Wine regions across Australia stand to benefit from a $7.4 million investment boost for 21 international wine tourism projects, including $2.8 million from the International Wine Tourism Competitive Grants Program – a component of the Australian Government’s $50 million Export and Regional Wine Support Package.
Senator Anne Ruston, assistant minister for agriculture and water resources, said the response to the competitive grants program had been positive, with regional communities banding together to submit exciting wine tourism projects for their districts.
“Our regions have really embraced the opportunity to expand and enhance Australia’s diverse and unique wine tourism experiences.
“It’s about growing the reputation of Australia’s food, wine and tourism experiences.
“Together with targeted marketing campaigns in China and the USA, the grants are creating a platform for the commercial success of our local brands and investing back into local jobs,” she said.
Wine Australia chief executive officer, Andreas Clark, said the 21 successful wine tourism projects will diversify our wine tourism offering and create a lasting impression of Australian wine, in terms of visitor enjoyment and satisfaction.
“It is important for the growth and success of our wine regions that we deepen engagement with international tourists and these successful projects will help attract more visitors to experience Australia’s wine offering,” he said.
Background
Grant applicants were required to provide matching funding on a dollar-for-dollar basis and projects were selected through a competitive merit-based process, based on the recommendations of an independent Expert Assessment Panel.
The approved competitive grant projects will complement broader state-based strategies that aim to attract and maximise international wine tourism in each state, with the support of the $50m Package.
A list of the approved competitive grant projects is included below.
International Wine Tourism Competitive Grant (Results)
Please note: the following project descriptions are high-level summaries only and may be subject to change during the grant agreement process.
| State | Applicant | Project description | Grant | Project value |
| ACT | Canberra District Wine Industry Association | Canberra districts wine tour map: digitisation of the self-drive wine tour map and translation into other languages. | $20,000
|
$40,000 |
| NSW | Mudgee Region Tourism | International VFR wine marketing campaign: destination marketing campaign targeting international visiting friends and relatives (VFR). | $50,000 | $100,000 |
| NSW | Orange Region Vignerons Association | Orange flying high: an international tourism marketing campaign focused on Orange region wine and food to be announced at Vinexpo Hong Kong and China Roadshow. | $154,000 | $308,000 |
| NSW | Southern Highlands Food and Wine Inc. | Southern Highlands international digital tourism: development and launch of two regional websites: a consumer-facing and multi-lingual wine tourism website and a corporate wine tourism website for the wine sector and media. | $50,000 | $100,000 |
| NSW | Hunter Valley Wine and Tourism Association | Experience Hunter Valley wine country: development of augmented reality (AR) content to give international visitors tours of the Hunter Valley. The AR content will focus on key themes (wine, dine, stay, explore and events) and elements will ‘come to life’ when clicked. | $50,000 | $100,000 |
| NSW | Australian Tourism Export Council | Wine tourism conference: establish an annual wine tourism conference for the Australian wine sector. | $35,000 | $77,900 |
| SA | National Wine Centre | The Australian wine culture project: development of a digital gateway at the National Wine Centre for international visitors to engage with Australia’s wine culture through compelling content linking to wineries, regions and tour operators that present genuine, immersive cultural wine and food experiences. | $50,000 | $200,000 |
| SA | Wine Communicators Australia | Australian wine bloggers conference: launch an Australian Wine Bloggers Conference (WBC) in 2019, based on the existing annual WBC held in North America. | $140,000 | $589,000 |
| SA | Riverland Wine | Riverland on the verge: international market research and development of virtual reality (VR) content to give international visitors virtual tours of Riverland wine attractions from local wine centres. | $250,000 | $545,000 |
| SA | McLaren Vale Grape Wine and Tourism Association. | Consumer marketing – McLaren Vale international visitation campaign: development and launch of an integrated consumer awareness and visitation campaign for the China and/or Hong Kong markets which will encompass multiple channels of communication and promotion (digital, print, influencer). | $250,000 | $500,000 |
| SA | Limestone Coast Grape and Wine Council Inc. | Limestone Coast mixed dozen interactive wine trails: development of a central consumer tool or website (with language translation) that promotes tailored visitation experiences (trails, tours and itineraries) and maximizes tourism expenditure across the Limestone Coast. | $175,000 | $350,000 |
| SA | Adelaide Hills Wine Region Incorporated | Adelaide Hills Wine Region – growing international markets, destination tourism and wine tourism industry capability: development of virtual reality (VR), video and online marketing content that showcases the Adelaide Hills wine experience and attracts Chinese visitors to Hills wine regions. Project also includes capability development activities and an ‘Immersion program’ (in-market activities and activations in SA and interstate to capture inbound tourists). | $250,000 | $520,000 |
| SA | Clare Valley Winemakers Incorporated | Driving international tourism for the Clare Valley wine region: production of a ‘Clare Valley Wine Exchange’ series for distribution into Chinese television and digital advertising channels; develop a multi-region Sommelier exchange and Clare Valley Wine Show package in collaboration with China; develop a multi-lingual Clare Valley regional website. | $175,000 | $411,000 |
| SA | The Barossa Council | Barossa Visitor Centre upgrade: expand and improve the Visitor Centre experience and services to enhance engagement with international visitors and increase visitor spend and length of stay in the Barossa region. | $54,000 | $135,000 |
| SA | Barossa Grape and Wine Association | Barossa first – The Belonging: development of a comprehensive marketing and communications campaign that targets international wine and food (culinary) tourists, with a focus on Chinese and American high-value, luxury tourists. The campaign will include product development (experiences and services), PR and advertising, as well as development of collateral. | $250,000 | $841,000 |
| VIC | Geelong Winegrowers Association | China ready – developing regional and operator capabilities to attract international tourism and increase average spend: development of regional digital and promotional assets; dedicated content for the Chinese visitor to be used across the digital platforms (including WeChat and website) and China-ready workshops that encourage collaboration between wineries and tourism operators. | $30,000 | $60,000 |
| VIC | Tourism North East | Victoria’s High Country wine tourism international marketing project: development of a new regional food/wine master brand and website (incorporating a Melbourne-based winery tourism campaign) that targets Chinese visitors. | $150,000 | $301,000 |
| VIC | Yarra Valley Winegrowers Association | Yarra Valley China ready: improve the existing Chinese language websites managed by the YVWGA and YRT and invest in Chinese social media platforms to significantly improve the region’s digital marketing to China. The project includes direct engagement in-market with wine and tourism trade through market visits and events. | $100,000 | $200,000 |
| VIC | Wines of the King Valley | Marketing the King Valley Prosecco Road Prosecco Festival to the Chinese market to increase number and yield of international wine tourists. | $50,000 | $250,000 |
| WA | Swan Valley and Regional Winemakers Association | Singapore Visitors to Swan Valley: establish a consortium of industry, government and academia to work collaboratively on: an audit of existing services/products, up-skilling of tourism operators and development of tourism products, with a strong focus on the Singapore market. | $250,000 | $1,208,410 |
| WA | Margaret River Wine Association Inc | Driving visitation to Margaret River wine paradise: delivery of an integrated marketing campaign, including product development workshops, an inbound familiarisation program, a digital and public relations campaign and Singapore in-market events. | $250,000 | $517,500 |
