Guillermo Vázquez Vicente & Victor Martín Barroso & Francisco José Blanco Jiménez, 2021. "Sustainable Tourism, Economic Growth and Employment—The Case of the Wine Routes of Spain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-17, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:13:p:7164-:d:582440
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Viorica Guțan & Larisa Șavga & Constanta Laura Zugravu & Diana Bucur & Gheorghe Adrian Zugravu, 2023. "Research on Consumer Perception Regarding Wine Products and Wine Tourism in the Republic of Moldova," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-16, March.
    3. Joana Longo-Sarachaga & María del Carmen Paradinas Márquez, 2025. "Bridging Research and Practice in Sustainable Tourism: The Case of Spain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-16, September.
    4. Guiling Wang & Lei Ye, 2022. "Spatial-Temporal Pattern of Mismatch Degree of High-Quality Tourism Development and Its Formation Mechanism in Taihu Lake Basin, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-18, April.
    5. Georgios Tsekouropoulos & Ourania Gkouna & Dimitrios Theocharis & Athanasios Gounas, 2022. "Innovative Sustainable Tourism Development and Entrepreneurship through Sports Events," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-14, April.
    6. Coralie Haller & Daria Plotkina & Tan Vo-Thanh, 2021. "Social Media Use of Small Wineries in Alsace: Resources and Motivations Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-14, July.
    7. Mara Cerquetti & Concetta Ferrara & Annamaria Romagnoli & Gianluca Vagnarelli, 2022. "Enhancing Intangible Cultural Heritage for Sustainable Tourism Development in Rural Areas: The Case of the “Marche Food and Wine Memories” Project (Italy)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-21, December.
    8. Mariana Carvalho & Elisabeth Kastenholz & Maria João Carneiro, 2021. "Interaction as a Central Element of Co-Creative Wine Tourism Experiences—Evidence from Bairrada , a Portuguese Wine-Producing Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-20, August.
    9. Aspasia E. Fafouti & Anastasia Vythoulka & Ekaterini T. Delegou & Nikolaos Farmakidis & Maria Ioannou & Komninos Perellis & Antonis Giannikouris & Nikolaos A. Kampanis & George Alexandrakis & Antonia , 2023. "Designing Cultural Routes as a Tool of Responsible Tourism and Sustainable Local Development in Isolated and Less Developed Islands: The Case of Symi Island in Greece," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-39, August.

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