Virgin Australia leads in a timely manner

 

Australians love to complain about flight delays - often with good reason.

Just the other day two of my wine tasting regulars were four hours late getting back to Tasmania after a Jetstar debacle. 

Virgin Australia, however, is celebrating after over 80% of its domestic flights in January left on time.

Virgin delivered best-in-class operational performance in January, leading Australia’s major airlines on both on-time performance and flight completion metrics, new data from the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE) shows.

The data, based on scheduled domestic flights, shows Virgin Australia achieved an 82.7% on-time departure rate in January, building on strong December results with an improvement of 8.2 percentage points month-on-month.

After posting the highest average completion rate of the major Australian airlines in 2025, Virgin Australia maintained its reliability in January with a 99.1% completion rate, demonstrating consistent operational performance during the busy peak summer travel period.

Virgin Australia CEO Dave Emerson said the January results reflect the dedication and teamwork of Virgin Australia’s people across every part of the operation.

“After a strong finish to the year in December, our team raised the bar yet again in January,” Emerson said.

“Summer is one of the most important times of the year for our guests. Millions of travellers rely on us to reconnect with loved ones or take a well-earned break, and we’re incredibly grateful for their trust.

“Leading the major Australian airlines in January with the highest departure on-time performance and the lowest cancellations is a testament to the efforts of our people across the entire operation.

“We know how important it is to get our guests to their destination on their desired day of travel, and with fewer than 1% of scheduled domestic flights cancelled during one of our busiest months, our results show we are consistently delivering on that commitment.”

Over the past 12 months, Virgin Australia has recorded an average completion rate of 98.3% and an average departure on-time performance of 77.6% for its scheduled domestic flights.

Australia's love affair with Japan sets new record

Australia's love affair with Japan has continued with December 2025 visitor data released by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) revealing a new record for Australian travellers. 

No fewer than 1,058,300 Australians visited Japan during the 2025 calendar year, making it the first year that Australian visitors to Japan have broken the one million mark. 

That marked a 15% increase on 2024. 

A total of 121,300 visitors flocked to the country during December 2025, coinciding with school holidays, festive breaks and the start of the ski season.

The month of January saw the highest number of Australian visitors throughout the year with 140,185 visitors. There were 115,235 Australians arriving in April during cherry blossom season. 

The love affair with Japan goes beyond Australians, with Japan also achieving a new annual record for total international arrivals during 2025, 42,683,600.

“We are thrilled to begin 2026 on such a positive note, celebrating the arrival of one million Australians during 2025,” said Naoki Kitazawa, executive director for JNTO Sydney. 

“What is particularly pleasing is the growth in visitors in addition to the popular Golden Route of Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, with prefectures such as Fukuoka, Gifu, Niigata and Iwate showing a significant increase in stays over the past 12 months. 

"During 2026, we are encouraging Australian travellers, to take the time to travel far and wide and discover the lesser-known regions of Japan, from rural retreats and remote hiking trails to coastal camping and tranquil islands, in order to raise awareness of Japan’s diverse experiences, and to share the economic benefits nationwide.”

JNTO Sydney media and marketing manager Andrew Coombs added: “We are seeing a new segment of travellers who are embracing Japan’s wilderness and adventure activities and seeking authentic cultural immersion, from staying in traditional inns and joining local craft workshops to meditating with monks, and attending fascinating festivals. 

"Japan is a truly multi-dimensional destination with something for everyone, from families and wellness travellers to hikers, cyclists and lovers of luxury. We look forward to continuing to welcome responsible Australian travellers to discover it all during 2026.”

Image: Shibuya, Winsor Dobbin

Vietnam enjoying an air travel boom

Vietnam has seen strong growth in its air transport market over the past decade and is one of the fastest expanding in the region, analysis from IATA shows.

IATA indicates that Vietnam has advanced from being Asia Pacific’s 11th largest air passenger market in 2014 to the eighth largest in 2024.

It also registered the highest growth rate amongst the top 10 markets in the region, at 121% from 2014 to 2024.

This surge results from the country’s strong economic performance and growing appeal as a travel destination. Visa simplification for countries and the opening of new international routes have stimulated demand, news hub Travel Mole reported.

Vietnam is perceived as one of the last frontiers in Asia for foreign travellers, gaining market shares over its competitors, notably Thailand.

With 22 to 23 million foreign travellers expected in 2025, Vietnam is on track to become the third largest destination in south-east Asia, behind Malaysia and Thailand.

International passenger traffic surged by 26% last year. Data from the Vietnam National Statistics Office highlights that airlines transported 54.2 million passengers in 2024, of which 19.7 million were on international flights.

