Chinese visitors delivered the highest per-capita spending in Australia’s wine tourism sector in 2024, averaging A$12,568 each—well above other markets. Their outlays helped push total winery tourism revenue to A$11.6 billion and lifted the wine industry’s overall economic contribution to A$51.3 billion, according to Wine Australia.
Wine Australia’s Economic Contribution of the Australian Wine Sector 2025 report found that grape growing, winemaking, and wine-related tourism supported more than 200,000 jobs nationwide. Grape growing generated about A$994 million in revenue and 5,408 jobs; winemaking contributed roughly A$5.7 billion and 15,411 jobs; and wine tourism accounted for A$11.6 billion in spending, with wineries directly generating A$4 billion in revenue and employing 69,146 people.
Prepared by AgEcon Plus and Gillespie Economics, the report underscored the wine sector’s strong “multiplier effect.” Every A$1 million increase in output adds an average of A$2.16 million to the economy; every A$1 million in additional value creates A$2.21 million in total value; and each new job supports another 1.42 jobs across the economy.
The analysis covered only upstream contributions, excluding wholesale, retail, and hospitality margins. Revenues were calculated at farmgate and winery-gate prices, meaning the industry’s total economic footprint would be even greater if downstream sales were included.
Wine Australia CEO Dr. Martin Cole said the findings highlight the sector’s critical role, particularly for regional communities. “The grape and wine sector is a unique contributor to the Australian economy given its significant multiplier effect and importance to the vitality of regional communities,” he said. “Winegrapes are grown and wine produced in regional areas across Australia, making the sector an ambassador for these regions and drawing visitors from around the world.”
While a similar report was released in 2019, changes in data sources, modeling methods, and inflation prevent direct comparisons. Still, the snapshot suggests that grape growing and winemaking contributions have declined in recent years due to falling production, price volatility, and trade barriers—notably reduced exports to China.
Wine tourism, by contrast, has expanded sharply and now serves as the industry’s main growth driver. Tourism Research Australia reported that winery visits reached 7.5 million in 2024, generating A$11.6 billion in spending. Average spend per visitor was A$1,487. Domestic travelers accounted for 89% of visits but only 59% of expenditure, while international tourists made up 41% of spending. The United Kingdom remained the largest source of visitors, but Chinese travelers stood out as the top spenders, averaging A$12,568 per person.
Between 2019 and 2025, the industry’s total economic contribution rose 12.7%, or about 2.1% per year, though growth lagged behind national inflation over the same period.
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