Wine tourism is one of the fastest-growing and most lucrative sectors of the global tourism market, according to South Africa’s Minister of Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk.
South Africa’s first specialist wine tourism exhibition, Vindaba, will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from September 25-27, and will run in parallel with Cape Wine 2012.
“Wine and gourmet tourism is a trending travel category world-wide but per capita spend is unevenly distributed among wine-growing regions. Napa Valley in California, for example, earns US$188 a head, whereas the Western Cape is currently earning US$41 a head. This huge potential for growth must be unlocked for the greater benefit of our wine and tourism industries as well as the communities they support,” said Susannah Holz Project Manager of Vindaba.
With the backing of national and provincial government, Vindaba will be showcasing the best in South African wine-related tourism, targeting the local and international travel trade, as well as wine, travel and lifestyle media.
It marks a new spirit of collaboration amongst tourism bodies and will form part of a long-term strategy to boost wine tourism, representing a partnership between Wines of South Africa (WOSA), SA Tourism and Cape Town Tourism, as well as the SA Wine Routes Forum and WESGRO.
“There is a natural synergy between Cape Wine and Vindaba. WOSA has been one of the prime drivers in establishing a coherent strategy to promote wine tourism that involves decision makers from the wider tourism sector,” said WOSA CEO, Su Birch.
“As far as we know, this is the first initiative of its kind anywhere in the wine-producing world in which the wine and tourism sectors are jointly presenting a wine and wine tourism event. South Africa has been steadily building a domestic and global awareness for the range and excellence of its wines and is now considered a significant wine-producing country,” said Birch.
Both events will be staged as eco-friendly exhibitions, making use exclusively of recycled and recyclable materials.
“I believe wine tourism can contribute in a significant way to the South African economy and we look forward to continued constructive engagement with the industry,” said Van Schalkwyk.
For more information, visit g www.vindaba.com or call Susannah Holz on 073 273 0029.
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