Wine tourism as a catalyst for sustainable competitive advantage: unraveling the role of winery image and reputation

Purpose This study aims to examine how the wine tourism development influences the sustainable competitive advantage of Spanish wineries, while also investigating the mediating roles of winery image and reputation in this relationship. Design/methodology/approach This study develops a theoretical framework and tests it using partial least squares structural equation modeling, with data collected from 207 Spanish wineries between September 2023 and February 2024. Findings The findings of this study reveal a significant positive association between the development of wine tourism and the sustainable competitive advantage of wineries in Spain, along with the positive mediating effects of winery image and reputation in this primary linkage. Originality/value The uniqueness of this research arises from several key factors: first, it deepens the understanding of the benefits associated with the field of wine tourism; second, it is the first study to investigate wine tourism development as a driver of sustainable competitive advantage within the Spanish wine industry; and third, it addresses a gap in the literature by simultaneously examining the roles of winery image and reputation in the relationship between wine tourism development and the wineries’ sustainable competitive advantage.