ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the role of government legislation and entrepreneurial response in the development of wine tourism along the Northeast Wine Route in Southern Ontario, Canada, and New York State, in the United States. It reviews the nature of wine tourism and its role as a tourism product in the context of the Northeast Wine Route. The chapter shows that government legislation has played a significant role in the establishment of wine tourism in the area and how local entrepreneurs have responded to these changes in regulations by establishing boutique wineries that are attracting increasing numbers of tourists. It explores the evolution of the wine industry and wine tourism in Ontario and New York. Legislation has been passed in both areas, paving the way for the development of these small boutique wineries, stimulating wine tourism. The chapter also examines trends south of the border in New York along the Northeast Wine Route, using the Finger Lakes region as an example.