IATA stats show, seven of the top 10 international markets for travel to Vietnam more than doubled from 2014 to 2024.

As an example, traffic from India grew tenfold during this period.

South Korea is by far the largest source of international arrivals for Vietnam. It represents more than twice that of second-placed China.

Image: Alessandro Castiglioni, Scop.io   

China syndrome lifts Australian wine exports

China's renewed appetite for Australian wines has helped drive a 13% increase in export values over the financial year 2024-2025.

In the 12 months ended June 2025, Australian wine exports also increased 3% in volume,  Wine Australia’s Export Report released today reveals.

Peter Bailey, manager, Market Insights, Wine Australia said the latest data shows the impact of the China market reopening in March 2024 is beginning to stabilise.

“The year-on-year increase in exports was almost entirely driven by mainland China after tariffs on Australian bottled wine were removed at the end of March 2024," Bailey said.

"Over 12 months have passed since tariffs in mainland China were removed and the initial surge in exports has eased, resulting in 85 million litres of wine exports to the market in the 12 months ended June 2025, worth $893 million.

“The quarter ended June 2025 was 35% smaller in value than the same quarter in the previous year. This indicates that the level of exports to mainland China may be normalising after the initial re-stocking phase.

“The return of mainland China offers a valuable market, with global wine consumption at its lowest level since 1961. However, it has only had a small impact on total export volume, as the volume shipped to mainland China is half of what it was at its peak in 2018.

“This reflects the decline in wine consumption in the Chinese market over the last five years; the market is now only a third of the size it was in 2019."

In the past 12 months, imports from France, Italy, Spain, and Chile to China have all declined.

Exports from Australia to the rest of the world declined by 11% in value to $1.59 billion and 6% in volume to 554 million litres. 

While the decline in value was mainly driven by Hong Kong as sales transitioned to mainland China, the drop in volume reflected a reduced supply of Australian wine available for export after three smaller vintages, as well as declining demand from key export markets.

In a concerning stat, Australian wine exports to the United States declined by 10% in volume to 111 million litres and 12% in value to $314 million, the lowest value in over two decades.

The US wine market continues to face headwinds that developed after the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to reduced overall wine consumption in the last five years, Wine Australia said.

Health and wellness concerns, particularly among older wine consumers, lack of attachment recruitment to the category from younger generations, increased competition from other alcoholic beverages, high wholesaler inventories, and ongoing economic and political uncertainty, including import tariffs, have all contributed to a suppressed outlook for wine exports to the market in the near-term.

The top export destinations by value were:

* Mainland China, up 123% to $893 million
* United Kingdom, down 1% to $350 million
* United States, down 12% to $314 million
* Canada, up 7% to $157 million, and
* Hong Kong, down 54 per cent to $127 million.

For more information, see Wine Australia’s Export Report

Overseas visitors still turning their back on the US

Overseas tourist arrivals to the United States continue to slump.

Apparently people from many other countries just don't like Donald Trump very much.

June preliminary figures from the US government show visitation from overseas substantially down, news hub Travel Mole reports,

The trend is due to a combination of factors including geopolitical turbulence, economic difficulties and a degraded image of the country in the eyes of many potential travellers, it reported.

Preliminary numbers released by the National Travel and Tourism Office saw visits from overseas to the US down by -3.4% year-over-year.

With 2.8 million overseas travellers in June, the figure represents only 80% of 2019 levels. The overseas figure excludes visitors from Canada and Mexico.

From the 20 top inbound markets, 11 showed a decline in June. Ecuador, South Korea, and Australia showed the most significant declines with respective drops of -14.1%, -10.7% and -10.2%.

Arrivals from Western Europe - a top inbound region for the US - were also down by 2.5% in June.

All Scandinavian countries recorded a double-digit decline but the US did receive more visitors from Italy (up 3.4%) and Spain (up 2.1%).

The most resilient region in June was Latin America (excluding Mexico). Central American arrivals posted a growth of 6.8% while South American visitors were up by 2.1%.

In contrast to the general trend, Argentina and Brazil posted respective gains of 15.6% and 18.6%. 

Why Tasmanian wine producers are celebrating

Tasmanian wine producers are celebrating a combination of exceptional quality, strong value and record-breaking yields in 2025.

Tasmania’s wine grape growers managed variable seasonal conditions to harvest an impressive 23,002 tonnes of grapes - equating to about 20 million bottles of wine. This represents a 37% increase on 2024 and is almost double the disappointing 2023 vintage.

