The wine and tourism sectors in the Cape winelands have come together, guided by a new wine tourism initiative, and made its debut at the 2017 ITB, Berlin earlier this month. ITB is the world’s largest tourism convention and was the perfect platform to put the spotlight on South Africa’s wine tourism experiences and reveal the hidden gems that lie tucked away in regions like the Klein Karoo, Swartland and Cape Whale Coast and where visitors can get a real taste of the local way of life.

 

According to www.southafrica.net, travellers consistently rate a visit to the Winelands as one of the top Ten Things to Do in South Africa. Boasting no less than 20 wine routes, each has its own unique character and an array of experiences that offer the wine and non-wine drinking traveller alike the perfect belance between happiness and health. The exceptional combination of accessible organised wine routes, breathtaking scenery, food, friendly and passionate local people and outdoor experiences is something that visitors are unlikely to experience anywhere else in the world.

 

 

The small delegation engaged face to face with more than 200 members of the travel trade and media during the three-day event in Berlin. A highlight of the activities at ITB was collaborating with iAmbassador for their ITB networking event held at the popular Muse Berlin. The event was by invitation only and attended by 200 of the top international trade and industry representatives. Paul Cluver (Wines of Elgin) and Creation (Hermanus Wine Route) wines were served at the official ITB Blogger event co-hosted by Wesgro. As always, South Africa’s wine made a good impression and many of the influencers expressed a desire to #visitWinelands to share its many stories with the world.

 

 

With responsible tourism one of South Africa’s priorities, the growth of the wine tourism industry is set to have a positive impact on economic development, job creation and skills development, especially in rural areas. Wine tourism also stimulates community development, attracts consumers to rural areas, generates sales of local products and attracts corporate investment.

 

 

From April 2017, a new interactive web platform, designed as a storyboard of inspiration, will be launched for travellers interested not only in the country’s well-established wine destinations but also for those keen on venturing off the beaten path and exploring the more unknown and rural regions.

Join the conversation by following www.twitter.com/visitwinelands and using #visitWinelands
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