NZ Wine Forum 2026: India FTA and South Korea Insights
New Zealand Wine 2026 offered wine business insights, along with the chance for connection and collective celebration.
That momentum, combined with the recent arrival of the Michelin Guide to New Zealand and boosted promotion of the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail (CNZWT), made it a timely topic to dive into at the New Zealand Wine 2026 Wine Business Forum in August.
Brodie McLeish from Tourism New Zealand reminded the audience that wine tourism is about far more than cellar door revenue. Today's visitors are increasingly seeking authentic food and wine experiences that help them connect with New Zealand's people, places and stories. A memorable winery visit can influence future purchasing behaviour long after a visitor has returned home. In other words, tourism marketing and wine marketing should reinforce one another. A great winery experience can ultimately create export demand.
Anna Nielson, Chief Executive at Destination Wairarapa, built on this theme by sharing results from the recent CNZWT promotion, demonstrating the success that can be achieved through regional collaboration. Hawke's Bay, Wairarapa and Marlborough have partnered in the trail for more than two decades, and Anna's presentation reinforced the value of linking wine, food, culture and landscapes into a connected visitor journey, while highlighting how collaboration can extend the reach of individual wineries and regions.
"With Tourism New Zealand focussed on elevating New Zealand's food and beverage on the world stage, the time has never been better for the tourism sector to align more consciously with our region's wine growers and vice versa," she said. "And why is wine tourism important for the wine industry? It helps build brand loyalty and potentially repeat purchasing for the wine producer."
Putting these ideas into a winery context along the CNZWT, Joanne Delich from Craggy Range, Pip Goodwin from Palliser Estate and Wendy Trolove and Ant Moore Group shared their experiences of turning visitor experiences into lasting brand connections and commercial value.
Charlotte Read is General Manager, Brand at New Zealand Winegrowers.
