NEW WEBSITE PUTS REGIONAL WINE TOURISM ON THE MAP!

Planning a holiday to South Australia’s Limestone Coast and South-West Victoria is now possible at the touch of a button, with a new map-based tourism website for the ‘Mixed Dozen’ Wine Trails Project set to be officially launched at today’s Coonawarra Cup in Penola.

www.limestonecoast.org.au connects and builds on the tourism offering across seven local wine regions, acting as a digital itinerary planning tool that links multiple wine and tourism attractions. Mixed Dozen project manager, Toni Duka, says the site’s map-based functionality allows visitors to discover the region’s vast array of experiences quickly and easily, with the added ability to ‘build-your-own-adventure’ exploring attractions specific to the user’s interests.

“The site is user-centred, encouraging self-guided discovery with suggested and personally tailored itineraries,” she explains. “We often hear that visitors ‘didn’t realise there was so much to do’ once they got here, and this new website gives a digital snapshot of what is on offer, inviting visitors to unearth the treasures of the region and explore the road less travelled.”

Click-on categories include Drink, Eat, Stay, See & Do, Events and Trails, with the site providing an overview of each attraction, opening hours, contact details and booking links. Local business operators control their own listing information through the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse, with the ability for the region to upload general content and new itineraries to keep the site fresh and engaging.

The Limestone Coast’s Tourism Industry Development Manager, Biddie Shearing, says www.limestonecoast.org.au is an important tool for attracting more domestic and international visitors and giving them the best possible experience.

“A ‘getting here’ section links to popular Adelaide and Melbourne touring routes as well as the Grampians Tourism and the Great Ocean Road, and the user-friendly technology will enable visitors to research, plan and connect with tourism operators right across the region all from a desktop or hand-held device,” she explains. “Ultimately, the site is about encouraging visitors to venture further and increase the length of time they spend in the region, therefore boosting economic return.”

The Limestone Coast Mixed Dozen Interactive Wine Trails Project has been funded through the Australian Government’s $50 million Export and Regional Wine Support Package, through the International Wine Tourism Competitive Grants program, and 10 additional funding partners across state and local government, industry and community.