LONDON, 2024-Jul-12 — /Travel PR News/ — This April saw the State of Washington Tourism, Visit Seattle and the Port of Seattle join forces with the Washington State Wine Commission (WSWC) for an immersive wine pairing lunch at Frameless London. The event, which was supported by Delta Air Lines, marked the launch of a wine-tourism focused strategy, created to drive awareness amongst the UK trade and media.
The collaboration unveiled plans to inspire UK consumers to add the ‘Evergreen State’ to holiday wish lists as a top destination for wine, food and adventure. The campaign was kicked off with a joint venture, which welcomed 40 trade and media to taste, sip and experience Washington State from the comfort of central London via immersive technology. The lunch was specially created by Seattle-based Chef Kerry Sear and took guests through a five-course menu paired with premium wines produced by the Pacific Northwest state.
The organisations believe the best way to help consumers fall in love with Washington wines is to fall in love with Washington State – the two being inextricably linked. Despite its moniker as the Evergreen State, eastern Washington is largely semi-arid desert perfect for winegrowing, showing just one way in which trade and consumers alike can be surprised by what this region has to offer.
With a plethora of excellent quality wines being produced across the region’s 20 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), and the multitude of boutique independent wineries that make up the majority of the industry, Washington State is perfectly positioned to host wine and adventure loving tourists for long, leisurely road-trips across this gastronomic haven.
From the state’s largest city, Seattle, which has dozens of urban wineries within its city limits, travellers can drive to the major wine growing regions located over the Cascade Mountains in just a few hours. The state of Washington offers an ideal blend of urban escapes and easily accessible outdoor adventures with cities like Spokane, Olympia, Walla Walla, and Yakima all surrounded by beautiful hiking, cycling, and water adventures.
Supporting the growth of wine tourism to Washington State, the town of Woodinville is ideally located just 30 minutes north of Seattle’s famous Pike Place Market. Woodinville hosts over 130 tasting rooms showcasing some of the state’s best wines conveniently located within easy distance of each other. With a variety of tasting passes available, as well as luxury hotels and restaurants, Woodinville makes the perfect addition to a trip to Seattle for the traveller that is seeking a small town vibe of wine, craft ales, cideries and distilleries.
The organisations hope that this is just the beginning of a lengthy partnership with other state-funded co-operator groups in the region who share a common interest in driving international tourism to the state.
Lisa Kruse, Tourism Development Manager at State of Washington Tourism, commented: “With this initiative we hope to inspire year-round travel to Washington and to encourage more visitors from the UK to experience our amazing state. We take pride in being a premier destination for wine and culinary travel and are excited to build valuable and trusted relationships through this collaborative effort.”
Kristina Kelley, Executive Director of the WSWC, explains: “Our goal is to educate the UK trade and consumer about the outstanding quality of wines that can be found across our state, and the independent producers that are making them, using pioneering techniques that support environmental, economic, and social sustainability. We have such a welcoming, friendly community of winemakers in the state who can’t wait to open their doors and educate international visitors through authentic experiences that tell our story”.
Travel to the state of Washington has never been more accessible, with 31 airlines serving 91 nonstop domestic and 28 international destinations. The UK currently has three daily direct flights, served by Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways, while the Port of Seattle celebrates its 25th cruise season with 275 sailings and 800,000 unique annual passengers.
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ABOUT STATE OF WASHINGTON TOURISM
State of Washington Tourism (SWT) is the official Destination Marketing and Management Organisation for the State of Washington. Known as the Evergreen State, Washington has a diverse landscape. The west side provides spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean, lush rainforests in Olympic National Park, towering mountains in North Cascades National Park and Mount Rainier National Park, and an active maritime adventure and sustainable aquaculture in Puget Sound. The east side boasts an arid climate and the ideal terroir for growing fruit, wheat, hops and grapes. Washington State is the second largest wine producer in the USA. Travel along scenic byways from urban centres to rural communities that provide farm-to-table menus, vibrant art and culture, family-friendly museums, Native American heritage and lots of year-round outdoor adventures. See more at stateofwatourism.com
ABOUT PORT OF SEATTLE
As the historic gateway to discover Washington and Alaska, the Port of Seattle was founded in 1911 with a mission to promote economic opportunities and quality of life by advancing trade, travel, commerce, and job creation in an equitable, accountable, and environmentally responsible manner. The Port of Seattle is a leader in moving people and cargo across the country and around the world. With facilities and properties ranging in scope from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), three cruise terminals serving every major cruise line portfolio, and one of the largest container terminals on the West Coast, the Port maximises its public assets with an eye toward best use and environmental sustainability with the goal of becoming the cleanest, greenest and most energy efficient port in North America. See more at portseattle.org
ABOUT VISIT SEATTLE
Visit Seattle has served as the official destination marketing organisation (DMO) for Seattle and King County for more than 50 years. Seattle, the largest city in Washington State, is a year-round destination, offering iconic sights, outdoor recreation, arts and culture, world-class sports and a thriving culinary and wine scene. Known as the Emerald City because of the evergreen landscape which surrounds it, Seattle caters to all types of traveller, from city break and great outdoors adventurers to family holidaymakers and everyone in between. Direct flights from London with British Airways and Delta / Virgin Atlantic cement the city’s status as the gateway. visitseattle.org
ABOUT THE WASHINGTON STATE WINE COMMISSION
The Washington State Wine Commission (WSWC) represents every licensed winery and wine grape grower in Washington State. Guided by an appointed board, WSWC provides a marketing platform to raise positive awareness about the Washington wine industry and generate greater demand for its wines. Funded almost entirely by the industry through assessments based on grape and wine sales, WSWC is a state government agency, established by the legislature in 1987.
To discover more about Washington State wine visit www.washingtonwine.org
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