The Alentejo Regional Wine Commission (CVRA) announced today that wine tourism in Alentejo grew 27% in 2023, compared to the same period last year. Among the tourists who most visit the region to enjoy wine programs are, first and foremost, the Portuguese, followed by visitors from Brazil and the USA.
In a note sent to our editors, CVRA states that the national market leads the ranking of visitors, representing 50% of the total number of people interested in the Region’s Wines. In addition to Brazilians and Americans, who are in the top 3 of nationalities that visit wine tourism units in Alentejo, some countries that have been recording notable growth stand out, such as Switzerland, Spain, France, Belgium and the United Kingdom. It should be noted that Canada was the nationality that recorded the largest increase, around 75%.
Francisco Mateus, president of CVRA, highlights that “wine tourism is a reference for tourism in Alentejo, which not only encourages the arrival of tourists to the region but also contributes to the dynamism of the Alentejo economy. The winemaking tradition is ancient, with quality and internationally recognized wines, and the activity programs are diverse, something that attracts more and more tourists interested in getting to know the region, the culture, the gastronomy and the people of Alentejo”.
Among the different wine programs, he explains, the highlights are guided visits to the vineyards, cellars and cellars, wine tastings, wine workshops and courses, wine therapy sessions, walking and cycling tours and even on horseback through the vineyards. For CVRA, these activities constitute unique and enriching experiences for all visitors, allowing them to get to know wine production up close and discover the peculiar aromas and tastes that make Alentejo Wines unique by nature.
Among the different itineraries available in the three districts of Alentejo – Rota de São Mamede (Portalegre District), Historic Route (Évora District) and Rota do Guadiana (Beja District) – the Historic Route is the one with the highest number of “wine tourists”, however the Guadiana Route was the one that showed the greatest growth (+44%) compared to the previous year.
The data collected by CVRA relates to an analysis of wine tourism participating in the Alentejo Wine Route and the survey applied obtained a response rate of 92%.
