Washington State Wine Commission (WSWC) has joined forces with the State of Washington Tourism, Visit Seattle and the Port of Seattle to launch a wine-tourism focused strategy to drive awareness amongst the UK trade and media.
The collaboration plans to inspire UK consumers to add the ‘Evergreen State’ to holiday wish lists as a top destination for wine, food and adventure. The campaign was kicked off with a joint venture, which welcomed 40 trade and media to taste, sip and experience Washington State from the comfort of central London via immersive technology. The lunch was specially created by Seattle-based Chef Kerry Sear and took guests through a five-course menu paired with premium wines produced by the Pacific Northwest state.
The organisations believe the best way to help consumers fall in love with Washington wines is to fall in love with Washington State – the two being inextricably linked. Despite its moniker as the Evergreen State, eastern Washington is largely semi-arid desert perfect for winegrowing, showing just one way in which trade and consumers alike can be surprised by what this region has to offer.
With a plethora of excellent quality wines being produced across the region’s 20 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), and the multitude of boutique independent wineries that make up the majority of the industry, Washington State is perfectly positioned to host wine and adventure loving tourists for long, leisurely road-trips across this gastronomic haven.
From the state’s largest city, Seattle, which has dozens of urban wineries within its city limits, travellers can drive to the major wine growing regions located over the Cascade Mountains in just a few hours. The state of Washington offers an ideal blend of urban escapes and easily accessible outdoor adventures with cities like Spokane, Olympia, Walla Walla, and Yakima all surrounded by beautiful hiking, cycling, and water adventures.
Supporting the growth of wine tourism to Washington State, the town of Woodinville is ideally located just 30 minutes north of Seattle’s famous Pike Place Market. Woodinville hosts over 130 tasting rooms showcasing some of the state’s best wines conveniently located within easy distance of each other. With a variety of tasting passes available, as well as luxury hotels and restaurants, Woodinville makes the perfect addition to a trip to Seattle for the traveller that is seeking a small town vibe of wine, craft ales, cideries and distilleries.
The organisations hope that this is just the beginning of a lengthy partnership with other state-funded co-operator groups in the region who share a common interest in driving international tourism to the state.
Lisa Kruse, Tourism Development Manager at State of Washington Tourism, commented: “With this initiative we hope to inspire year-round travel to Washington and to encourage more visitors from the UK to experience our amazing state. We take pride in being a premier destination for wine and culinary travel and are excited to build valuable and trusted relationships through this collaborative effort.”
Kristina Kelley, Executive Director of the WSWC, explains: “Our goal is to educate the UK trade and consumer about the outstanding quality of wines that can be found across our state, and the independent producers that are making them, using pioneering techniques that support environmental, economic, and social sustainability. We have such a welcoming, friendly community of winemakers in the state who can’t wait to open their doors and educate international visitors through authentic experiences that tell our story”.
Travel to the state of Washington has never been more accessible, with 31 airlines serving 91 nonstop domestic and 28 international destinations. The UK currently has three daily direct flights, served by Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways, while the Port of Seattle celebrates its 25th cruise season with 275 sailings and 800,000 unique annual passengers.
