Delegates representing three different wine regions from across the globe dined at Upstairs at Hollick with Coonawarra personnel last Tuesday to talk tourism opportunities and collaboration. The trio visited the area following the state’s recent induction to the Great Wine Capitals Global Network.
By teaming up with Brand SA and Primary Industries and Regions South Australia (PIRSA), Bordeaux’s Catherine Leparmentier Dayot, Napa Valley’s Catherine Heywood and Bilbao’s Ana Lopezcano were able to tour the state and explore it’s wine regions.
PIRSA deputy chief executive Time Goodes said the visit provided the state’s wine regions with the opportunity to form international relationships. “It is all about building a network and creating relationships to create collaborations down the track,” he said. “The global network is about promoting regions and not individual premises, wineries have to combine efforts to promote Coonawarra as a whole.” He said visitors want a unique experience at each winery and region. “The cellar door experience is paramount,” Mr Goodes said.
Ms Lopezcano agreed Coonawarra had a lot to offer when it came to personalising customer visits. “To become a successful wine tourism destination all businesses involved must form an alliance to then forge creative synergies to put Coonawarra on the map,” she said. “There is a lot of talking and combining involved, you must work together.”
As a wine tourism director of the renowned winery Bodegas Muga, Ms Lopezcano said she enjoyed her visit. “Coonwarra has such a wonderful landscape especially in autumn when the vineyards really come to life,” she said. Ms Dayot is the executive director of the Great Wine Capitals Global Network which she helped form in 1999. She said the network would help boost Coonawarra and the state. “There are only 10 network members and we want to keep it as exclusive as we can showcasing only the best the world has to offer,” she said. “Coonawarra has great potential to become a prominent tourist destination but it takes more than just the wine industry. “You have to pull from all resources and industries including accommodation, hospitality and tourism bodies.
