How green are visitors at a green wine destination in South Africa?

Abstract

Policies that focus on the protection of the environment are continuously being developed to combat the devastating effects of global warming on, among others, the wine industry. This article segments and analyses wine visitors and their green behaviour at Spier, one of South Africa’s first wine farms to implement green initiatives. In 2011, a visitor survey was conducted at the wine farm, when 161 questionnaires were administered. Respondents were clustered according to their ‘green’ behaviours at home, and two clusters were identified: ‘dark green’ and ‘light green’ consumers. These clusters differ significantly in their green behaviour at home, their travel motives, their willingness to pay for green initiatives and their overall travel behaviour. Results also show that a green wine destination does indeed attract visitors who consider themselves to be green, and that the green brand is an attraction or unique motivation for consumers.