VinPro launches Toolkit to boost wine tourism in South Africa

South African wine industry body VinPro has launched a new Wine Tourism Toolkit to help wineries open or develop their wine tourism businesses.

Vineyards in South Africa

Launched at an event in Paarl earlier this week, the toolkit offers wine businesses resources, check lists, templates and case studies, to assist in developing tourism.

It is hoped that the toolkit will help wineries by unlocking additional revenue streams, increasing revenues from wine sales and growing brand awareness. 

Wine tourism manager at VinPro, Marisah Nieuwoudt, said: “For most companies, wine tourism revolves around the tasting room and associated facilities and services. 

“Due to its visitor-facing role, this automatically launches wineries into the realm of hospitality and tourism and it’s up to them to create a multi-visit destination worthy of visitors’ time.”

Free to access and use, the toolkit has been funded by the Cape Winelands District Municipality (CWDM), as well as by VinPro.

CWDM executive mayor, Dr Helena von Schlicht Alderman, said: “The CWDM recognises the strategic value of wine production as part of the broader regional economy where the multiplying effect contributes further to agri-processing, wine tourism, hospitality, employment opportunities, skills development and manufacturing.

“Co-operation through strategic partnerships is vital to the continued growth of the industry and the association of the CWDM with Vinpro is ideal in striving towards excellence in the promotion of our wine-tourism product.”

VinPro will offer a series of industry workshops on the content and use of the toolkit while updates will take place bi-annually to ensure it remains relevant as wine tourism and the wine trade in South Africa continue to develop.

Further information can be found here.