The final report of the Responsible Visitation Campaign Stage Two (RVC2) is now available on the Vinehealth Australia website.
The report shares details of all major activities conducted during RVC2 including delivering the popular Wine Tourism Biosecurity Training Program to another 120 cellar door and wine tourism staff around SA and providing training materials to an additional 527.
Rolling regional visits were held by Vinehealth Australia CEO Inca Lee and Campaign Manager Cindie Smart to discuss biosecurity priorities with local councils, regional development groups, wine industry associations and tourism groups. Across 26 individual meetings in regions, discussions covered biosecurity risks and solutions, regional development and biosecurity planning, fencing of vineyards near bike and walking tracks, and communication of ‘healthy vines’ messages with regional visitors.
An educational campaign for South Australian bus tour companies, including creation and delivery of a Tour Operator Kit (letter, fact sheet and bumper stickers) posted to 135 operators who run 636 different tours in South Australia. Plus training of key bus tour operators in South Australia.
‘Healthy vines’ advertising in eight key regional visitor guides and tourism products throughout South Australia and distribution of RVC materials including videos, images and articles, to regional councils, associations and media.
Continuation of the ‘Who’s Hitchhiking With You?’ publicity campaign, featuring Phil the Phylloxera Guy, and public appearances at two events including the 2018 Royal Adelaide Show.
And an Instagram Influencers Campaign, including an event for 17 key food, wine and lifestyle influencers at Tapanappa cellar door.
“We’re thrilled that RVC2 achieved its goal of educating members of the wine industry, wine tourism industry, councils, regional development groups and tourists about their role in keeping vineyards healthy,” said Inca.
Specifically, RVC2:
- Delivered increased biosecurity awareness and capability among councils, regional development groups and regional wine and tourism associations.
- Identified a need for biosecurity to be considered when wine region developments are occurring.
- Confirmed the gap in knowledge among tourism/sales/marketing staff about biosecurity, phylloxera and vine health areas. There is a need for managers/winemakers/viticulturists to play a greater role in educating their customer service, tourism and marketing teams about biosecurity.
- Confirmed that the wine industry is still often promoted with images of tourists in vineyards. This is an ongoing issue that will be tackled by Vinehealth Australia beyond the life of the RVC.
- Facilitated the refinement of the Wine Tourism Biosecurity Training Program including the development of a chapter on communicating with Chinese visitors.
- Delivered increased biosecurity awareness and capability among bus tour operators.
- Facilitated the refinement of the range of tourism-friendly collateral for ongoing use by the wine industry, including signage, adverts, videos, images and written content.
- Promoted active and creative discussion about the experiences wineries can offer to tourists that don’t put the health of their vines at risk.
The final report includes 11 key recommendations for further important work by industry bodies in the wine tourism industry:
- Solve the issue in the way the wine industry is promoted with images of people walking in vines. Promotion of the wine industry should not encourage tourists to enter vineyards.
- Make the Wine Tourism Biosecurity Training Program a national fee for service program for cellar door and tourism staff, to ensure consistency of messages across Australia.
- Fund a consumer advertising campaign, using Facebook, Instagram, Youtube pre rolls, cinemas, airports, using the Who’s Hitchhiking With You? Video.
- Roll out Wine Tourism Biosecurity Signage nationally. Secure funding to print and supply signs to every cellar door in Australia.
- Create and install large phylloxera prevention signs at regional entrances.
- Secure funding for Wine Tourism Biosecurity signage for key bike paths, such as the Riesling Trail.
- Allocate a base amount of annual funding to maintain the Wine Tourism Biosecurity training capability in South Australia. Extend the training to more bus tour companies, all Visitor Information Centre staff and staff at key tourist attractions.
- Ensure consistent messaging about phylloxera and healthy vines is included on all regional maps, visitor guides and websites.
- Conduct a national Instagram Influencer campaign.
- Fund an ‘impact of phylloxera’ campaign for South Australian grapegrowers, winemakers and industry bodies.
- Create an awards program that celebrates producers who are at the cutting edge of sustainable, bio-secure wine tourism practices.
You can read the full RVC2 final report here: https://vinehealth.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/VHA-RVC2-Final-Report-30-June-2019-FINAL.pdf
You can read the first RVC final report here: https://vinehealth.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/VHA-RVC-Final-Report-website-June-2018.pdf