Thesis (MTech (Marketing Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2008 / Resident within the context of tourism marketing, this research, following a proposal that marketing the Western Cape Wine Routes, as a destination component, may enrich and strengthen the image and competition of South Africa as a tourist destination in China, has focused on the psychological behaviour of Chinese tourists and their demographic profiles in respect of the Western Cape Wine Routes. Within this research, a mixed research design was adapted, after layered literature studies that comprised tourism and marketing, consumer [tourist] behaviour and wine tourism, while fieldwork involved both qualitative and quantitative approaches, which covered both experienced and non-experienced Chinese tourists with regard to the Western Cape Wine Routes. During the research fieldwork, a tourist investigation included a set of mini-group interviews and an intercept survey [comprising 275 samples], which provided an understanding of Chinese tourists in respect of the Western Cape Wine Routes, as well as South Africa and Cape Town, by both underlying and broad data. As a result of this research, a blueprint to market the Western Cape Wine Routes as a destination component in China, in the form of a formulated framework, some business recommendations at a strategic level, are represented, which include strategic marketing directions, Chinese tourist market analysis, evaluation of current competition, SWOT analysis, strategic objectives and corresponding strategies in the form of the 8Ps of the tourism marketing mix, as well as major complementary strategic resources. Finally, within an academic perspective, future studies are also suggested. Key words: Chinese tourists, South Africa, strategic marketing, tourism, Western Cape, wine tourism, wine routes and wine tourists.

Mini-thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree MASTER OF TECHNOLOGY: MARKETING MANAGEMENT in the Faculty of Business at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2010 / This study examines the validity of the mystery shopper research method, which was applied in the context of wine tourism. In the process of achieving this objective, the service quality of selected wine estates along the Stellenbosch Wine Route (SWR) was also established. Furthermore, the findings reveal whether this research method is beneficial to facilitate customer relationships. Wine tourism is considered a special interest tourism that has received heightened global attention in the past decade, both practically and academically. This growth is also mirrored domestically, as wine tourism is one of the major attractions in the Western Cape. Since 2006, the number of wine estates in the Stellenbosch region rose by 12.3%, resulting in more than 140 wine estates that are currently available. This ultimately means that there are more wine estates, which all compete for the same customer base, and this increases competitiveness. Moreover, being a relatively homogenous product offering, with the key differential point being the actual winescape, it is important that wine estates focus on delivering superior service quality in order to achieve competitive advantage. This also calls for a need to systematically test service quality and procedures to ensure that desired levels are maintained. The research methodology that was used is exploratory in nature, comprising of two in-depth interviews and sixteen mystery visits via judgmental sampling. The mystery visits were conducted at the Stellenbosch Hills and Bottelary Hills sub-routes. One popular and one less recognised wine estate per sub-route were observed. Findings showed that service quality at these estates are generally high, yet experiences at all estates were vastly different. The most important discovery is that the concept of mystery visitors is, in fact, an appropriate vehicle to assess service quality and to facilitate customer relationships. This method was successful in identifying the source of problems that led to sub-optimal performance, which allowed for corrective action to be taken. As a result, the service quality of the estates can be further increased to ensure a perfect experience on each occasion, which, over time, builds the reputati~n of the wine estate. Ultimately, this research has demonstrated that mystery visitors can be applied in the context of tourism on both an individual and collective scale. Key words: wine tourism, special interest tourism, wine tourists, Western Cape, Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch Wine Route, service quality, research method, mystery shopper and mystery visitor.

