Rioja Wineries Draw 1 Million Visitors

Rioja’s wineries welcomed more than 1 million visitors for the first time in 2025, underscoring how wine tourism has become one of the region’s most reliable sources of revenue even as bottle sales remain under pressure.

The Denominación de Origen Calificada Rioja said its wineries received 1,164,388 visitors last year, up 5% from 2024. The economic return from that activity reached 214.38 million euros, an increase of about 17 million euros from the previous year, according to the group’s annual wine tourism report.

The figures point to a business line that has expanded steadily since the pandemic and now plays a larger role in the finances of a region that spans 66,797 hectares of vineyards across 144 municipalities in La Rioja, the Basque Country and Navarra. Of the 600 wineries in the denomination, 226 are open to the public, offering tastings, tours of production areas and walks through vineyards.

“Rioja is once again consolidating itself as a benchmark for wine tourism in Spain,” Pablo Franco, the denomination’s general director, said in a statement. He described the experience as going beyond a standard winery visit and linking wine with food and local identity.

The growth in tourism comes at a time when sales have been slower to recover. Rioja’s bottle sales fell 4.5% in 2025 to 312.8 million bottles, showing the contrast between rising visitor traffic and a still fragile commercial market.

The report also shows that visitors are increasingly knowledgeable about wine. Nearly 80% of those taking part in winery visits or events are wine enthusiasts or people already interested in the sector. Most visitors are between 45 and 65 years old, followed by those between 25 and 44.

More than six out of every ten visitors come from Spain, with Madrid and Catalonia supplying many of them. Among international travelers, the United States remained the largest market at 27% of foreign visitors, followed by Britain at 21.5% and Germany at 12.3%.

The region’s appeal is tied not only to its wines but also to its landmarks. Visitors can tour Marqués de Murrieta in Logroño, which Forbes named Europe’s best winery and third best in the world in 2025; Marqués de Riscal in Elciego, Álava, known for its Frank Gehry-designed building; and the Vivanco Museum of Wine Culture in Briones, La Rioja.

Manuel Romero, director of Dinamiza Asesores, which prepared the study, said Rioja has strengthened its position as one of the leading international names in wine tourism. He said wineries have shifted toward more exclusive and personalized offerings.

More than half now offer premium experiences and special tastings, while others have added programs tied to food, landscape, sports and events. That shift has also brought more investment. In 2025, wineries spent 6.8 million euros on new infrastructure and projects linked to digital tools, new experiences and service improvements, nearly double the 3.5 million euros invested in 2024.

The denomination said 81% of wineries now consider wine tourism increasingly important, and 75% view it as a profitable activity.