Regional areas benefit from wine & food tourism

Food and wine are indivisible partners in the tourism experience and are major regional tourism strengths. They bring in an excess of $1 billion annual revenue to communities throughout Australia, with more than two thirds of Australian wineries depending on cellar door sales for viability.

A lot of people think wine tourism is just cellar door sales, but visitors want more than full bellies and car boots – wine tourism is about creating experiences that leave an indelible mark, says Robin Shaw Development Director of the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia (WFA), which is holding the inaugural Australian Wine and Food Tourism Conference in August this year.

WFA has teamed up with Restaurant & Catering Australian and Tourism Australia to hold a one day conference at the Adelaide Convention Centre On Wednesday 3rd August. The focus will be on working with other local wineries, food, accommodation, tourism and government – this is the key to making it work. The conference program will look at the ‘big picture’ for the industry as well as success stories and tips from tourism and winery operators.

In Victoria the Victorian Wine Tourism Council has grown into the Victorian Food and Wine Tourism Council and membership is expected to increase to represent the industry sector more broadly.

The new Council has a broad selection of restaurateurs, winery operators, tour operators, representatives of large and small enterprises and others, from across the state. It makes interesting reading:

(1)John Ellis – Hanging Rock Winery, Macedon Ranges (Chair)
(2)Wayne Kayler-Thomson – Deputy Chief Executive, Tourism Victoria
(3)Michael Matthews – President Victorian Wine Industry Association and wine industry consultant
(4)Alla Wolf-Tasker – Lakehouse, Daylesford and Tourism Victoria Board member
(5)Natalie O’Brien – Director, Melbourne Food and Wine Festival
(6)John Mitchell – Montalto Vineyard and Olive Grove, Mornington Peninsula
(7)George Sossi – Mildura Murray Outback Tourism
(8)Caroline Evans – wine industry educator and consultant, Yarra Valley
(9)Matthew Noble – Australian Wine Tour Company
(10)Melissa Burge – Koonwarra Store, Gippsland,President of Slow Food Victoria
(11)Michael Adams – wine marketing and export consultant, Mornington Peninsula
(12)Quentin Dalziell – Restaurant manager, Mitchelton Wines, Nagambie Lakes
(13)Noelle Quinn – Hume Murray Food Bowl Project Mgr & Chair, Tourism Murray River – Food and Wine
(14)Stephen Downes – freelance writer – particularly on food and restaurants
(15)George Samios – Wine Ambassador, Beringer Blass
(16)Jeanette Horseley – Economic Development & Tourism Manager, Pyrenees Shire

CONTACTS: Robin Shaw WFA Tourism Development Director Ph: (08) 8222 9255
Email robin@wfa.org.au

For more info and to register for the conference, visit http://www.wfa.org.au/wftc/conference.htm