Two-day programme in Stellenbosch convenes estate owners, investors, service leaders and global partners, closing with curated wine experiences across four of the Cape’s flagship regions.
South Africa’s Wine Tourism Conference returns to Cavalli Estate in Stellenbosch on 19 and 20 May 2026, bringing together the people shaping the future of wine tourism under one roof. Across two days, the programme examines how the industry designs demand, builds desire and secures the long-term economic and environmental future of one of South Africa’s most valuable tourism assets.
The conference is built on a clear conviction: wine tourism is no longer a bolt-on to wine sales, but a strategic growth engine for estates, regions and the country. The agenda is deliberately structured to move the conversation past visitor numbers and into the harder questions of brand, investment, service, sustainability, and the role of women and communities in the industry’s next era.
The programme
Day one, Monday 19 May: Designing demand and desire. The opening day focuses on how estates and regions build brand, desire and long-term customer value. The keynote, Aligning a Community, will be delivered by Mike Ratcliff of Stellenbosch Wine Routes and Visit Stellenbosch, on how wine tourism has aligned an entire industry around a shared direction.
Sessions include Damien Joubert-Winn of Delaire Graaff on moving from wine estate to destination brand; Craig McClenaghan on experience architecture and designing for memory; Jeremy Maarschalk of Waterford on storytelling and guest engagement; and Andrew Kamphuis of Commerce 7 on the future of direct-to-consumer wine sales. A fireside chat between Carolyn Martin of Creation and Lerato Motshologane of Nedbank will explore culture, wellness and the creative palate.
The first day’s panels include The Signature Elements of a World-Class Wine Destination, moderated by Lerato Motshologane of Nedbank with representatives from Swartland, Franschhoek, Stellenbosch and Durbanville Hills; The New Power of Wine Tourism: Women Leaders, moderated by Lee-Anne Singer of FEDHASA; and Beyond the Bottle: Art, Wine and Wellness Experiences, featuring the Spier Art Trust and leading practitioners. The day closes with a curated wine tasting and an art and architecture walk across the Cavalli Estate grounds.
Day two, Tuesday 20 May: Designing for endurance, sustainable futures. The second day turns to regeneration, responsible growth and the structural conditions for long-term industry health. Contributions include Wilhelm Joubert of Hartenberg on regeneration as a business imperative, and Annebelle Schreuders of Spier on luxury with limits, designing responsibility without losing desire.
A headline session asks whether doubling tourism is bold vision or dangerous fantasy, with David Frost of SATSA and Deon Cloete of Cape Winelands Airport, moderated by Xolani Mancotywa. Liesl Ahlers will present the work of the Pebbles Project Trust, a long-standing advocate for the children and communities of the winelands.
A panel on what investors really look for in wine tourism projects will be moderated by Lee-Anne Singer, with Desry Lesele of Nedbank, Andrew Harris of DGB, Michael Bromley of STBB and Wesgro. Commerce 7 and Karekter will share their direct-to-consumer growth playbook, and American Express will unpack the commercial benefits of Amex in a wine tourism context.
The day closes with a panel on service excellence featuring Lynn Naidoo of IHS, Anne Scott of One&Only, Heidi Duminy of the Cape Wine Academy and Andrew Shelley of SA Sommeliers, followed by the Wine Tourism Awards, celebrating the best in South African wine tourism.
Strategic partners and host region
The conference is made possible by a committed group of strategic partners: Commerce 7, Nedbank and American Express, each backing a different dimension of the industry’s future, from direct-to-consumer growth and investment readiness to premium guest economics. Visit Stellenbosch returns as the Host Region, anchoring the conference in one of the most internationally recognised wine tourism destinations in the world.
“Wine tourism has become a defining growth engine for Stellenbosch and South Africa, not just in attracting visitors, but in shaping investment, enabling job creation and strengthening our global competitiveness,” says Annemie Liebenberg, CEO of Visit Stellenbosch. “Hosting this conference reflects our commitment to moving the industry forward with intent: designing experiences that build lasting demand, while ensuring that growth is responsible, inclusive and firmly rooted in place.”
Industry on the floor
Beyond the main programme, the conference floor will feature activations and meeting pods from organisations shaping the practical side of wine tourism: Bushtec Tents, Remko, Innstyle, New Cape Railway, Active Ice, Pebbles Project, Nedbank, American Express and Commerce 7. These pods are designed to create direct conversations between delegates and the companies enabling the infrastructure, technology, hospitality and community work behind the industry.
Wine experiences, Thursday 21 May 2026
On Thursday 21 May, delegates move from the conference floor into the Cape’s wine regions. Curated routes to Swartland, Durbanville, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek will see small groups of eight to ten attendees visit four to five farms per route, meeting owners and senior management at each estate for an in-depth, behind-the-scenes wine tourism tour. The format is deliberately intimate, designed to turn two days of conversation into working relationships between buyers, operators and estates.
Delegate information, sponsorship details and the full programme are available at www.winetourism.co.za.
