Spier is the wine estate that attracts the largest number of visitors of the 588 wine estates in the country, says Su Birch, CEO of Wines of South Africa (WOSA). The estate offers theatrical and musical productions, as well as eco-experiences in interacting with cheetahs and eagles. It has 62 000 hotel guests and 40 000 conference delegates visiting every year, in addition to the day visitors.
Wine tourism is a fast growing and possibly the largest segment of the South African tourism industry, and is worth R 6.75 billion, says Andre Morgenthal, also of WOSA, reports Business Report. Wine tourists are from Europe in the main.
Growth has been particularly evident since Cape Town joined the Great Wine Capitals of the World network. The bio-diversity of the winelands, the increasing number of excellent restaurants opening on wine estates, and the marketing focus on wines have created the growth in wine tourism.
The Great Wine Capitals of the World network is looking for nominations for its Best of Tourism Awards to select the best wine estates in respect of dining, accommodation, architecture, parks and gardens, arts and culture, innovative wine tourism experiences, and wine tourism services. Participants from Cape Town, Bordeaux, Bilbao-Rioja, Mendoza, Mainz, Florence, Porto and San Francisco-Napa will compete for the awards. More details are available on www.greatwinecapitals.com.