Dissertation (PhD(Agric)) -- Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Due to increased consumer demand for products labelled by origin, and the requirement that these labels are a guarantee of both quality and product character, there is an increasing global focus on delimitation of denominations of origin. The integrity of denominations of origin and their defensibility can be ensured through the use of terroirs as a basis for delimitation. The aims of this study were to establish the dominant environmental criteria that affect the viticultural behaviour and wine character of two important cultivars (Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon blanc) in the Stellenbosch Wine of Origin District, to use an appropriate methodology to identify viticultural terroirs in this district based on these criteria and with the use of a geographic information system, and finally to use these viticultural terroirs to identify denominations of origin within the same area. A terroir can be defined as a grouping of homogenous environmental units, or natural terroir units, based on the typicality of the products obtained. Identification and characterisation of terroirs depends on knowledge of environmental parameters, the functioning of the grapevine and the characteristics of the final product. Field studies, resulting in point data, are necessary to investigate the functioning of the grapevine but in order for this information to be of use within zoning studies it must be placed in a spatial context. As a first phase in data acquisition, the Stellenbosch Wine of Origin District was characterised and natural terroir units were identified using existing digital data and a geographic information system. A natural terroir unit (NTU) can be defined as a unit of land that is characterised by relatively homogenous topography, climate, geological substrate and soil. A total of 1389 NTUs were identified in the Stellenbosch Wine of Origin District (84 537 ha). The identified NTUs were homogenous with respect to terrain morphological unit, altitude, aspect and soil type. Each of the identified units was further described with respect to the extent of the expected sea breeze effect and, for certain of the soil types, the associated parent material. As a second phase of data acquisition, a network of plots of Sauvignon blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon were delimited in commercial vineyards in proximity to weather stations and their viticultural and oenological response monitored for a period of seven years. Regression tree analyses were performed on the complete data set and the relative importance of the environmental and management related variables determined for each dependent variable. Excepting for scion clone, which had a high relative importance for bunch mass of Sauvignon blanc and yield to pruning mass index of Cabernet Sauvignon, no other non-environmental variable included in the analyses appeared to have a strong effect on grapevine performance and wine character. The performance of Cabernet Sauvignon was affected by the potassium content of the subsoil and the climate of the season. The performance of Sauvignon blanc appeared to be related to soil texture, wind exposure and temperature, both during the green berry growth stage and the month prior to ripening. From the results presented, it appears that environmental parameters have an overriding effect on the performance of both Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon blanc, but that these two cultivars react differently to environmental stimuli. A knowledge-driven model used the rules generated in the regression tree analyses to directly classify natural terroir units with respect to expected response of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon blanc in the Stellenbosch Wine of Origin District. The natural terroir units were thus grouped into terroir units that were homogenous with respect to predicted viticultural and oenological response for each cultivar. The use of representative sites to determine the response of the grapevine to its environment is time consuming and costly and limits terroir studies to research related investigations. Vineyard managers were therefore surveyed with respect to the functioning of established Sauvignon blanc vineyards in the Stellenbosch Wine of Origin District in an attempt to obtain the necessary data. Comparison of the data generated with these questionnaires to measured data in commercial vineyards suggested that the vineyard managers were able to characterise the performance of vineyards with respect to vigour, signs of drought stress and yield. Each vineyard was mapped and the responses were linked to modelled environmental variables. Classification and regression trees were used to construct decision trees, which could be applied to environmental data in a geographic information system to determine viticultural terroirs for production of Sauvignon blanc. These terroirs, although fewer, were comparable to those generated using field data. Data gathered during terroir studies, and the identified viticultural terroirs for Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon blanc, were used to revisit the boundaries of the Stellenbosch Wine of Origin District and the Simonsberg-Stellenbosch ward. Modifications were proposed based on expected wine characteristics. Boundaries for two new wards in the Helderberg basin were proposed. It was also possible to identify vineyards within a ward for the production of terroir specific wines. