Southern Highlands invest $100,000 in international wine tourism

The Southern Highlands Food and Wine Association partnered with Destination Southern Highlands for grant funding from Wine Australia to launch a multilingual consumer regional tourism website and a corporate regional website.

The objective of the project is to implement a digital tourism experience and strategy for the Highlands which is expected to grow the number of international tourists who recognise and visit the area for the purpose of wine.

These websites will aim to reduce duplication of content and resources while increasing international tourism visitation to the Wingecarribee Shire’s wine region, in particular, from the Chinese market.

Southern Highlands Food and Wine Association president Mark Bourne said he was excited the shire’s wine region would now be taking the message of Highlands’ cool-climate wines to international tourists.

“We are the closest wine region to the largest international tourism landing point of Sydney,” Mr Bourne said.

“This partnership project with Destination Southern Highlands has been a long time in the planning and Wine Australia’s funding support has been essential in realising our region’s plans.”

Destination Southern Highlands manager Steve Rosa described this as a  “ground-breaking partnership.”

“The project would enable the region to utilise state of the art technology in the delivery of streamlined and relevant tourism information service and products to the international marketplace directly from the Southern Highlands,” Mr Rosa said.

“This international digital wine tourism project aligns perfectly with our region’s recently launched destination management plan for the Southern Highlands over the next four years to target the key tourism markets of wine, food and wilderness.”

The project was expected to be completed in the next 12 months.

The Wine Australia grant will contribute $60,000 and Destination Southern Highlands will contribute $40,000.