Grape growing, winemaking and wine-related tourism contributes $51.3 billion to the Australian economy and supports more than 200,000 jobs, according to the Economic Contribution of the Australian Wine Sector 2025 report by Wine Australia.
The independent report produced by AgEcon Plus and Gillespie Economics highlights the sector’s multiplying effect, where the flow-on from production, experiences and employment contribute significantly higher to the Australian economy than the initial farm gate value.
As a result, for every additional $1 million in gross output from the wine sector, the wider Australian economy gains $2.16 million and for every job gained in the wine sector, the Australian economy gains 1.42 jobs.
Wine Australia Chief Executive Officer Dr Martin Cole said: “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.
“Winegrapes are grown and wine produced in regional communities around Australia. The sector is an ambassador for these regions, attracting people from all around the world back into our regions and businesses for first-hand experiences. The sector also indirectly contributes to regional communities through the flow-on effects to supplier industries, as well as the goods and services used locally by employees.”
The report Economic Contribution of the Australian Wine Sector 2025 shows that the $51.3 billion that the sector contributes to the Australian economy includes $25.4 billion in value-added, which is the difference between the gross value of the business turnover and the costs of raw materials and services to produce the output. The overall economic contribution also includes $15 billion in wages and salaries for 203,392 direct and indirect employees.
A similar report was produced in 2019, but direct comparison is not possible due to changes in data, refinements in modelling methods, and the impact of inflation. However, when looking at the two “snapshots in time”, losses in economic contribution of grape growing and wine making have been offset by growth in wine tourism.
There were 7.5 million visits to wineries from both domestic and international travellers in the year ended December 2024. For those travellers that included a visit to a winery, they spent a combined $11.6 billion during their entire trip and are typically higher spenders with an average spend per trip of $1487.
The full report is available from www.wineaustralia.com/market-insights/australian-wines-economic-contribution
Australian Government extends wine tourism and cellar door grants
The Australian Government has announced $30 million worth of new funding for local wine and cider producers.
The popular Wine Tourism and Cellar Door Grant Program has been extended for another three years, with the first of three new $10 million rounds opening today.
The program encourages agritourism by supporting producers to sell their wine and cider products at cellar doors, attracting visitors to Australia’s premier wine regions and boosting business for rural and regional communities.
Eligible producers can apply for grants of up to $100,000, which can help support upgrading facilities, boosting workforce capability, and business expansion.
Minister for Trade and Tourism Senator Don Farrell said: “With 7.5 million visits to Australian wineries in 2024 alone, the wine sector is a key part of Australia’s attraction as a tourism destination.
“Wine hopping has become a huge fixture of weekend getaways – directly benefiting producers and supporting local economies and creating jobs, particularly in our regions.
“That is why we are supporting our proud wine and cider producers to sell more of their world-class products at their cellar doors.
“The Albanese Labor Government remains committed to opening new export doors for our wine and cider exporters, providing opportunities to diversify trade.”
Australian Grape & Wine Chief Executive Lee McLean said: “The Wine Tourism and Cellar Door Grants Program is instrumental in helping wineries reinvest in their cellar door experiences, attracting more visitors and strengthening regional economies. Extending this program for another three years provides certainty for producers at a challenging time for our industry.
“The new Economic Contribution of the Australian Wine Sector report confirms what we already know: wine is not only a key export industry, but also one of Australia’s most important agritourism drivers. With more than 200,000 Australians supported by our sector and $51 billion contributed to the economy, investing in cellar door experiences is investing in regional jobs, tourism, and prosperity.”
Applications for the Wine Tourism and Cellar Door Grant Program are now open. For more information and to apply, visit: https://www.wineaustralia.com/wine-tourism-and-cellar-door-grants