NSWWIA
New funding provided to support further development of wine tourism across New South Wales, Australia. Credit: Tony Asleson.

The New South Wales Wine Industry Association (NSWWIA) in Australia has received a total of A$2m ($1.4m) in funding to support further development of international wine tourism.

Of the total, A$1m ($719,252) was provided through Australia’s International Wine Tourism State Grants programme and the remaining A$1m ($719,252) was granted by the New South Wales (NSW) Government.

The Wine Tourism State Grants programme is an A$5m ($3.5m) initiative that requires applicants to provide matching funding on a dollar-for-dollar basis. An independent expert assessment panel reviews the application before being approved by the Government of Australia.

NSWWIA will use the NSW Government fund to collaborate with Destination NSW on a global marketing campaign to increase the number of overnight stays made by international tourists in NSW wine regions by 12,000 over the next two years.

“There’s a relatively untapped opportunity for the wine sector to focus on wine tourism product development.”

Wine Australia’s CEO Andreas Clark said: “The $5m state grants programme is designed to enhance wine tourism experiences and drive collaboration between key sector partners.

“Wine is a key driver of international visitors to Australia but there’s a relatively untapped opportunity for the wine sector to focus on wine tourism product development. To grow the visitor economy, we need compelling experiences that go beyond the cellar door.

“By partnering with Destination NSW on a targeted marketing campaign, the NSWWIA is ensuring the ongoing resilience and competitiveness of the NSW wine tourism sector.”

According to NSWWIA’s executive officer Angus Barnes, the marketing campaign is developed to target visitors from China, South Korea, the UK and the US.

Barnes said: “The strategy targets the four largest markets for international visitors to NSW: China (16%), South Korea (15%), the UK (14%) and the US (12%). It is tailored to individual regional preferences within these markets.

“We’ll be using critical data to understand current drivers and visit trends, so we can reposition NSW wines and regional experiences with a sophisticated and targeted marketing campaign.”

The campaign is expected to attract more international visitors to wine regions in NSW and to increase the visitor economy.