The Contribution of the Wine Sector to the Circular Economy of the Valencian Community

Analysing the activity of the wine sector in Spain and its contribution to the country's wealth is highly relevant, considering that Spain has the largest vineyard area in the world. This sector contributes to the GDP of both the country and the autonomous communities where it operates. In addition to its direct impact on economic figures, the contribution of this sector to the circular economy is becoming increasingly significant, creating indirect and induced wealth. This impact, besides being linked to the paradigm of "regenerate, share, reuse, and recycle," also fosters wealth generation for local inhabitants by facilitating the emergence of new businesses and employment opportunities. Such developments include sustainable wine tourism and the cosmetic sector, which repurposes wine industry waste to produce its goods.This study examines the sector’s impact on the economy of one of Spain’s most sought-after tourist destinations: the Valencian Community. This economic return is expected to benefit the entire region. The analysis is based on data from 2023, the first year in which the production sector was not affected by any pandemic-related restrictions, enabling a complete harvest in 2022 without any confinement or travel limitations. A multivariable ANOVA analysis was conducted to quantify the sector’s contribution to the Valencian Community’s GDP.