South
Africa’s oldest wine route, the Stellenbosch American Express® Wine Routes, was
voted the Best Promotional Body at the Wine Tourism Awards 2015
of the authoritative Drinks International magazine, one of the most trusted and
respected global drinks journals, for the second consecutive year.
In
addition, this coveted competition which serves as an industry benchmark for
excellence in the field of wine tourism, also lauded the Stellenbosch Wine
Routes as a Highly Commended contender in the Best Digital & Social Media
Initiative category for their interactive StellenBlog. This blog was launched
in 2014, when the Stellenbosch Wine Routes and the town’s tourism outfit,
Stellenbosch 360, embarked on a joint wine tourism campaign, Stellenbosch
Experience, to broaden the area’s tourism footprint on an international
scale.
“It
is great to see that our innovative wine tourism efforts to promote the region
are getting international recognition. Research has shown that more and more
visitors opt for experiential, multi-dimensional destinations and memorable
experiences rather than merely being passive spectators when on leisure or business
trips and Stellenbosch certainly has it all and more. More attention, more
comfort and more exciting experiences for the whole family,” shares Annareth Bolton, CEO of the Stellenbosch Wine Routes.
When
visiting this ‘Forever Young’ town one soon discovers that it is worth far more
than just a day trip to indulge in world-class wines. As the country’s Gourmet
and Wine Capital it boasts four of the 2014 Eat Out Top Ten Restaurants – with
all four of them based on wine farms. They are The Restaurant at Jordan;
Overture nestled at Hidden Valley; Rust en Vrede Restaurant, and Terroir at
Kleine Zalze.
“This
highlights the area’s growing trend of good quality restaurants opening their
doors on wine farms and our town’s booming success as a top wine and
dine destination,” adds Bolton.
Besides
excellent restaurants, a plethora of accommodation offerings ranging from
budget-friendly to top end luxury, a vibrant street café culture and
world-class art, the quaint town of Stellenbosch is also fuelled with a rich
cultural mix.
“A
major draw card of Stellenbosch is its people and the town cradles no less than
six neighbouring
communities: Cloetesville, Ida’s Valley, Jamestown, Kayamandi, Klapmuts and
Raithby. Through our responsible tourism initiatives these communities take
centre stage to showcase the abundance of inherent talent, natural resources
and authentic offerings that make Stellenbosch such a real and memorable
destination,” shares Annemarie Ferns, CEO of Stellenbosch 360.
One such
encounter that encourages tourists to travel with a cultural interest is Stellenbosch 360’s new Route 360 Tours through Kayamandi.
Intrepid explorers in search of more inspirational experiences and enlightening
excursion off the beaten track can now engage with the vibrant locals of this
pulsating community through fun-filled tours on foot. During these walkabouts
tourists can for example engage in performing and visual arts; enroll for a
private Xhosa cooking lesson with Mama Swartbooi in her home and witness
authentic customs such as a ‘Smiley’ (sheep head) being prepared, right there
on the pavement.
2015
highlights on the Stellenbosch Experience’s programme include an all new
Winelands Chocolate Festival from 5 to 7 June as well as the hosting of top
international media and social media influencers to share their Stellenbosch
experiences with the world.
Visit
the user-friendly StellenBlog http://blog.wineroute.co.za/
for the latest success stories and attractions through various categories featured on the catchy blog
wall. Or contact Stellenbosch 360 at Tel:
021 883 3584 or at their information centre at 36 Market Street. Also
make sure to visit the Stellenbosch Wine Routes’ brand new Wine Tourism Visitor
Centre at 47 Church Street, where free wifi, good coffee and casual wine
tastings come standard.