Blending industry varietals : developmental considerations for the South African wine tourism industry

Includes bibliographical references.There is consensus that wine tourism summarily offers a strong competitive advantage for wine regions, and can generate profitable business for wineries, other wine-related products and for visitor services. And in the four decades since the first manifestation of South African wine tourism was established in the Stellenbosch wine route, there has been general agreement that South African wine tourism has grown significantly in both local and international reputation and recognition. As a result of the widely identified potential of wine tourism, the South African industry has presented a continuing expectation of sustained industrial growth and tangible developmental manifestations and contributions. However, the industry successes since democracy have more recently been shadowed by an increasingly evident developmental frustration and dissatisfaction on the part of stakeholders, academics and observers.There has been considerable discussion and argument over the growing evidence of non-existent or insufficiently developed industry associative networks, the wide spread and overbearing prevalence of a production mind set and the mounting agreement that there are tremendous amounts of further research and investment still required if South African wine tourism is to realize the true value of its assets. This study identifies and clarifies this prevalent practical problem and research concern of slow and disparate development in the South African wine tourism industry in cognizance of the increasingly evident dissatisfaction and unrealized expectation of South African wine tourism industry stakeholders