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Toenemende verbruikersaanvraag vereis produkte waarvan die etikette nie net die oorsprong aandui nie, maar ook kan dien as ‘n waarborg vir die produk se kwaliteit en kenmerkendheid. Hierdie tendens verklaar die toenemende wereldwye fokus op afgebakende areas van oorsprong. Die integriteit van die afgebakende areas van oorsprong sowel as hul verdedigbaarheid kan gewaarborg word deur terroirs as basis vir afbakening te gebruik. Die doelstellings van die studie was om die oorheersende omgewingseienskappe wat wingerdprestasie en wynkarakter van twee belangrike cultivars, naamlik Cabernet Sauvignon en Sauvignon blanc, in die Stellenbosch Wyn van Oorsprongsdistrik bemvloed, te bepaal; tweedens om ‘n toepaslike metodologie te gebruik om terroirs in die die distrik te bepaal wat gebaseer is op die geidentifiseerde omgewingseienskappe met die gebruik van ‘n geografiese inligtingstelsel; en, ten slotte, om hierdie terroirs vir wingerbou te gebruik om afgebakende areas van oorsprong in dieselfde omgewing te identifiseer. ‘n Terroir kan gedefinieer word as ‘n samestelling van homogene omgewingseenhede, of natuurlike terroir-eenhede (NTE), wat gebaseer word op die kenmerkende eienskappe van die produkte wat daaruit verkry word. Identifisering en karakterisering van terroirs sal afhang van kennis van die omgewingsparameters, die funksionering van die wingerdstok en die eienskappe van die finale produk. Veldstudies waaruit puntdata verkry word, is noodsaaklik om die funksionering van die wingerdstok te ondersoek. Dit is egter noodsaaklik om eers hierdie inligting in ruimtelike konteks te plaas alvorens die inligting vir soneringstudies gebruik kan word. As 'n eerste fase van datagenerering, was die Stellenbosch Wyn van Oorsprongsdistrik gekarakteriseer en NTE’s geidentifiseer deur gebruik te maak van bestaande digitale data en ‘n geografiese inligtingstelsel. ‘n NTE kan gedefinieer word as ‘n landseenheid wat gekarakteriseer word deur ‘n relatiewe homogene topografie, klimaat, geologiese substraat en grondtipe. ‘n Totaal van 1389 NTE’s is geidentifiseer in die Stellenbosch Wyn van Oorsprongsdistrik (84 537 ha). Die geidentifiseerde NTE’s was homogeen met betrekking tot die terrein morfologiese eenheid, hoogte bo seespieSI, hellingsaspek en grondtipe. Elk van die geidentifiseerde eenhede was verder beskryf volgens die omvang van die seewindinvloed en, vir toepaslike grond tipes, die geassosieerde moedermateriaal. As ‘n tweede fase van datagenerering is ‘n netwerk van persele van Cabernet Sauvignon en Sauvignon blanc afgebaken binne bestaande kommersiele wingerde in die nabyheid van weerstasies. Hul wingerd- en wynkundige respons is vir ‘n periode van sewe jaar gemonitor. Regressieboomanalises is gebruik om die volledige stel data te analiseer en om die relatiewe belang van omgewings- en bestuurspraktykverbonde veranderlikes te bepaal. Die bostokkloon (wat 'n hoe relatiewe belang vir die trosmassa van Sauvignon blanc en die oes- tot snoeimassa verhouding van Cabernet Sauvignon het) is die enigste van die nie-omgewingsparameter wat ‘n sterk invloed op wingerdprestasie of wynkarakter blyk te he. Die prestasie van Cabernet Sauvignon is beTnvloed deur die kaliuminhoud van die ondergrond sowel as die seisoensklimaat. By Sauvignon blanc het dit voorgekom of die prestasie verband hou met grondtekstuur, windblootstelling en temperatuur tydens die groen fase van korrelgroei sowel as die maand voor rypwording. Alhoewel dit blyk uit die resultate dat omgewingsparameters 'n oorheersende invloed op die prestasie van beide Cabernet Sauvignon en Sauvignon blanc uitoefen, reageer die twee cultivars verskillend op omgewingsprikkels. ‘n Kennisgedrewe model waarvan die riglyne uit resultate van die regressieboomanalise saamgestel is, word gebruik om NTE direk te klassifiseer ten opsigte van die verwagte respons van Cabernet Sauvignon en Sauvignon blanc in die Stellenbosch Wyn van Oorsprongsdistrik. Die NTE is dus gegroepeer om terroir eenhede te vorm wat homogeen was ten opsigte van die verwagte wingerd- en wynkundige respons vir elke cultivar. Die gebruik van verwysingspersele om die respons van die wingerdstok teenoor sy onmiddelike omgewing te bepaal, is tydrowend en duur en beperk sodoende terroir studies tot navorsing. Gevolglik is ‘n opname onder wingerdbestuurders gemaak om inligting oor die prestasie van Sauvignon blanc in die Stellenbosch Wyn van Oorsprongsdistrik in te win en sodoende die nodige data te verkry. Na vergelyking van die ingewinde data, wat uit die opname verkry is, met gemete data vanaf kommersiele wingerde, kon afgelei word dat wingerdbestuurders by magte is om die prestasie van wingerde ten opsigte van groeikrag, tekens van droogtestres en opbrengs te karakteriseer. Elke wingerd is gekarteer en die respons is gekoppel aan die gemodeleerde omgewingsparamters. Klassifikasie en regressiebome is gebruik om besluitnemingsmodelle saam te stel wat toegepas kon word op omgewingsdata in ‘n geografiese inligtingstelsel om terroirs vir die produksie van Sauvignon blanc te bepaal. Hierdie terroirs, alhoewel minder, was vergelykbaar met die wat gegenereer was met behulp van veldstudies. Data verkry met terroirstudies, sowel as gei'dentifiseerde terroir-eenhede, was gebruik om die grense van die Stellenbosch Wyn van Oorsrongsdistrik en die Simonsberg-Stellenbosch wyk te herbepaal. Voorgestelde modifiserings was gebaseer op verwagte wyneienskappe. Grense vir twee nuwe wyke in die Helderbergkom is voorgestel. Dit was ook moontlik om wingerde binne ‘n wyk te identifiseer vir die produksie van terroir-spesifieke wyne.

