The Federal Government has released its guidelines for applications to its $10m Wine Tourism and Cellar Door Grant program.
Applications for the program open on 1 July and eligible wine producers will be able to improve visitor experiences at their cellar doors with an annual grant of up to $100,000. This funding opportunity is in addition to the $10m of International Wine Tourism State and Competitive Grants, which were made available through the $50m Export and Regional Wine Support Package, which closed earlier this month.
Wine Australia Chief Executive Officer Andreas Clark said that these efforts to boost Australia’s international wine tourism are great news for the country’s wine regions.
“Research by Wine Intelligence indicates a shift among winery visitors from only tasting wines to wanting to participate in an overall experience,” Clark said.
“Between the $50m Package activities and the cellar door grants program, we’ll be seeing some exciting wine tourism initiatives rolled out over the next few years as regions maintain their competitive edge.
“It’ll be a great drawcard for the international tourist.
“And with Tourism Research Australia figures indicating that wine-related tourism has increased by 12.5 per cent in the two years from 2014–15 to 2016–17, the time is ripe to invest in our wine tourism services and experiences.”
Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources Anne Ruston added: “This program recognises the huge investments that wine businesses make in local communities and the value they add in attracting international tourists.
“With the growing demand for outstanding food and wine as part of the travel experience, it’s important that our wine regions maintain their competitive edge.”
Total funding under the cellar door grant program will be capped at $10 million each financial year and guidelines for the program are available on the Wine Australia website.