Zsuzsa Deli-Gray (ed.)

Cases in Tourism Marketing III

Bay & Vine Experiences – Wine Tourism in Nova Scotia

Robert McNutt, Kevin Schwenker

The phone vibrated on the kitchen counter, interrupting the calmness of the autumn morning that signalled happenings beyond the vineyard view that Charles Bennett, CEO of Bay & Vine Experiences, was enjoying. He looked at the email, noting it was another analytics report indicating a continued decline in website traffic. He exhaled deliberately and returned his gaze to the rolling hills of Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley. The harvest season was underway as workers filled the rows, clipping the ripe grape clusters which hung heavy on the vines. For Charles, though, the 2025 harvest season brought a profound sense of unease.

The most relevant theoretical lens for analysing this case is through the Services Marketing Mix (7Ps), as Bay & Vine operates in a service-intensive, experience-based industry where value is created through both tangible and intangible elements ( Garibaldi et al., 2022 ). Unlike traditional product models, the 7Ps emphasise not only Product, Price, Place, and Promotion but also People, Process, and Physical Evidence, each of which plays a critical role in shaping customer perceptions of authenticity and quality. This framework highlights Bay & Vine’s current strengths – such as knowledgeable guides and immersive, co-created experiences ( Salgueiro Rachão et al., 2021 ). It would also reveal vulnerabilities in promotion (e.g. efforts online through social media and the company's website), processes (e.g. ease of booking), and offering physical evidence of the quality of their services (e.g. value for money, inimitability of the experiences offered by the company which would relate back to the promotion element of this model) ( Meluzzi and Balsamo, 2021 ). Applying the 7Ps allows for a structured analysis of how Bay & Vine can preserve its boutique authenticity while systematically improving delivery, visibility, and scalability ( Duarte Alonso et al., 2021 ).

Founded in 2019, Bay & Vine Experiences was designed to offer immersive, high-quality wine tourism experiences in Nova Scotia. The company specialised in curated vineyard tours with guided wine tasting, wine pairing experiences with exquisite local foods, cycling excursions through the valley, and seasonal harvest immersion packages. Within its first few years, Bay & Vine had earned a reputation for authenticity, professionalism, and, as a result, enjoyed close partnerships with local wineries and food producers.

Yet, despite a promising foundation, the number of bookings for the fall season were down approximately 20%, and website traffic had diminished (as he was reminded by the email he had just received). While repeat customers remained loyal to the company, new customer acquisition was declining. Simultaneously, competitors had entered the market, with some positioning themselves as low-cost options, while others competed directly with high quality experiential options. Several were capturing attention via digital platforms (e.g. Instagram, Facebook), where, to date, Bay & Vine had little presence.

As Charles prepared for another demanding day of coordinating tours, he could not escape the idea that his company was at a crossroads. Concurrently the Nova Scotia wine industry was growing in stature, and demand for experiential travel was increasing globally. As a result, competitors had entered the market and Bay & Vine potentially risked collapse if it didn’t adapt. The strategic decisions Charles faced in the months ahead would determine whether Bay & Vine remained a small struggling boutique operator or emerged as a defining player in Nova Scotia’s wine tourism sector.

Tartalomjegyzék

Kiadó: Akadémiai Kiadó

Online megjelenés éve: 2026

ISBN: 978 963 664 217 4

Marketing Turizmus

The publication of the third volume of Cases in Tourism Marketing is truly welcome news from both an educational and a professional perspective. Through real-world, timely, and thought-provoking cases, this collection helps readers – students and practitioners alike – gain a deeper understanding of the complex world of decision-making in tourism marketing. The case studies not only convey professional knowledge but also develop analytical skills, problem-solving abilities, and critical thinking. One of the volume’s key strengths is its focus on issues that define contemporary tourism, including the role of digitalization, artificial intelligence, destination branding, and stakeholder collaboration in tourism marketing. Long-awaited and highly relevant, this third volume is a worthy continuation of the previous collections and will undoubtedly serve as a valuable resource in higher education in tourism, while also being highly recommended to professionals who enjoy reflecting on challenges and opportunities beyond their own immediate field of expertise.

Tamara Ratz PhD

Director, Centre for International Relations, Kodolányi János University

Head of Tourism Department, Professor of Tourism

It is an honor for me to recommend this volume to everyone who wishes to understand tourism marketing not only in theory, but also through its real business and human dimensions. The worlds of tourism and hospitality have undergone fundamental changes in recent years, which makes case studies based on real market situations, decision-making dilemmas and current challenges especially valuable in supporting both learning and critical thinking. This book provides not only professional knowledge, but also encourages a complex mindset, creative problem-solving and the ability to think in connections — exactly the skills today’s tourism professionals need most. I wholeheartedly recommend this volume to students, educators and tourism professionals alike.

Judit Fodor (Liptai)

Group Director of Sales and Marketing, Danubius Hotels

Hivatkozás: https://mersz.hu/deli-gray-cases-in-toursim-marketing-iii//

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