How an Area Becomes a Wine Tourist Destination: A Case Study of Oliver, BC

Defining Wine Tourism

How does an area become a wine tourist destination? The question, as you can imagine, is rhetorical, as there are many ways that destinations change over time. Some wine tourist destinations evolve out of existing wine regions, such as Burgundy, France, while others, particularly in the “new world” evolve either alongside or perhaps slightly ahead of the wine industry, such like regions in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. Practitioners and academics often approach social phenomenon from vastly different perspectives. In the study completed and published by Poitras, L., & Getz, D. (2006). Sustainable wine tourism: , they outline some considerations on what is wine tourism and what constitutes its various parts. ‘Wine tourism’ has been variously defined in terms of activities and motives, e.g. ‘visitation to vineyards, wineries, wine festivals and wine shows for which grape wine tasting and/or experiencing the attributes of a grape wine region are the prime motivating factors for visitors’ (Hall & Macionis, 1998), and more comprehensively as a combination of consumer behaviour, a destination development strategy, and a marketing opportunity for the wine industry . What is noteworthy in this broader definition of ‘Wine Tourism’, is the inclusion of a destination strategy. This assumes much. In this activity, we will explore the area, region, and city of Oliver, BC, the self-declared, Wine Capital of Canada. Before exploring this specific example, it needs to be said that any regional development or, for that matter, any public policy or community planning involves values, some of the community and others of interested parties for, or against, the development. How these values shape the development is a meaningful question for all communities as they embark on significant changes to how and who is invited to visit and use the community.The results are open to interpretation, depending on the degree of benefit or, lack thereof, individuals experience. In the Oliver case, it is clear that the wine industry developed on its own, without direct conflict with existing agricultural practices, that wine tourism has followed naturally from the resource base and the efforts of certain wineries to attract visitors, and that the community slowly began to appreciate and plan for the potential of wine tourism. The most recent evolutionary stage exhibited in Oliver is recognition and debate about the costs and benefits, and the formalisation of plans and strategies A destination strategy to evolve into a wine destination assumes that the various and separate organizations, including wineries, hospitality and tourism business, various levels of government, and community’s members, for example, are all desirable of a development strategy for their region, and that there exists a capacity to accomplish this goal. In the case of Oliver, BC, there an interesting and informing case study from which we can learn. Please read the following article on the beginnings of the assertion that Oliver, BC is the Wine Capital of Canada.  Now that you have an insight into how Oliver, BC became the Wine Capital of Canada, read the following article on what development is being undertaken today in Oliver, BC.  In the middle of these two events – claiming the status of the Wine Capital of Canada and the redesigning and developing of the city centre of Oliver, BC – a strategic plan was developed and can be view at the link below.