Motivation, Perception, Satisfaction and Commitment in Wine Tourism: Psychometric Validation of a Scale on the Montilla-Moriles Wine Route

Abstract

Wine tourism has become a strategic tool for revitalising rural economies and promoting wine- producing regions, although significant gaps remain in the measurement of factors influencing visitor behaviour. The aim of this study was to validate a scale applied to the Montilla-Moriles Wine Route, a distinctive wine tourism destination in southern Spain, in order to analyse motivation, satisfaction, perception and loyalty. A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed, using a survey of 658 wine tourists. Through exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling, a final solution comprising 14 items grouped into four dimensions was obtained, demonstrating satisfactory levels of reliability and validity. The results revealed positive assessments of the tourism experience, highlighting the influence of service quality and environmental perception on loyalty, as well as the effect of gastronomy and the wine-tasting experience on satisfaction. The validated scale provides a management tool for destination planning and a transferable framework for future research on wine tourism in rural regions.