OVERVIEW
Wine and grapes Resilience is now part of the grape-growing story.
W
ine tourism in the Western Cape grew 16% in 2017 compared to 2016, according to a study done by Wesgro and Explore Sideways. This illustrates that the value of wine to the regional economy goes far beyond grapes and wine. The study, which surveyed 40 tour operators responsible for 19 000 trips, also found that 99% of Cape Town-based itineraries include a trip to the Winelands. A Vinpro report shows that wine tourism contributes R15-billion to the local economy. Local wine sales bring in R13.2-billion. Excise and other taxes paid by the wine industry amounted to R6.7-billion in 2017, up by 8% from the previous year, according to Koos Nel of Old Mutual Personal Finance. Wine sales and exports are the most obvious economic contributors but in a broader sense, sectors such as agri-processing, tourism, WESTERN CAPE BUSINESS 2019
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SECTOR INSIGHT Wine tourism contributes R15-billion to the regional economy. hospitality, manufacturing, retail and trade are all affected by wine grapes in one way or another. Nel has also drawn attention to how well the wine and grapegrowing sector is responding to prolonged droughts. Although the yield in 2018 was expected to be
