Agri-Food Clusters, Wine Tourism and Foreign Markets. The Role of Local Networks for SME's Internationalization

The paper aims to examine the role of network relationships in the internationalization of Italian winemakers. Based on a case study analysis, it shows that networks are a key factor for internationalization. Firms mostly relied on their relationships with friends, tourists visiting the farm, and also local firms and agencies in the tourism industry. However, local networks among wine producers did not result as relevant for foreign market development.