The South African wine industry has launched a survey to determine the economic value of the wine tourism sector.

“The survey will provide us with a credible benchmark, which we can use to track the wine tourism industry’s progress against its 2025 objectives,” said Marisah Nieuwoudt, Wine Tourism Manager of the wine industry body, Vinpro, who commissioned the research.

The wine tourism sector aims to increase visits to South Africa’s wine routes, increase revenue, create new job opportunities and improve regional dispersal of visitors across all 23 wine routes.

The survey is being conducted amongst wine producers and cellars represented by Vinpro, as well as South Africa’s wine route offices, until March 13.

“They will be asked to provide information on the tourism activities and experiences on their farms in order to quantify the direct, indirect and induced income and employment in the wine tourism industry,” said Nieuwoudt, adding that all information would be treated as confidential.

Martin Jansen van Vuuren from Futureneer Advisors will manage the study. “We ask that all wine producers and cellars participate in the survey so that a credible annual benchmark can be established and we can analyse wine tourism on a regional basis.”