Bodega tours bring visitors pouring into Alicante Province

MORE than two million people last year made visits to wineries in Spain; a growing type of tourism for the country.
The Spanish Association of Wine Cities has published its annual report on visits to wineries and wine museums that are part of the Wine Routes of Spain, of which there are 13 in Alicante Province.
The total number of visitors recorded by the wineries of Wine Routes of Spain amounted to 2,124,229, a figure that has been increasing since it began recording visitor numbers in 2008; reflecting the growing trend of wines in the tourist industry. The number is 435,020 more people than the previous year; the largest increase since 2008. Alicante Province received more than 35,000 visitors.
The number of visitors increased on practically all routes during 2014, with the wine and cava route Enoturisme Penedes and the wine and brandy route Marco de Jerez receiving the most, with 497,310 and 444,427 visitors respectively.
Their privileged location in areas with significant tourist traffic and proximity to the coast and major population centres such as Barcelona and Seville also played a part in their success in attracting visitors.
Alicante Province ranks 11th in the number of visitors last year.