Sheralee Davies, CEO of Wine Tasmania, welcomed the 2025 vintage results and recognised the efforts of the island’s grape growers and winemakers, many of whom are small family businesses.

“Tasmania may only be a small wine region, producing 1.2% of the country’s total wine, but it represents 6.5% of the national value and is ranked fifth most valuable wine region based on its farmgate value,” Davies said.

The 2024/25 growing season was slightly warmer than average, but the island’s maritime and southerly-influenced climate helped moderate temperatures, while timely rainfall was received.

Harvesting began earlier than usual in 2025, with this earlier, condensed and larger vintage applying some pressure to winery capacity. Despite some challenges including localised frost and hail, Tasmania’s viticulturists reported good quality cool-climate fruit.

“This record vintage comes at a time when Tasmania is building on strong demand for its wine, including undertaking a new export market program," Davies said.."While global wine consumption is decreasing, people are prioritising and preferrencing higher quality wines, such as those Tasmania produces.”

The full 2025 Tasmanian wine grape vintage report can be accessed at winetasmania.com.au/vintage2025.

Image: Dalrymple vineyards

Some positive news for Australian wine producers

The Australian wine industry is celebrating some positive news with the wine grape crush up in 2025 after two record low vintages.

Sadly, it is still below the long-term average and there are negatives.

The 2025 Australian wine grape crush is estimated to be 1.57 million tonnes, 160,000 tonnes (11%) more than the 2024 crush but still 140,000 tonnes below the 10-year average of 1.71 million tonnes, the National Vintage Report 2025, released today by Wine Australia, shows.

The smaller crush relative to the long-term average is likely to have been a result of both seasonal and strategic factors, with a decline in demand for wine globally driving adjustment in the Australian wine sector, according to Peter Bailey, manager for market insights at Wine Australia.

“The 2025 crush equates to around 1.1 billion litres of wine, which is in line with current sales of Australian wine on domestic and export markets,” Bailey said.

The year-on-year increase in the crush was driven by red varieties, which were up by 20%, while the crush of white varieties was 2% higher than in 2024.

“The crush of red grapes is still estimated to be the third-smallest in more than a decade (the past two years being the smallest) and was 9% below its 10-year average, while the crush of white grapes was 8% below the 10-year average,” Bailey added.

He noted that the mix of red versus white was problematic.

“The significant increase in red varieties this year could exacerbate the challenges facing the sector in terms of excess stocks of red wine, and might further reduce demand for these varieties next vintage,” he said.

The total value of the Australian wine grape crush in 2025 is estimated to be $1.13 billion, an additional $136 million (14% compared with 2024.

Bailey said that despite the increases, the average purchase values for warm inland reds in the past two years were the lowest in over a decade, and for many growers would not be sufficient for production to be economically viable.

“Conditions are not likely to improve for red grapes until there is a significant reduction in the supply base,” Bailey said.

“The wine sector needs to continue to work together to bring supply and demand back into balance at a profitable price point for growers and winemakers.”

Shiraz regained its position as the number one variety, increasing by 23%, while chardonnay dropped back to second place, after significant frosts across many regions caused it to decrease by 13%.

South Australia accounted for the largest share of the national crush by size, with 48%. New South Wales was the next largest, with a 33% share of the crush.

The National Vintage Report is available from www.wineaustralia.com/market-insights/national-vintage-report. 

Champagne exports dip in key markets

Is Champagne in crisis?

Exports to several major markets, including the UK and Australia, dipped dramatically in 2024.

Imports of Champagne to the UK fell by almost three million bottles in 2024 – taking the market back to its size in 1997.

The total amount of Champagne sent to the UK in 2024 was 22.3 millon bottles, down 12.7% on the year before.

And in Australia, the number of bottles arriving fell to 7.29 million, a drop of 17.6%.

The only years when UK shipments to the UK have been lower than in 2024 were in 2000 – when the country was overstocked from an excessive amount of Champagne imported in advance of Millennium celebrations – and 2020, when the first wave of Covid-related lockdowns took their toll, trade media outlet the drinks business reported.

But the market performance of 2024 means that the UK retained its position as second-biggest export market for Champagne behind the US, while Australia ranks No.7.

The Comité Champagne has said that the political and economic climate that has led to a reduction in sales.

Shipments in 2024 - as opposed to consumption - were also negatively impacted by an excess of stock in the market at the start of last year, as sales over the festive period in 2023 were not as high as expected.

In 2024, Champagne shipped a global total - including the domestic market - of 271.4 million bottles, which was down 9.2% compared to the previous year.

