Barossa wine sector gets financial boost to promote wines in China and US

The Barossa wine industry has been given a financial shot in the arm thanks to a $470,000 government grant to promote Barossa wine in China and the US, and attract more international tourists to the region.

"Wine and tourism make a significant contribution to the Barossa economy,” said Wine Australia chief executive officer Andreas Clark. "These grants are about expanding the promotion of Barossa wine abroad and enhancing the experience of tourists when they arrive, so they spend more, stay longer and return a second or third time.”.

The Australian Tourism Export Council managing director Peter Shelley claimed food and wine have become a major motivator for international travel. "Australia has some of the best wine experiences on offer, so it’s the perfect time to build the capacity of our wineries to engage with international visitors”, he said.

The grants, supported by the Australian Government’s $50m Export and Regional Wine Support Package include:

• A $250,000 International Wine Tourism Grant to support the Brossa Grape and Wine Association in developing a marketing campaign  that targets international wine and food toursts.
• $173,000 in Wine Export Grants supporting 14 Barossa wine producers to market their wines overseas, and
• a $54,000 International Wine Tourism Grant supporting The Barossa Council to upgrade its Visitor Information Centre, enhance international visitor engagement and increase visitor spend and length of stay in the Barossa region.