Searching for the South Island’s best wine experiences

Searching for the South Island’s best wine tourism experiences

2 July 2013

From cellar doors and cycle tours to gourmet food matched with great wine, the annual search for the South Island’s best wine tourism experiences starts today.

The Best of Wine Tourism Awards honour outstanding wine tourism businesses in the South Island, in awards run by the prestigious Great Wine Capitals (GWC) Global Network.

Christchurch | South Island, including the Waipara Valley, Canterbury, Marlborough, Nelson and Central Otago wine regions, belongs to the exclusive GWC network.

This year’s regional winners will go on to compete against other winners from greatest wine regions in the world at the network’s international awards in Napa Valley, California in November 2013.

Mayor Bob Parker says he is a keen supporter of the awards. “The awards give Christchurch and South Island businesses the chance to gain exposure and recognition for their commitment to presenting leading wine tourism options, while giving visitors a one-stop list of the best places to experience.”

Christchurch and Canterbury CEO Tourism Tim Hunter says “Identifying and promoting the world-class wine tourism experiences the South Island has to offer is a great drawcard for visitors to our region.”

Tourism New Zealand’s General Manager Marketing Communications Justin Watson says the awards are a great way for the South Island to promote its unique, premium food and wine experiences for visitors.

“The wine regions of the South Island with their world renowned wines are an important component of our tourism offer. To win any one of these awards would further boost New Zealand’s profile with international travellers seeking a premium food and wine experience.”

This year’s categories are:

Wine tourism services
Innovative wine rourism experiences
Sustainable wine tourism practices
Wine tourism restaurants
Architecture and landscapes

The awards can be entered online at www.southislandwine.co.nz until 5pm on 12 August.

The regional winners will be announced in late September. The winners receive a Best of Wine Tourism trophy and plaque as well as opportunities to promote themselves locally and internationally.

For more details about previous winners, categories and criteria see: www.southislandwine.co.nz/awards.asp

“Creating an innovative experience is what we have been working towards from the start. Being recognized like this shows we are doing something a little different and helping put Central Otago on the map.”

– ends –

© Scoop Media