Does Ecological Agriculture Moderate the Relationship between Wine Tourism and Economic Performance? A Structural Equation Analysis Applied to the Ribera del Duero Wine Context
[EN] The purpose of this research is to analyze the effect of wine tourism activity on economic
performance in the wine context of Ribera del Duero (Spain), as well as the mediating effect of
ecological agriculture on this link. To this end, a conceptual model is proposed based on the literature
review carried out and contrasted through structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) with data from
263 wineries, which in turn represent the population under study. The study results allow for us to
empirically demonstrate the positive and significant relationship of wine tourism on performance, as
well as the partial mediation of ecological agriculture in this relationship. The study thus contributes
to the academic literature in a remarkable way given that, to our knowledge, there are no previous
studies that have addressed the mediating role of ecological agriculture in the wine tourism–economic
performance link. However, the research also suffers from certain limitations. In particular, given the
relevance of the study, it is necessary to broaden its geographical scope so that, as a future line of
research, it is proposed to contextualize the model proposed in the California wine industry, being
able to subsequently establish similarities and differences in the Old and New World.S