Tourism Australia revealed plans to ramp up promotion of Australia’s food and wine at the country’s largest global wine forum, Savour Australia 2013. 

The international campaign will promote Australia as the world’s greatest restaurant – Restaurant Australia – serving up the most unique food and wine in remarkable locations. 

Tourism Australia marketing director Andrew McEvoy said the new approach was based on travellers’ growing appetite for food and wine. 

“Australia has all of the right ingredients to capitalise on this opportunity – with the finest array of produce served in the most stunning locations in the world,” he said. 

“Research across 15 of Australia’s key tourism markets show that great food, wine and local cuisine is now a major factor in holiday decision making, ranking third ahead of world class beauty and natural environments. 

Mr McEvoy said although only 26 per cent of people who have never visited Australia associated it with good food and wine, those who have visited Australia rank it second for food and wine, after France and ahead of Italy. 

“We are ranked as the number one destination for food and wine people who have visited from China, USA, France, India, Indonesia, Malaysia,  the UK and South Korea,” he said. 

Ms Currie, based at Lowe Wines in  Mudgee,  met with Mr McEvoy and Tourism Australia executive general manager marketing Nick Baker recently to discuss Restaurant Australia. 

A long-time advocate of promoting the people and products who make Australia a great travel destination, Ms Currie said the campaign fitted with her philosophy of “Product, People, Place”. 

“Restaurant Australia tells visitors that all of Australia is your restaurant,” she said. 

Ms Currie said she was excited that the Restaurant Australia would include all kinds of food and wine experiences,  from fine dining in Sydney to wine tasting at regional wineries, sampling bush tucker, feasting on fresh fruit and seafood, following a food trail or visiting a food or wine festival. 

Tourism Australia is working with Wine Australia on a food and wine strategy to raise awareness of Australia’s wine and food in order to attract more international visitors to Australia.

Wine Australia’s general manager (market development) James Gosper said the strategy would help the wine industry to reach more consumers than ever before.