A PUSH to market Australian wine and regions internationally has received a $50-million funding boost.
The federal government has launched a three-year project aimed at building export markets and encouraging tourists to visit Australian wineries more.
Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce said the goal was to increase the value and volume of Australian wine heading into overseas markets, but also to increase the number of jobs associated with the industry.
“In the past three years, we’ve had increased value in the wine industry of 5 per cent, 11pc and 10pc (respectively),” he said.
“The wine industry is having its best returns since 2008 and there is the capacity to grow more.
“We’re targeting an increase from $2.2 billion to $3.5b by 2021.”
As well as lifting the value of wine exports by 8pc – with a 15-17pc lift in China and 6pc rise to the United States – the aim is to attract 40,000 more international tourists to Australian wine regions, delivering an estimated $170m to the economy.
Agriculture Assistant Minister and SA Senator Anne Ruston said the push to increase tourism in these regions was an extra way to “value-add” to Australian wine.
The $50m project includes $32.5m for a marketing campaign, $3m to help local businesses become “China-ready”, $10m in cellar door and tourism-focused grants and $500,000 for transforming cider businesses.
Wine Australia chair Brian Walsh said there was already plans to market Australian wine in San Francisco, New York and Hong Kong in the next few weeks, on top of existing marketing strategies.