2026-08-14
Italy’s wine tourism sector is moving through a split summer season, with demand still present but more selective than in the years of strong post-pandemic recovery, according to a new survey of winery operators across the country.
The findings, released by Dna Tasting, an all-in-one management platform for winery hospitality developed by Tobu Group, point to a market that remains active but uneven. Some wineries are holding steady or improving, while others are seeing softer traffic and more cautious spending from visitors.
In the survey, 40% of operators said 2026 was in line with 2025. Another 40% said this year was worse than the previous one, while 20% said it was better. On visitor numbers, nearly half of respondents reported stable traffic. But 32% said visits were down, and 20% said they were up, in some cases by as much as 20%.
That mix suggests a season running at two speeds. Italy’s wineries are still attracting travelers interested in wine, food and rural destinations, but demand is no longer rising across the board. Results now appear to depend more heavily on a winery’s ability to capture bookings, manage the visitor experience and turn visits into direct sales.
Foreign travelers remain the main engine of the business. Europe accounted for 45% of the aggregate responses on visitor origin, and North America for 42%. Italians were cited by just 6% of the sample, with other markets making up only a small share.
The imbalance highlights the strong international appeal of Italian wine tourism, but it also shows how exposed the sector is to factors outside its control. Dna Tasting said wineries remain dependent on travel flows that can be affected by transportation costs, air connections, geopolitical uncertainty and increasingly late booking patterns.
The way visitors book also reflects a more organized and digital market. Winery websites were the main point of entry, representing 38% of responses, followed by email at 26% and travel agencies or tour operators at 23%. Telephone bookings and social media played a smaller direct role in reservations.
Social platforms were more important as promotional tools. Facebook and Instagram were the most commonly used marketing channels, cited in 26% of responses. Even so, nearly one in four operators, or 24%, said they do not currently carry out structured marketing activity.
That matters in a season where demand is still there, but consumers seem to be choosing more carefully. Operators are dealing with travelers who may be willing to spend, but who are comparing options, booking closer to departure and expecting a clear value from the experience.
The survey suggests that the offers drawing the strongest demand are still the most traditional ones, though with a preference for more complete experiences. A winery tour with tasting was the most requested format, at 43%. A tour with tasting and lunch followed at 34%. Other options, including walk-in direct sales, private tours, overnight stays with tastings and group tours, were present but less common.
Duccio Bianchini, co-founder of Dna Tasting, said the pattern shows that visitors continue to look for an experience that is authentic, guided and easy to understand. In his view, travelers want wine to be linked clearly to place, the winery’s story and a social, food-centered setting.
That emphasis on hospitality is also shaping the economics of the season. Direct sales have held up better than many operators’ overall view of summer business. In the survey, 44% said direct sales were stable. Another 28% reported a slight increase, while 28% reported a slight decline.
According to the report, the wineries seeing growth in direct sales tend to be those that invested over time in relationships with tour operators and in technology that makes booking and customer management easier. The suggestion is that strong results are no longer coming only from reputation or location, but from systems that help wineries convert visitor interest into purchases.
The report paints a picture of a sector that is maturing. During earlier years of recovery, many wineries benefited from broad-based enthusiasm for outdoor travel, regional food and experiential tourism. This year’s market appears more polarized. Some businesses are still expanding, while others are seeing the limits of demand in a more competitive environment.
Autumn, however, may bring relief. More than half of respondents, 52%, said they expected a positive outlook for the next part of the year. Another 8% said they expected conditions to be very positive, while 40% predicted stability.
Operators appear to be counting on the grape harvest season, local events and food-driven travel to support traffic later in the year. Fall is also often seen as a period that attracts more motivated visitors, including travelers specifically interested in wine, seasonal cuisine and more immersive rural experiences.
For many wineries, that shift could matter as much as the headline numbers. If summer has shown that visitors are still coming but choosing with greater care, the next few months may reward producers that offer clear booking channels, consistent communication and experiences that feel personal rather than generic.
Bianchini said the first part of the 2026 summer season shows an Italian wine tourism industry that remains solid, but one that needs to evolve as customer behavior changes and as visitors put more weight on quality, service and the relationship that continues after the tasting ends.