Thesis (MScAgric) -- University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: There is an increasing demand by the consumer for knowledge and understanding of the origin of each wine produced. This origin is directly linked to the interaction between the environment and grapevine, and therefore to the terroir. A terroir can be defined as a complex of natural factors being expressed through the final product and must therefore be studied in two steps, namely, the identification of relatively homogenous natural terroir units followed by their ecophysiological characterisation. The aim of this study was to characterise the Bottelaryberg-Simonsberg-Helderberg wine growing area according to existing digital information and to identify natural terroir units. The study area is situated to the southwest of Stellenbosch and covers an area of approximately 25 000 ha. Topography is a static feature of the landscape and affects the sunlight interception by a slope, exposure of a site to winds and drainage of soil water and air. It forms an important component of the terroir concept and has a strong interaction with the environmental components of climate and soil. The study area is bordered by mountains and bisected by a river valley resulting in a large variation in aspect and altitude affecting both spatial and temporal temperature variability. There is no doubt as to the important effect of climate on wine character and quality. A number of indices can be used to describe the regional climate. The study area has a Mediterranean climate with notable spatial variation of all climatic parameters due to its complex topography and proximity to the ocean. The effect of geology on wme character is less clear but appears to act through its contribution to the physical properties of the soil. In the Bottelaryberg-Simonsberg- Helderberg study area the geology is complex due to the high degree of tectonic movement and mixing of parent material. In situ weathering of rocks is seldom the only source of soil formation. Soil has a number of contributing factors affecting wine character and quality, inter alia, soil colour, temperature, chemical composition, depth and texture (affecting the water supplying properties of the soil). It is the last two that appear to have the most significant effect. Soil depth affects the buffer capacity of the soil to temper climatic extremes and the water supply has a well-recorded effect on vine growth and functioning. There is a high degree of soil variation in the Bottelaryberg-Simonsberg-Helderberg study area that is difficult to represent in soil associations. A pattern of soil distribution, however, can be noticed in relation to landscape variation. Terrain morphological units, altitude and aspect were used as pnmary keys for the identification of natural terroir units. Broad soil categories and geological information were included at a secondary level. This resulted in 195 units. These natural terroir units will form the basis for future ecophysiological characterisation in order to determine possible future cultivar distribution as well as the terroir effect on wine character. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar is toenemende aanvraag vanaf die verbruiker vir kennis en begrip van die oorsprong van elke wyn wat geproduseer word. Die oorsprong is direk aan die interaksie tussen die omgewing en wingerd gekoppel, en daarom ook die terroir. Terroir kan omskryf word as die kompleks van natuurlike faktore wat in die finale produk uitdrukking vind en studies daarvan moet dus in twee stappe plaasvind, d.i. die identifisering van relatiewe homogene natuurlike terroir eenhede gevolg deur die ekofisiologiese karakterisering daarvan. Die doel van die studie was om die Bottelaryberg-Simonsberg-Helderberg wynproduserende gebied te karakteriseer, met behulp van bestaande versyferde data en om natuurlike terroir eenhede te identifiseer. Topografie is 'n vaste landskapskenmerk en beïnvloed sonligonderskepping deur hellings, blootstelling van 'n ligging aan wind en die dreinerin~ van grondwater en beweging van koue lug. Dit is 'n belangrike deel van die terroir konsep en het sterk interaksie met omgewingsfaktore van grond en klimaat. Die studiegebied word begrens deur berge en is deursny deur 'n