A wine tourist behavior model for Australian winery cellar doors

Abstract

This study features an exploration of the effects of winery cellar door inputs on visitors' value perception, overall satisfaction, and behavioral intentions. Using partial least squares (PLS) path modeling, it demonstrates that a winery's environment and service interactions significantly affect visitors' perceptions of wine quality. The findings indicate that contrary to popular belief, perceptions of wine quality do not directly influence visitors' overall satisfaction at a cellar door. Instead, its impact on overall satisfaction is mediated by visitors' perceptions of the value they received for the money they spent on wine products. It was also found that visitors' value-for-money perceptions and overall satisfaction fully mediate the relationship between a cellar door's inputs and its patrons' postvisit behavioral intentions, suggesting that weaknesses associated with wine products can be overcome by reducing the price of those products. This research contributes to a better understanding of cellar door visitors' decision-making processes and provides managers and researchers with new insights on how to effectively accommodate cellar door visitors' needs.