Wine tourism in Russia: a new driver of domestic tourism

At the global level, according to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), enotourism (wine tourism) is considered a subtype of gastronomic tourism. Its goal is to visit vineyards and wineries, to taste, consume and/or purchase wine. UNWTO emphasizes that enotourism creates jobs and opportunities for entrepreneurship, closely linking the region’s economy with crafts, gastronomy and agriculture.

Enotourism is not limited to passive tastings. There are also more active forms:

1. Walking and cycling trips through vineyards.
2. Participation in the grape harvest.
3. Following special tourist routes (“wine routes”) that connect key points in a winemaking region.

Russian “wine tourism” (a type of tourism that includes visiting winemaking regions, tours of vineyards and wineries, learning about production technology and wine tastings) has, in today’s realities, ceased to be a niche pastime for gourmets. In recent years it has become one of the fastest-growing segments of domestic tourism, and wineries have evolved into full-fledged tourism clusters capable of competing with traditional resorts for travelers’ attention.

According to the Association of Winegrowers and Winemakers of Russia (AVVR) and the Ministry of Agriculture of Russia, in 2025 domestic wineries hosted more than 1 million tourists — 25% more than in 2024.

At the same time, the market’s potential is estimated to be much higher. Back in 2025, the Russian Union of Travel Industry (RST) reported that the potential tourist flow to Russian wineries is 5–6 million people per year. The current figures are only the beginning of a long journey.

The undisputed leader in enotourism development remains Krasnodar Krai, which welcomed 750 thousand wine tourists in 2025. In the first half of 2026 alone, wineries in the region received 300 thousand guests. In second place is Crimea with 210 thousand tourists, followed by: Dagestan — 30 thousand, Sevastopol — 28.5 thousand, Stavropol Krai — 22.5 thousand, Rostov Oblast — 11 thousand.

In total, 284 wineries operated in Russia in 2025, of which 133 hosted tourists. At the same time, 76% of all wineries with tourism infrastructure are concentrated precisely in Krasnodar Krai and Crimea.

A key trend in recent years is the shift from one-off excursions to an integrated tourism product. As AVVR notes, wineries in the leading regions are turning into comprehensive resorts with hotels, restaurants, spas and cultural programs.

Modern enotourism is built around a longer scenario: the road, the landscape, the winery’s architecture, a restaurant, local products, festivals, a nearby hotel, walks through vineyards, the history of the place. As RST President Ilya Umansky emphasizes, enotourism is no longer perceived as a trip solely for wine—it is a complex structure around which many tourist impressions and meanings are formed.

For wineries, this changes the logic of working with tourists: it is not enough to open a tasting room—routes are needed, partnerships with hotels and restaurants, photogenic spaces, and online booking.

Tourism is becoming a significant revenue item for wineries. According to NF Group, for some estates enotourism generates 20 to 40% of total wine sales revenue.

Direct sales to tourists are especially beneficial—they give the winery the full margin and at the same time build a loyal audience. As AVVR notes, the distinctive feature of enotourism is that it helps shape a culture of wine consumption: tourists see the origin of the product and get acquainted with the technologies and the people behind every bottle.

A study by Simple Group (a survey of 5 thousand respondents aged 18+) showed the distribution of preferences among those planning trips to become familiar with domestic wine culture: Southern Russia – more than 25%; the North Caucasus – about 20%; the Far East – 18%; Kaliningrad Oblast – 14%; Siberia – 12%.

Growth in tourist flow. By year-end, growth to 1.2 million is expected (AVVR forecast). In the first half of 2026, the most in-demand destinations with developed winemaking estates were Gelendzhik, Anapa, Yalta, Novorossiysk, Sevastopol, Sudak and Bakhchisaray.

Age structure of the audience. Most often, enotourism attracts people aged 40–55, but recently the share of younger tourists has been growing. A large number of all-female groups come to wineries—this audience values not only tastings but also photogenic spaces, atmosphere, and the opportunity to combine wine with gastronomy and relaxation.

Year-round format. Another trend in wine tourism is the shift to a year-round format. Wineries are more actively launching festivals, immersive tours, and experimenting with new formats.

Digitalization. In Krasnodar Krai, an interactive environment for enotourism is being created—a digital platform that will allow tourists to “visit” wineries in advance in a virtual format.

Despite impressive growth, the industry faces systemic problems.

Infrastructure shortages. Many wineries are still focused exclusively on tastings. Accommodation facilities are lacking, the organization of activities is underdeveloped, navigation and logistics issues remain unresolved, and the event component has not been sufficiently worked out.

Fragmentation of offerings. Wineries exist separately from one another. It is necessary to bring different stakeholders together so that comprehensive products can be formed on their basis that are attractive to tourists from other regions.

Integration into the overall market. As AVVR Executive Director Pyotr Efremov notes, wineries offer a variety of tour products, the quality of which the industry is confident in. However, much still needs to be done in terms of the accessibility of these products and their integration into the overall tourism market.

Author: PhD (Economics), Associate Professor, Department of World Economy and World Finance, Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation Darya Yuryevna Rozhkova.