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Wellington as a developing South African wine tourism destination

Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The focus of this thesis is the Wellington Wine District as a developing South African wine tourism
destination. It is a newly designated wine district (March 2012) and an exploratory research study was
undertaken to determine what the Brand ‘DNA’ of the Wellington Wine District is and then to propose
appropriate marketing strategies for the developing wine tourism destination.
The research process focussed on two types of wine tourism behaviour, namely festival-goers at the
Wellington Wine Harvest Festival and the visitors to selected Wellington Wine Route members’ cellar
doors. Surveys were executed by means of interviews and self-administration of structured questionnaires.
Results were analysed in terms of two categories: first time visitors (FTV) and repeat visitors (RV). The
findings revealed that at the Wellington Wine Harvest Festival visitors came in groups of 2 to 4, they heard
about the festival from friends, the RV were high (93%), the visitors brought their young children along
and the main reason for attending the festival was because both FTV and RV enjoy drinking wine. The
findings of the cellar door survey showed that a high percentage (93%) of visitors were repeat visitors; that
most visitors live within a radius of 100km of the wine district; that visitors are younger people without
children; and that word-of-mouth references and ‘enjoy a tasting experience’ were the main reasons to visit
the cellar door. These visitors overall have a good (self-assigned) wine knowledge.
The proposed marketing strategies are based on the 7 Brand ‘DNA’ elements which could be determined
from the results: 1. Scenery that includes the nature (fynbos), the mountains and the beautiful vineyards.
2. The Wellington Wine District is seen as rural and off the beaten track.
3. The environment is untouched and unspoiled.
4. Wellington inhabitants are welcoming, friendly, decent and warm.
5. Wine quality is good, wine is affordable and there is a wide variety available.
6. Red wine is seen as excellent wine with great quality.
7. All year round, the weather in Wellington is acceptable.
Marketing strategy proposals take into account the obvious importance of the winescape and its
preservation, the age group of visitors as the target market, the different consumer needs in terms of a
festival and cellar door visitation, as well as the fact that friends and family and word-of-mouth are the
primary sources of information. This study contributes to the knowledge pool of information on wine tourist behaviour in South Africa. It
has broadened the field of information on the wine marketing strategies that a developing wine district can
implement based on the destination Brand ‘DNA’. The research findings are limited in that the study was
exploratory in nature and undertaken in the low season. It is recommended that the research study be
repeated in the future as the wine district grows as a destination. Greater understanding of the specific
leisure needs and expectations of the visitors is required. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die fokus van hierdie tesis is die ontwikkeling van die Wellington Wyndistrik as ʼn wyntoerisme
bestemmingspunt in Suid-Afrika. Dit is ʼn nuut aangewysde wyndistrik (Maart 2012). Daar is ʼn
ondersoekende navorsings studie geloots om vas te stel wat is die kenmerk ‘DNA’ van die Wellington
Wyndistrik is en dan ʼn toepaslike bemarkingstrategie voor te stel vir hierdie ontwikkelende wyntoerisme
bestemming.
Die navorsingproses fokus op twee tipes gedrags patrone van die wyntoeriste, naamlik feesgangers by die
‘Wellington Wine Harvest Festival’ en die besoekers by die proelokale van geselekteerde wynkelders vir
die studie op die Wellington Wynroete. Navorsing is uitgevoer in die vorm van onderhoude en die invul
van gestruktureerde vraelyste. Die resultate is geanaliseer in die volgende twee kategorieë: eerstekeer
besoeker (FTV – First Time Visitor) en herhaalde besoeker (RV – Repeat Visitor). Die resultate het getoon
dat by die ‘Wellington Wine Harvest Festival’, besoekers die fees bygewoon het in groepe van 2 tot 4
mense, hulle het van die fees gehoor by vriende, die ‘RV’ syfer was hoog (93%), die besoekers het hulle
jong kinders saam gebring na die fees en die hoofrede vir die ‘FTV’ en ‘RV’ om die fees te besoek was dat
hulle daarvan hou om wyn te drink. Die resultate van die opnames by die proelokale het getoon dat meeste
besoekers (93%) herhalende besoekers was; dat meeste besoekers binne ʼn radius van 100km van die
wyndistrik woon; dat besoekers jonger persone sonder kinders is; en dat die hoofredes vir hulle besoeke
was as gevolge van mondelinge inligting en die genotvolle ervarings wat hulle beleef het. Besoekers glo
oor die algemeen dat hulle oor ‘redelike goeie wyn kennis’ beskik.
Die voorgestelde bemarkingstrategieë is gebaseer op die 7 kenmerke van die handelsmerk (‘DNA’) van die
bestemming wat vasgestel kon word uit die resultate: 1. Uitsigte wat die natuur (fynbos), berge en mooi wingerde insluit.
2. Die Wellington Wyn Distrik word gesien as die platteland en weg van die hoofstroom.
3. Die omgewing is onaangeraak en onbedorwe.
4. Wellington se mense is verwelkomend, vriendelik, ordentlik en aangenaam.
5. Die kwaliteit van die wyn is goed, bekostigbaar en daar is ʼn groot verskeidenheid beskikbaar.
6. Die rooiwyn is van uitstekende gehalte.
7. Regdeur die jaar is die klimaat aangenaam in Wellington.
Die bemarkingstrategie voorstel neem in ag die belangrikheid van die ‘winescape’ en die instandhouding
daarvan, die teikenmark se ouderdomsgroepe, die verskillende kliente se behoeftes by feeste en die
proelokale en die feit dat familie en vriende en mondelingse inligting die primêre bron van informasie is. Hierdie navorsingstudie dra by tot die kennis aangaande die gedrag van wyn toeriste in Suid-Afrika. Dit
het die bron van informasie vergroot rakende die bemarkingstrategieë wat ʼn ontwikkelende wyndistrik kan
implementeer, gebaseer op die bestemde kenmerke ‘DNA’. Die navorsings bevindinge is beperk omdat die
studie ondersoekend was en buite seisoentyd plaasgevind het. Dit word aanbeveel dat die navorsingstudie
herhaal word in die toekoms omrede hierdie wyndistrik nog ʼn groeiende industrie is. Daar word nog ʼn
groter verstandhouding benodig van wat die besoekers se spesifiek behoeftes en verwagtinge is.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/96032
Date12 1900
CreatorsGoosen, Wilhelmina
ContributorsVink, Nick, Alant, Karin, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Agricultural Economics.
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
Format118 p. : maps

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