What exactly is Tourism?

The formal definition of tourism is "The provision of services to people who travel to destinations away from home in order to meet their recreational needs, or to meet other people and enjoy new experiences. These include tangible elements such as transport, food and beverage, tours, souvenirs, accommodation and the intangible elements including services provided by staff and volunteers, as well as interaction with locals."

You will notice this description is similar to the definition of wine tourism contained in the National Wine Tourism Strategy which states, "Wine Tourism is visitation to wineries and wine regions to experience the unique qualities of contemporary Australian lifestyle associated with the enjoyment of wine at its source - including wine and food, landscape and cultural activities."

The Challenge
The challenge for Australian wineries has been to come to grips with the way the tourism industry works. Unlike the wine industry, which focuses on one core product, the tourism industry is made up of many different sectors and related industries that together have one common function: providing goods and services for tourists. Tourists visit both metropolitan and regional areas, however most wineries are situated within regional Australia. So the focus of this section is primarily on regional tourism.

Australian tourism is represented at the Federal level by Tourism Australia. State and Territory Tourism Organisations represent each of the States and Territories, while Regional and Local Tourism Organisations work at the regional and local level. Visitor Information Centres are the public interface for tourism in towns and cities across Australia.

It's a Tourism Region!
The changing behaviour of winery visitors at the cellar door is something that wineries and regions need to understand. The structure of the domestic market has changed so much that buying at the source is no longer as relevant as it once was. For wineries that rely heavily on cellar door sales, understanding that "wine" tourism is part of "general" tourism will help operators focus on the important elements. It requires a symbiotic relationship to tourism, where the focus doesn't need to be solely on the wine for wine tourism to be successful. It's about confronting a future that relies on marketing the destination - of which wine is just a part and the destination is the end in itself (from the visitor's perspective).

Growth of Tourism
Let's take an example of a region that has a long established history of producing wine where generations of winemakers have made their mark and contributed to building a strong regional brand. Over time, as the region becomes successful, other tourism enterprises recognise the success and seek to capitalise. This results in tourism infrastructure in the form of accommodation, restaurants, golf courses, conference venues, health and wellness facilities, food producers, general attractions and related service facilities.

During this period, the number of wineries and cellar doors also increases exponentially. Wineries expand their facilities to incorporate restaurants, galleries, merchandise and tours, attracting daily coach tour operators and the charter group market. Gradually the focus shifts from being primarily "wine" to being a "weekend getaway", or a golfer's paradise, or a convention destination. Suddenly wine has become part of a highly differentiated tourism offering and the entire region looks and feels very different to its humble beginnings as a viticultural region.

Cohesive Approach
This is the time for wineries to learn the dynamics of regional tourism and destination marketing and embrace the opportunities available within this changed landscape. A cohesive, regional approach that incorporates the needs of all stakeholders is required, based on a thorough understanding of visitor needs and expectations. Wineries of all sizes stand to benefit from a strategy that allows them to partner effectively with other tourism attractions and facilities that meets the needs of their target market.

In this Section:

• Find out the roles and responsibilities of the various tourism organisations
• Learn about the Tourism Distribution Channel and how pricing and commission structures work
• Discover how 'product packaging' and 'partnering' can result in new sources of revenue for your business
• Find out how to work with local tour operators effectively, and
• Investigate how other wineries have successfully "partnered for success".