Food And Wine Tourism Growing – Barossa A Leader

A new Australian report on food and wine tourism shows more people are participating in food and wine tourism as part of a growing trend towards experience oriented ‘getaways’.

The Food and Wine Tourism in Australia Report looks at:

• the role food and wine plays in attracting visitors to a destination
• the key characteristics of selected wine regions
• the profile of food and wine visitors
• the purchasing and consumption patterns of the wine visitor

The report has been released to industry and government to drive new strategies and actions to help underpin the dynamic and competitive food and wine industry.

It would interest product and destination developers and marketing managers, food and wine industry representative bodies and all scales of food and wine businesses.

Some Report Highlights

• The top six appeals for the food and wine visitor are scenery and natural beauty (45%), great wines and wineries (31%), accessibility and close to home (30%), friendly and knowledgeable service (16%), food including local produce and restaurants (15%) and wineries in close proximity (14%)
• Many visitors like to learn informally on their food and wine tourism trips and this needs to be considered when designing displays and during personal interactions with visitors in the winery or food produce operation
• All food and wine regions need to ensure that visitor maps are available with winery locations clearly marked and adequate signage is in place
• The wineries perceived as successful in terms of wine tourism tended to have cellar door activity and offered other facilities such as restaurants and cafes, accommodation, the sale of local produce and additional attractions such as art galleries
• For those food and wine regions within easy driving distance from the major cities, the tranquillity of the countryside needs to be preserved in order to allow visitors to feel that they have escaped from the stress of the city
• First impressions need to be evaluated for each ‘layer’ of the region from the first glimpse of the region by road to the entrances to the wineries and the welcome from winery staff on arrival. This will ensure that potential visitors are not discouraged even before they experience what the region, winery or other attraction has to offer
• Research identifies that for all wine and tourism regions’, the integration and coordination of a strategic plan is vital to continue to promote and develop the region and its key attributes

The Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre (STCRC) offers a free copy of the Food and Wine Tourism in Australia report here.

The Barossa Sets The Benchmark For Food And Wine Tourism In Australia

Tourism Minister Jane Lomax-Smith says the STCRC report identifies the Barossa as a food and wine leader. It is the best place in the country for visitors to experience the attractions they expect in a food and wine tourism destination, including a rural setting, strong heritage values, established events and a diverse range of activities.

“The findings of the report confirm what South Australians have always known – the Barossa is far more than just a world-class wine region.

Its food culture is unique, and its calendar of events attracts thousands of visitors each year to enjoy the region’s famous hospitality and flair for festivities.

In the year to March 2008, the Barossa attracted 197,000 domestic visitors who spent 575,000 nights in the region – up 9% on a year ago.

There were also 892,000 domestic day trips to the Barossa in the year to March 2008 – up 10% on the year to March 2007.

The Barossa is an important drawcard for attracting Australian and international tourists to South Australia, and we are committed to marketing the region through the South Australian Tourism Commission and Tourism Barossa.

The past financial year has been an impressive period for Tourism Barossa, and has included the development and launch of the Butcher Baker Winemaker Trail and Rewards Card.”