WineGB Trade & Press Tasting 2026: Unlocking the Power of the Cellar Door for Regional Tourism – meet the panellists
How can wine tourism become a cornerstone of regional economic growth – and what role can English and Welsh wine play in shaping Britain’s global tourism identity?
Wine tourism is rapidly becoming one of Britain’s most dynamic rural economic opportunities. Vineyards and wineries are welcoming increasing numbers of visitors, while experiences ranging from tours and tastings to restaurants, events and vineyard stays are creating new reasons to travel, stay longer and spend locally.
At the heart of this is the cellar door – the point where wine, place and visitor experience come together. It’s why we launched the Large and Small Cellar Door categories at this year’s WineGB Awards in July, benchmarking excellence in visitor experience.
How to build and make the most of the cellar door experience will be the subject of a dedicated panel discussion at the WineGB National Trade & Press Tasting on Monday 7 September 2026.
Taking place from 15:30–16:15, Unlocking the Economic Power of Wine Tourism: How to Leverage the Cellar Door Experience for Regional Growth. will bring together tourism leaders, producers and industry experts to explore how vineyards can become more effective drivers of destination development and regional visitor economies.
Chaired by Alice Griffiths, co founder of UK wine and lifestyle magazine, Uncorked, columnist at Vineyard Magazine and Guinness World Record holder for visiting 69 UK vineyards in seven days during English Wine Week 2025, the panel will look at:
- How vineyards and wineries can build stronger, more compelling destinations
- How the cellar door can drive year-round visits and local spend
- The role of wine tourism in supporting rural economies, employment and investment
- How producers and destination organisations can work together to develop regional tourism strategies
- How English and Welsh wine can help create a distinctive and internationally recognised British tourism proposition
Meet the panellists
Ian Sargent – Regional Chair WineGB Midlands & North and Founder of Laurel Vines
Ian founded Laurel Vines in Yorkshire in 2011 and has recently been involved in the relaunch of Yorkshire Wine Trail and the launch of the new East Midlands Wine Trail.
He brings both producer experience and an understanding of the wider regional development opportunity presented by wine tourism, alongside perspectivesaround how the industry can work collectively to strengthen and maximise the value created by the cellar door.
Fiona Reece – Visit Herefordshire
Fiona previously headed up PR in the UK for Tourism New Zealand and Tourism Australia and today represents Visit Herefordshire, bringing a destination-management perspective to the conversation around wine tourism and rural visitor economies.
Herefordshire’s food, drink, countryside and hospitality offer provides a strong example of how individual experiences can contribute to a wider destination proposition and how tourism bodies and producers can collaborate to encourage visitors to discover more and increase the economic value of their stay.
Galia Pike – Westwell Wines
Westwell Wines has built a distinctive visitor proposition around its Kent vineyard and winery, with a strong emphasis on community, creativity and an informal approach to wine tourism.
Recent recognition at the WineGB Awards, where Westwell was named Best Small Cellar Door, reflects its focus on creating an engaging and authentic visitor experience.
Martin Turner, UK Brand Ambassador & Account Manager, Riedel
Martin Turner brings a perspective from the global glassware specialist, Riedel with a particular understanding of how sensory experiences can influence the way consumers engage with wine.
His expertise adds an important dimension to the discussion: how the detail of the visitor experience can influence perceptions of quality, create memorable moments and ultimately strengthen the commercial value of wine tourism.
Why the cellar door matters
The growth of wine tourism is creating an opportunity that extends well beyond the vineyard boundary.
WineGB research has highlighted the scale of the opportunity: in 2024, the more than 300 UK vineyards and wineries offering tourism experiences welcomed over 1.5 million visitors through tours, tastings and hospitality services.
Those visitors don’t simply buy wine. They travel to destinations, eat in restaurants, stay in accommodation, visit local attractions and spend money with other businesses. A successful vineyard experience can therefore become part of a much wider tourism ecosystem.
A vineyard tour or tasting can lead to lunch; lunch can lead to an overnight stay; and a vineyard can become part of a wider itinerary incorporating local attractions, independent businesses and hospitality.
Rather than marketing individual vineyards in isolation, there is an opportunity to create regional wine routes, linked experiences and itineraries that encourage visitors to explore more of a destination.
The result could be greater visitor spend, longer stays, more year-round tourism and increased awareness of regions that may previously have sat outside the traditional tourism conversation.
Join us at 15:30 at Old Billingsgate on Monday, 7th September and be part of the debate about the future of the cellar door and the role it can play in building stronger, more sustainable tourism economies across Britain.