Speaking as the VP of a small group of small wineries.
We are dependent upon visitors to our tasting rooms. We have seen a drop in visitors from outside the state with the decrease in marketing for state tourism.
Walla Walla wineries have done a great of assessing themselves enough money to hire a professional team for attracting folks.
We struggle to everybody on board to do similar activities.
The majority of small wineries are challenged to get folks to their doors. We are all hoping this summer will bring back the national and international visitors.
I understand the struggles of small wineries. But to paint the entire Washington wine industry as having been set back a decade because of a lack of tourist dollars is more than a stretch. Let's not forget the impact of Covid on tourism. All the advertising in the world wouldn't have changed that.
There's also the issue of the economy as a whole - with inflation and wages still not matching it, there's less disposable income for out-of-state trips and lavish spending on wine tours/wine trips. God knows I would love to visit Washington wine counties and spend frivolously, but that just ain't in the cards right now. The pendulum will swing back, eventually, but industries across the board are feeling the crunch.
Very interesting article. Here in Spokane the wine scene is really taking off and they have formed a marketing board of winery owners and winemakers who are beginning to create a swell of interest through mostly social media. It's very well done and creating a lot of interest and support for each other verses competition. I had a conversation with a Red Mountain owner who was so frustrated with other wineries who wouldn't embrace her vision for making the Yakima/Tricities area a destination spot for all the wineries in the area. One of the wineries we are members of in Prosser started doing home deliveries for any purchase of 6 bottles or more. They thrived in Covid times when other wineries failed. I'm not saying that's the solution for everyone, but being innovative seems to work. Love Walla Walla, by the way - can't wait to get back there this spring.
Thank you for the insights. Tough times and even tougher competition calls for innovation and it sounds as if the Spokane wineries are doing an excellent job.
Speaking as the VP of a small group of small wineries.
We are dependent upon visitors to our tasting rooms. We have seen a drop in visitors from outside the state with the decrease in marketing for state tourism.
Walla Walla wineries have done a great of assessing themselves enough money to hire a professional team for attracting folks.
We struggle to everybody on board to do similar activities.
The majority of small wineries are challenged to get folks to their doors. We are all hoping this summer will bring back the national and international visitors.
Paul Vandenberg
Paradisos del Sol Winery and Organic Vineyard
I understand the struggles of small wineries. But to paint the entire Washington wine industry as having been set back a decade because of a lack of tourist dollars is more than a stretch. Let's not forget the impact of Covid on tourism. All the advertising in the world wouldn't have changed that.
There's also the issue of the economy as a whole - with inflation and wages still not matching it, there's less disposable income for out-of-state trips and lavish spending on wine tours/wine trips. God knows I would love to visit Washington wine counties and spend frivolously, but that just ain't in the cards right now. The pendulum will swing back, eventually, but industries across the board are feeling the crunch.
Very interesting article. Here in Spokane the wine scene is really taking off and they have formed a marketing board of winery owners and winemakers who are beginning to create a swell of interest through mostly social media. It's very well done and creating a lot of interest and support for each other verses competition. I had a conversation with a Red Mountain owner who was so frustrated with other wineries who wouldn't embrace her vision for making the Yakima/Tricities area a destination spot for all the wineries in the area. One of the wineries we are members of in Prosser started doing home deliveries for any purchase of 6 bottles or more. They thrived in Covid times when other wineries failed. I'm not saying that's the solution for everyone, but being innovative seems to work. Love Walla Walla, by the way - can't wait to get back there this spring.
Thank you for the insights. Tough times and even tougher competition calls for innovation and it sounds as if the Spokane wineries are doing an excellent job.