Wine tourism: SA farms are cashing in on the experience economy

Long-term success in wine tourism takes more than beautiful views. Investors look for climate resilience, strong governance, and deep community integration. Nedbank Commercial Banking’s Desry Lesele explains that to scale sustainably, estates need to combine rich storytelling with disciplined investment and resilient infrastructure.

Wine tourism is no longer a side attraction to wine production. Globally and increasingly in South Africa, it is emerging as a strategic economic engine, capable of driving regional growth, attracting high-value visitors, and building globally competitive destinations.

The most successful wine estates today are not merely places where wine is sold. They are carefully curated ecosystems, blending culture, landscape, hospitality, commerce and community into experiences that linger long after the last glass is poured. As competition for global leisure spending intensifies, the question facing wine destinations in South Africa is no longer whether to invest in tourism, but how to structure funding for wine tourism and design wine tourism experiences that compete today, scale tomorrow, and endure for generations.

Wine tourism has entered the experience economy

Modern travellers are not simply buying wine; they are buying meaningful experiences. They want to connect with place, story and people. They are drawn to destinations that offer authenticity, seamless service, cultural richness and a sense of purpose.

For wine estates, this shift has profound implications. Revenue is no longer driven only by bottle sales but by layered experiences: tastings paired with food, art, wellness, nature, events, and storytelling.

The economics of wine tourism increasingly depend on how well estates convert visits into lasting relationships and diversified income streams. This evolution presents opportunity, but it also raises the bar. Experiences must be thoughtfully designed, professionally executed and underpinned by systems that support growth without diluting authenticity.

According to South Africa Wine, micro and small wine cellars in South Africa derive between 35% and 36% of their total turnover from wine tourism, while even larger wineries are generating around 20% of their income from tourism activities.

Endurance is by design

While creativity fuels demand, long-term success is shaped by business resilience. Investors and financiers look beyond aesthetics to assess whether a wine tourism project can withstand real-world pressures: climate risk, energy and water constraints, labour challenges, fluctuating visitor numbers and changing consumer behaviour.

Those destinations that endure share common traits:

Clear positioning and purpose
Disciplined, phased investment
Strong governance and operational capability
Credible sustainability embedded into strategy, beyond slogans
Deep integration with surrounding communities

In this environment, sustainability has moved beyond compliance to become a strategic advantage. Resilient energy systems, responsible water use, inclusive local employment and transparent impact measurement are now core to long-term bankability.

The role of smart capital and strategic partnerships

Transforming a wine estate into a destination requires more than vision. It requires smart capital structured and aligned to the project’s stage of maturity. As destinations scale, private capital and bank funding can unlock infrastructure, accommodation, layers of experience and digital capability. At maturity, optimisation and reinvestment ensure relevance and longevity.

However, capital alone is not enough. What increasingly differentiates successful wine tourism projects is the quality of partnerships between owners, operators, financiers, technology providers and communities.

This is where financial institutions play a pivotal role beyond funding to enable seamless, premium visitor experiences. Global visitors expect convenience, security and recognition. In this context, efficient payment systems and financial infrastructure become invisible yet powerful contributors to quality experiences.

Through its long-standing partnership with American Express, Nedbank enables wine destinations to tap into a global network of high-spending, experience-driven travellers. For international visitors, familiar payment solutions, competitive currency handling and premium card benefits enhance ease, trust and comfort. For estates, this translates into higher average transaction values, improved cash flow and access to a loyal customer base that values quality and experience.

At the same time, local entrepreneurs and estate operators from boutique producers to onsite retailers and hospitality providers need accessible, scalable tools to manage and grow their businesses.

Through its wholly owned subsidiary, iKhokha, a payment solutions provider, Nedbank supports SMEs with modern payment acceptance solutions, ecommerce capabilities and business tools that allow them to operate professionally from day one and to scale sustainably over time. Together, these platforms do more than process payments; they enable participation in the experience economy, ensuring that value flows efficiently across the wine tourism ecosystem.

At Nedbank, our involvement in wine tourism is grounded in the belief that well-designed destinations create shared value for businesses, communities and the broader economy. We understand agriculture, tourism and infrastructure, not as separate sectors, but as interconnected systems that require enduring capital, informed decision-making and trusted partnerships.

Our role is to work alongside wine estate owners, investors and operators to structure projects that are commercially viable, socially inclusive and environmentally resilient. That means asking the hard questions early, supporting responsible growth, and backing ideas that are built to last, not just to impress.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Food For Mzansi.