Wine Trails: A Magnet for Tourists Cooperation Pay$
Jim Trezise
President,
New York Wine & Grape Foundation
New York Wine & Grape Foundation
Private, nonprofit, statewide trade association since 1985
All grapes and grape products: wine, juice, table grapes
All regions: Long Island, Hudson River, Finger Lakes, Champlain Valley, Niagara Escarpment, Lake Erie, Other
Promotion and Research
Promotional Strategy
Bring the people to the wine (tourism generation)
Take the wine to the people (urban market promotions)
Spread the Quality message (wine competitions, magazine ratings)
Wine Trail Evolution
1983: Cayuga Wine Trail created -- #1 in America
1985: New York Wine & Grape Foundation created
2016: 17 New York wine trails spanning the state (Long Island, Dutchess, Shawangunk, Cayuga, Seneca, Keuka, Canandaigua, Thousand Islands, Lake Ontario, Niagara, Lake Erie, Chautauqua, Adirondack Coast, Cooperstown, Hudson-Berkshire, St. Lawrence, Upper Hudson Valley)
Provided model for other states
Provided model for other commodities (beer, cheese, maple, etc.)
Key Elements
Unity—Competitors collaborating
Geographical logic (logical geography)
Bylaws, financial structure, regular meetings
Highway signage
Brochure
Website
Special Events
Advertising
Unity
Unity
“Diversity is our Strength. Unity is our Power.”
Intend to agree
Disagree agreeably
Leave your ego at the door
Think beyond yourself
Try things
Fear not failure
Keep changing
Targeted Marketing
Friends and neighbors
Concentric circles
Wine Club members
Direct shipping
Special events
Urban market focus
Varietal focus
Public relations
Highway Signage
Interstate (if allowed)
State roads
Uniform design
At winery entrances and exits
On brochures and website
Brochure
“Printed website”
Winery information (location, hours, credit cards, etc.)
Maps
Tourist information (hotels, B&B, restaurants)
Website
“Electronic brochure”
Same basic information, but more extensive
Trip planner
Hot links to wineries, other members
Mobile version
“Discover New York Wineries” Interactive Infographic
Special Events
4-7 per year
Themes: Holiday, Food, Season, Charity
Valentine’s Day through Christmas
Advance planning and promotion
Evaluation and adaptation
Revenue stream for wine trail
Advertising
Social Media
Billboards
Select print
Radio and TV
Results 1985 vs. 2016
Number of wineries: 63 vs. 418 (accelerating)
Number of wine trails: 1 vs. 17
Number of winery tourist visits: 340,000 vs. 5,200,000
Wine-related tourism expenditures: $401,000,000
State and local taxes paid: $408,000,000
Results
Industry Growth
Industry Growth
2016
Industry Growth
Economic Impact
Wine Trails: The Bottom Line
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Competitions Collaborating
Diversity is our Strength Unity is our Power
Questions?
Jim Trezise
President, New York Wine & Grape Foundation
www.newyorkwines.org
Sam Filler
Executive Director, New York Wine & Grape Foundation
www.newyorkwines.org