riviervallei, met groot variasie in helling en aspek. Beide hiervan beïnvloed die ruimtelike- en daaglik-variasies in daaglikse maksimum temperatuur. Die belangrike effek van klimaat op wynkarakter en kwaliteit is duidelik soos weerspieël deur die beskikbaarheid van 'n aantal makroklimaatsindekse. Alle klimaatsparameters word deur topografie beïnvloed. Temperatuur en relatiewe humiditeit word ook deur afstand vanaf die see beïnvloed. Die studie area het 'n Meditereense klimaat, met merkwaardige ruimtelike variasie van alle klimaatsparameters. Die effek van geologie op wynkarakter is minder duidelik, maar het waarskynlik 'n effek op die fisiese eienskappe van 'n grond. Die geologie in die Bottelaryberg-Simonsberg- Helderberg studiegebied is kompleks, as gevolg van die hoë graad van tektoniese beweging en vermenging van moedermateriaal. In situ vorming van gronde uit gesteentes vind selde plaas: Grond het 'n groot aantal bydraende faktore, wat wynkarakter en -kwaliteit kon beïnvloed, onder andere, grondkleur, -temperatuur, -chemiese samestelling, -diepte en -tekstuur (wat die waterleweringsvermoë van die grond bepaal). Dit is veral laasgenoemde twee faktore wat blykbaar die mees opvallendste effek openbaar. Gronddiepte bepaal die buffer kapasiteit van die grond om klimaatsuiterstes te kan weerstaan en die waterleweringsvermoë het 'n alombekende effek op wingerdgroei en funksionering. Daar is 'n hoë graad van grondvariasie in die Bottelaryberg-Simonsberg-Helderberg studiegebied wat moeilik is om met grondassosiasies weer te gee. Daar is wel 'n patroon van grond distribusie wat verband hou met landskapvariasie. Terrein morfologiese eenhede, hoogte en aspek is gebruik as primêre sleutels vir die indentifisering van natuurlike terroir eenhede. Globale grondkategorieë en geologiese inligting is op 'n sekondêre vlak gebruik. Dit het 195 eenhede tot gevolg. Die natuurlike terroir eenhede sal die basis vorm vir toekomstige ekofisiologiese karakterisering, om die terroir effek op wynkarakter te kan bepaal.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Wine tourism is emerging as an increasingly significant phenomenon in wine-producing regions throughout the world. The Stellenbosch Wine Region (SWR) is no exception and has experienced dramatic changes in the last decade. However, despite the documented industry development and rapid participant expansion, there has been insufficient systematic study of the extent, development, management and marketing of the wine tourism product provided by wine farms. This study investigates the SWR in terms of the commercial efforts, initiatives, services, facilities and the commodification of resources that occur on wine farms to form the wine tourism product. The aim of the study is to establish the degree of commercialisation and commodification in the SWR. This is achieved through realising three research objectives, namely 􀂾���������� compiling a thorough and complete list of manifestations and indicators that describe commercialisation and commodification in the wine tourism product on wine farms; 􀂾���������� establishing the degree of commercialisation and commodification at each individual wine farm in the research area; and 􀂾���������� portraying and analysing the spatial distribution of the degrees of commercialisation and commodification. A focus group of twelve individuals involved with wine tourism allocated relative importance weightings for each of the 81 identified manifestations and indicators of commercialisation and commodification compiled in the questionnaire that was distributed to the wine farms in the study area. The questionnaire required respondents to indicate the presence or absence of the listed manifestations or indicators on their respective farms. This data, used in conjunction with the importance weightings, facilitated the calculation of a value representing the degree of commercialisation and commodification for each farm, and so too for the SWR. The study results confirmed the importance of commercialisation and commodification with every wine farm having some form of these phenomena and the SWR having a 38 percent average degree of commercialisation and commodification. Of the five wine routes in the SWR, the Stellenbosch Hills route has the highest degree of commercialisation and commodification with 42 percent. