The Phenomenon of Virtual Wine Tourism Experiences

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of virtual tourism, including Virtual Wine Tourism (VWT), as a response to mobility restrictions. Today, even beyond the emergency, these digital experiences remain in use, offering opportu-nities to innovate and diversify wine tourism in line with changing tourist behaviours and growing digital engagement. This chapter explores VWT with the aim of under-standing consumer interest in such experiences and evaluating their long-term poten-tial. The methodology includes a critical literature review and a segmentation anal-ysis - through a cluster analysis - of Italian wine consumers to identify the profiles most likely to engage in VWT. Key findings reveal distinct consumer segments based on digital readiness and wine-related interests, offering valuable insights for targeted strategies. The chapter concludes with a critical assessment of current knowledge gaps and future research directions, discussing how the wine industry can benefit from VWT while acknowledging the limitations of translating a highly sensory, place-based experience into a virtual format.