Important announcements from Wine Australia –
- The Wine Australia Visits Program will now be funded by Wine Australia. Please see information below which outlines the new changes.
- Exporter Update – 2nd Please see below the latest media release detailing the Exporter Update.
- Wine Communicators Export Support Services – A link is provided below which will take you to a webinar outlining the support services available from Wine Australia, Efic, Austrade and Tradestart.
- Read the latest media release ‘Australia’s highest priced wines drive strong export growth‘
Wine Australia’s Rejuvenated Visits Program
Wine Australia has reviewed their Visits Program and are making some changes to build on what is working well and to refine what can be improved. They’ve listened to feedback from their guests and their grape and wine community partners and we will now invest directly in the visits, slow the visits down and build stronger economic outcomes.
What’s changed?
Where visits by international and domestic trade, media and influencers were previously funded on a user-pays basis, these visits will now be funded by levies, meaning that individual businesses, brands, regions and states no longer need to pay for the visits. This also means that they are able to slow the visits down and to tailor them more to the needs and interests of the visitors. They believe that these changes will improve the experience of visitors and the reputational and commercial outcomes for their regions and brands.
Why visits are important
Their marketing strategy is to present their wines, their regions, their people and their stories to capture the attention of the wine influencers and gatekeepers, to motivate the gatekeepers to make their wines available and to motivate consumers to choose their wines first.
These visits help positively shape opinions of our food and wine culture. They allow people to explore and experience the diversity of Australian regions, styles, varieties and stories. The best way to understand the people, places and stories behind our wines is to experience them firsthand.
Since Hazel Murphy’s wine flights in 1992, visits to Australia by the wine trade, media and influencers have been a core component of wine marketing. Research by Tourism Australia shows that after experiencing our food and wine culture, international visitors rank Australia as the third most popular destination for a food- and wine-based holiday, above both France and Italy. Some 60 per cent rate Australia as a top destination for food and wine experiences globally after they have visited.
How they identify visitors
Wine Australia’s in-market teams work closely with their local market reference groups (made up of importers, distributors and retailers with a strong interest in promoting the Australia category) to identify influential wine trade, media and educators. Visitor selection is determined by the potential commercial outcome of a visit and the visitor’s ability to influence perceptions of Australian wine through new listings, media reports, education etcetera.
How they develop itineraries
Wine Australia will partner with state and regional associations, tourism and trade organisations to develop tailored itineraries that deliver a truly memorable experience.
Wine Australia will work closely with visitors to identify their visit objectives and the regions, varieties, wine styles and brands of interest, and what they intend to deliver after their visit. They will tailor itineraries to meet visitors’ expectations and business objectives, in consultation with the visitor and the states and regions.
When a visitor has limited time in Australia, they may also arrange regional tastings in capital cities and encourage you to be in touch with your local associations to ensure you maximise these opportunities.
Visits calendar
Over 100 visitors are scheduled to visit Australian wine regions by the end of this financial year. Below is a calendar of proposed group visits. Please note, this is subject to change:
| Oct 16 | Nov 16 | Dec16 | Jan 17 | Feb 17 | Mar 17 | Apr 17 | May 17 | Jun17 | |
| UK/EU | X | ||||||||
| WSET | X | ||||||||
| Nth America | X | ||||||||
| China | X | ||||||||
| Worlds’ Best
50 |
X | ||||||||
| Asia | X | ||||||||
| Australia | X | X |
In addition to the group visits, individual and buyer visits will occur on an ad hoc basis.
When visitors go home
Wine Australia will continue to build on the relationships they develop with visitors after they go home. They gather their immediate feedback on the visit and will share this with regions and states. Several months after the visit, they follow up to find out what the commercial outcomes have been, as well as what the visitors have written and published. They also include the visitors in our marketing activities, including by inviting them to events they hold in their markets.
States, regions and brands are encouraged to engage directly with their guests to seize the commercial opportunities that can flow from a visit.
Scale of investment
Wine Australia will invest $650,000 collected through levies in global visits in 2016-17
Bespoke activities
Wine Australia is happy to partner with states and regions to develop and deliver bespoke activities. These may include dedicated in-bound or out-bound visits on a user-pays basis, where the direct cost of the activity is funded by the state or region and their staff time is provided free of charge.
Further information
For more information about the Wine Australia Visits Program, please contact Ali Lockwood, Manager Stakeholder Engagement at [email protected]
For itinerary development and delivery, please contact Susan Williams, Visits Program Officer at [email protected]
Register now for the Exporter Update 2016
Join Wine Australia’s Heads of Market and pre-eminent wine commentator Robert Joseph at Wine Australia’s Exporter Update 2016.
Australian wine exporters are invited to attend the free event at the National Wine Centre on Wednesday 2 November, which will investigate the changing economic and consumer landscapes in key export markets and export opportunities.
Wine Australia Chief Executive Officer Andreas Clark said the Exporter Update will provide exporters with the latest information from key markets.
‘This year’s Exporter Update will build on the success of last year’s event and will help our exporters to leverage the different opportunities available’, he said.
‘Our Heads of Market will lead individual sessions investigating these opportunities, for example the e-commerce potential in China and how we can make Australian Shiraz more exciting in North America.
‘Robert Joseph will lead a stimulating panel debate and present the findings of compelling research about the perceptions of Australian wine in seven key markets.
The Exporter Update will also include:
- an update from Tourism Australia about the World’s Best 50 Restaurants event to be held in Melbourne next year, and
- a global economic update from Efic.
The day finishes with a networking event so that participants have the opportunity to catch up with each other and Wine Australia’s international team.
Registrations close on 29 October and spaces are limited.
| Wine Australia Exporter Update 2016 |
| Wednesday 2 November 2016 |
| National Wine Centre of Australia |
| Corner Hackney and Botanic Roads, Adelaide |
| 8:30am – Registration |
| 9:00am–5:00pm – Main sessions |
| 5:00pm–7:00pm – Networking |
| Register by 29 October at http://bit.ly/2e9tyH8
Event exclusively for Australian grape and wine levy and export charge payers |
Wine Communicators Export Support Services
The following link will take you to a webinar outlining the support services available from Wine Australia, Efic, Austrade and Tradestart.
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4592349284907874306