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die opkoms van wyntoerisme is ‘n toenemend betekenisvolle verskynsel in wynstreke dwarsoor die wêreld. Die Stellenbosch Wynstreek (SWS) is geen uitsondering nie en het dramatiese veranderinge oor die laaste dekade ervaar. Ten spyte van die gedokumenteerde ontwikkeling in die bedryf en die vinnige deelnemer uitbreiding, is daar nie genoegsame sistematiese studie van die omvang, ontwikkeling, bestuur en bemarking van die wyntoerismeproduk, gelewer deur die wynplase, nie. Hierdie studie ondersoek die SWS in terme van die kommersiële pogings, inisiatiewe, dienste, fasiliteite en die kommodifikasie van hulpbronne wat op wynplase gevind word om die wyntoerismeproduk te vorm. Die doel van die studie is om die graad van kommersialisering en kommodifikasie in die SWS vas te stel. Dit word bereik deur die realisering van drie navorsingsdoelwitte, naamlik 􀂾��������� die definiëring van ‘n volledige en deeglike lys van manifestasies en indikatore wat die kommersialisering en kommodifikasie van die wyntoerismeproduk op wynplase beskryf; 􀂾��������� die bepaling van die graad van kommersialisering en kommodifikasie by elke wynplaas in die navorsingsgebied; en 􀂾��������� die uitbeelding en analisering van die ruimtelike verspreiding van die grade van kommersialisering en kommodifikasie. ‘n Fokusgroep, bestaande uit twaalf individue betrokke in wyntoerisme, het relatiewe belangrikheidsgewigte toegeken aan elk van die geїdentifiseerde manifestasies en indikatore van kommersialisering en kommodifikasie, wat saamgevoeg is in die vraelyste wat versprei is na die onderskeie wynplase in die studiegebied. Die respondente moes die teenwoordigheid of afwesigheid van die gelyste manifestasies aandui. Hierdie data, saam met die belangrikheidsgewigte, is aangewend om waardes te bereken wat die graad van kommersialisering en kommodifikasie van elke wynplaas, asook die SWS, verteenwoordig. Die navorsing bevestig die belangrikheid van kommersialisering en kommodifikasie en elke plaas is gekenmerk deur vorme van hierdie verskynsels met die SWS wat ‘n 38 persent gemiddelde graad van kommersialisering en kommodifikasie behaal. Van die vyf wynroetes in die SWS, het die Stellenbosch Hills-roete die hoogste graad van kommersialisering en kommodifikasie vertoon, naamlik 42 persent.

Commercial reality demands that the South African wine industry convert from its current production orientation to a marketing orientation, by drawing on all new and existing marketing channels in order to ensure its continued success. International research has shown that wine tourism can add value to and benefit a winery as a direct marketing channel. This study investigated the role that wine tourism currently plays within the marketing strategies of wineries in the Stellenbosch Wine Route of South Africa. Findings of the exploratory research indicated that many wineries do not comprehend the positive influence of wine tourism and view it as a secondary marketing activity. It is concluded that South African wine marketers could profit from utilising wine tourism as an integral part of their marketing strategy in order to maintain and increase their share of the alcoholic beverage market. / Business Management / M. Comm. (Business Management)

Commercial reality demands that the South African wine industry convert from its current production orientation to a marketing orientation, by drawing on all new and existing marketing channels in order to ensure its continued success. International research has shown that wine tourism can add value to and benefit a winery as a direct marketing channel. This study investigated the role that wine tourism currently plays within the marketing strategies of wineries in the Stellenbosch Wine Route of South Africa. Findings of the exploratory research indicated that many wineries do not comprehend the positive influence of wine tourism and view it as a secondary marketing activity. It is concluded that South African wine marketers could profit from utilising wine tourism as an integral part of their marketing strategy in order to maintain and increase their share of the alcoholic beverage market. / Business Management / M. Comm. (Business Management)