It’s hard to know where to start when rating a seminar like the Wine Tourism Conference that took place last week. The level of international expertise was pretty high on the agenda to me, and I promise that’s got nothing to do with my country of origin!

The talk by Robin Shaw from the Winemakers Federation of Australia was up there with the best. Robin spoke about the simple things that the smallest cellar can do to keep the visitors coming back to hear and sample more. This can include clear signs and warm facilities, or training staff to direct clientele to the best that the region offers.

The panel discussions focussed on similar ideas, and the recurring theme was this: it’s all about the people, people! Wine cellars who focus on their valued clientele are the ones who prosper whatever the state of the world economy.
So get out there and smile guys, learn about your route and make your visitors glad that they chose to stop by!