This study comprises a systematic literature review of 68 articles published between 2010 and 2024, identifying and coherently grouping the wine tourism sector’s adoption of technological innovation practices. The articles were analyzed using a framework developed from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The selection criteria included peer-reviewed, full-length articles in English emphasizing technological innovations in the wine tourism sector. The results highlight several key trends in technological innovation applied to wine tourism. The innovations were categorized into five areas: digital marketing and promotion, sustainability and innovation, immersive technologies (AR/VR), e-commerce and distribution models, and smart technologies for winery management. The review reveals a growing interest in digital marketing and immersive technologies in promoting wine tourism through digital platforms and creating engaging tourist experiences through virtual and augmented reality. The review focuses only on peer-reviewed studies published in English, which may limit its global scope. Books and non-peer-reviewed articles may have introduced further developments in technological innovation that are not captured in this review. This study is a post-COVID-19 review of technological innovation in wine tourism. The findings provide significant implications for researchers and policymakers, suggesting future research areas and offering insights on how public funds can support wine tourism’s digital transformation and sustainability

Italy’s rural areas provide significant tourism opportunities which support local economies and sustainable development. This study examines the impact of socio-economic, technological, natural–ecological, and political–legal factors on rural tourism across Italy’s 21 regions. Using statistical data and correlation analysis, five macro factors were evaluated to determine their influence on the prevalence of agritourism as a measure of rural tourism development. The methodology involved a correlation analysis, including the assessment of bivariate relationships between variables, supported by robust statistical tests to ensure reliability. Key findings indicate that technological advancements, particularly in farm digitalization and innovation, are closely associated with rural tourism growth, alongside factors like regional GDP and natural–ecological resources. The study reveals that higher levels of farmer education and rich ecological and cultural assets within regions also positively impact rural tourism. These insights provide valuable guidance for policymakers and stakeholders in formulating strategies that promote rural tourism and regional development, emphasizing digitalization, ecological preservation, and education. This research extends our understanding of the factors driving rural tourism in Italy, offering a basis for targeted interventions that enhance economic resilience and support sustainable tourism in rural areas.

Since the 1970s, the issue of ageing farmers and generational renewal in agriculture has consistently attracted the attention of policymakers. However, despite successive reforms of the European Union Structural Funds, efforts to encourage young people to enter the agricultural sector remain largely focused on agricultural and rural policies, specifically on the First Settlement scheme. This paper highlights the role of the European Union’s rural development policy in supporting and encouraging generational renewal in agriculture. A qualitative analysis of the Italian case examining some of the demographic changes that have occurred within the agricultural system at the regional level has been conducted. The analysis is based on the comparison of policy implementations in different programming periods. Using data from the General Censuses of Agriculture and the Italian Agricultural Payments Agency—supplemented by the Annual Implementation Reports of the Italian Rural Development Programmes—the research traces the evolution of initiatives supporting young farmers. The main findings reveal a notable decline in the number of young people in the primary sector over the last decade, together with an ageing population of agricultural farmers. Measures to support young farmers under the Common Agricultural Policy appear to be ineffective in countering the ageing trend. There is scope for integrated policies to enhance the attractiveness and profitability of rural areas and to ensure long-term sustainable generational renewal in the agricultural sector.

Following the European Commission’s approval of the CAP Strategic Plan and the 21 Italian region (CSR)-related strategic documents, the financial aspect that characterized the single national CAP plan was made available. Here, we present and analyze the final data on the distribution of public resources for interventions between 2023 and 2027. This marks a pivotal period of strategic information for those who follow the evolution of the rural development policy, providing vital indications of policymakers’ priorities. In Italy, where rural development policy is highly regionalized, it is difficult to acquire an overall view of the strategic choices adopted by the individual regions. The primary objective of this article is to offer a comprehensive and enlightening synopsis of the regional choices in the CSRs. It aims to identify shared strategic paths in rural development, with a specific focus on the financial allocation in each of the three historical macro-objectives of the CAP: the competitiveness of the agri-food sector, the protection of the environment, and the revitalization of rural areas. Cluster analysis classification allows for aggregating the strategies adopted, allowing for comparisons across the Italian regions. The results show three regional groups focused on environmental strategy, structural investment measures, and resource distribution that is more balanced between these two approaches. Identifying the strategic choices made by the regions allows policymakers to predict different development trajectories and the progress of the expenditure indicators over the years. At the moment, it is impossible to verify whether the policy mix defined in the budget allocation is consistent with the strategic statements.

Southern Europe and the Mediterranean region are noteworthy hotspots for climate change impacts. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the adaptability of agriculture on the Italian island of Sardinia to the challenges of climate change. The main objective was to identify and quantify the components determining the adaptive capacity of Sardinian agriculture to climate with the aim of understanding and improving the resilience of an administrative region to the expected climate change impacts. Using a fuzzy-set analysis informed by a multidimensional weighted matrix of indicators set up with stakeholders, this study examines various determinants across socio-economic factors, governance structures, technological innovation and physical infrastructure, categorised into three components: Ability, Action and Awareness, leading to an overall Adaptive Capacity Index (best, 0≤ACI≤1, worst). The analysis reveals a moderate overall adaptive capacity (ACI = 0.57), identifying strengths and areas for improvement. In particular, the study highlights critical areas for improving Sardinian agriculture sector, emphasising the importance of strengthening knowledge and education within the agricultural community, improving collaboration among different actors to support innovation propensity and economic capacity, simplifying bureaucratic processes, and enhancing water infrastructure, all of which contribute to strengthening governance in the sector. These findings provide valuable insights for stakeholders, including policymakers and farmers, to facilitate the development and implementation of key adaptation strategies necessary for the long-term sustainability and resilience of Sardinian agriculture.