Miles Prodan
The summer’s preliminary numbers are in and it's looking like a record year for tourism in BC wine country. With five stunningly distinct wine regions to choose from, including Vancouver Island, Gulf Islands, Fraser Valley, Okanagan Valley and Similkameen Valley, as well as several emerging wine regions, visitors clearly took the opportunity to explore new wineries or rediscover their favourites. Wine tourists are indicating support of BC VQA wine through their wallets.
In the month of June alone, winery direct sales (tasting room sales at a winery location, including direct-to-consumer shipment) represented the single largest channel for BC VQA dollar wine sales in British Columbia at 27 per cent - a 20 per cent increase over the same period the previous year. The next largest channel was BC LDB liquor stores at 23 per cent of market share.
The success in provincial wine and culinary tourism hasn’t been happenstance, and is due in large part to the BC Wine Institute’s long-term growth objective to ensure visitation to BC wineries is a key element of the health and vibrancy of the industry – with the most successful programs being those undertaken in cooperation with government and private sector partners, including the BC wine country trip-planning companion, the British Columbia Winery Touring Guide.
Created in partnership with Destination BC, the BC Winery Touring Guide provides a complete list of the more than 250 wineries in BC, including grape and other fruit wineries and cideries. It is an excellent example of a successful collaboration between the BC Wine Institute and Destination BC, providing visitors with more reasons to discover BC's wine country.
The Guide is available at visitor information centres, BC Liquor Stores and BC VQA Wine Stores across the province.
The British Columbia Wine Institute also partnered for a third consecutive year with Visa Infinite® to offer one-of-a-kind winery experiences, special discounts and complimentary tastings at more than 30 participating BC wineries. It features a nation-wide consumer awareness campaign, with ongoing social media support, providing yet another compelling reason to visit BC wine country, explore the wineries, meet the people and enjoy BC VQA wines.
In addition to giving access to special and unique participating winery offerings, cardholders also had the opportunity to dine in unforgettable winery settings where portfolio BC VQA wines are expertly paired with seasonally inspired cuisine prepared by preeminent chefs like Top Chef Canada Winners Dale MacKay and Matthew Stowe.
The numbers speak for themselves: The BC wine industry’s $2 billion economic impact includes BC wineries welcoming over 800,000 visitors every year (more than the province drew for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics), and generating $476 million in tourism and tourism employment related economic impact.
In the end, each bottle of BC VQA wine a visitor enjoys delivers a sensory experience that is as extraordinary and distinct as the province itself - the perfect excuse to come back again and again.