While 80% of Champagne is sold in eight countries, new markets such as Canada, South Africa and South Korea are showing growth, the Comité Champagne says.

The top 10 markets are: 1. US, 2.UK, 3. Japan, 4. Germany, 5. Italy, 6. Belgium, 7. Australia, 8. Switzerland, 9. Spain, 10. UAE.

Image: Andrii Omelnytskyi, Scop.io

Canadians say "no thanks" to flights to the US

Canadians are voting with their wallets when it comes to choosing whether or not to travel to the US.

Donald Trump's continued threats to make Canada "the 51st state" of the US are having a major effect on air travel demand.

ICE arrests at US borders are apparently also hitting hard as air travel demand between Canada and the US has plummeted by more than 70%, aviation analytics company OAG reports. See oag.com/

It could be a long-term issue, too, industry news hub Travel Mole reports.

Major capacity cuts have been made throughout the northern hemisphere summer until October 2025.

Comparing the total number of scheduled one-way seats between the two countries filed on March 3 and those filed on March 24, shows that over 320,000 seats have been removed by airlines operating between the two countries through to the end of October.

The most noticeable cuts are in July and August - the two peak summer season months - where airlines have cut capacity by some 3.5%

Advance bookings are down as much as 76%, OAG says.

Some Canada travel agencies have also noted a lack of demand, and in many cases cancellations of existing bookings, as well as for cruise vacations departing the US.

Canadian airline WestJet has added an additional 114 flights to Europe as it actively places capacity outside of the US with Dublin and Edinburgh are two airports benefiting from changes in capacity.

Are wine drinkers falling out of love with high-end Bordeaux and Champagne?

Is the world falling out of love with premium French wines?

The value of French wine exports has fallen for a second year even as shipped volumes crept up, with consumers favouring more affordable bottles, British wine magazine Decanter has reported.

Data shows that Champagne exports slumped, while demand for more modestly priced sparkling wines increased.

Foreign buyers favoured more affordable bottles from the Loire Valley and Provence over high-end Bordeaux wines.

The value of wine exports fell 3% to €10.9 billon last year, French wine and spirits export agency FEVS said.

That remains the third-highest on record, as greater export demand for regional bubbles and still wine without a geographical denomination partly made up for dipping sales for Champagne and Bordeaux.

The volume of export shipments increased 0.7% to 124.1 million cases, relatively stable.

French wine exports overall faced a double impact from inflation and economic uncertainty, and a shift away from the most expensive wines to more affordable options, FEVS president Gabriel Picard told Decanter.

"There is undoubtedly a shift in consumption patterns, and maybe the end of a phenomenon of ultra-premiumisation," Picard said.

"Products with higher added value, at least the core of the range, have held up rather well or even progressed, for example in the case of sparkling wines, whereas the very expensive Champagnes have tended to decline."

Shipments to the UK, the second-largest export market for French winemakers, increased 5.4%, while the value of exports fell 3.9% to €1.4bn.

The value of French wine exports to China slumped 17%, and wine trade with Singapore and Hong Kong also declined.

Champagne, which remains France’s biggest wine export by value, had a tough year in 2024, with shipments falling 9.7% to 12.4 million cases and export value slipping 8% to €3.86bn.

By contrast, sparkling wines from other regions, including Crémant de Loire and Crémant d’Alsace, saw export volume rising 8% to 10.3 million cases, and the value jumping 9.5% to €426m.

Bordeaux exports fell 4.5% in volume to 16.6 million cases, while the value slipped 1.4% to €5.28bn.

The Loire Valley reported higher export volumes in 2024, while Provence also sold more wine abroad.

"We see that the mid-range tends to be more resilient, that goes for the reds and the whites," Picard said. "The other trend that we see is there tends to be some sort of decline in consumption of reds, and good resilience or progress for the white and rosé wines."

Image: Andrii Omelnytskiy, Scop.io

Australian wine export figures lift

Finally some good news for the Australian wine industry.

In the 12 months ended September 2024, wine exports increased by 34% in value to $2.39 billion and by 7% in volume to 643 million litres, according to Wine Australia’s Export Report released today.

These are the highest levels of shipments by both volume and value since the 12 months ended August 2021.

Growth was driven largely by the re-entry of Australian wine exports to mainland China following the removal of import duties on Australian bottled wine in late March 2024.

The value of shipments to mainland China increased by $604 million to $612 million, while volume increased by 58 million litres to 59 million litres.

Wine Australia manager for market insights, Peter Bailey, said that “although the September quarter was smaller than the June quarter in both volume and value to China, it was still significant - totalling 27 million litres worth $214 million".

Of the 927 businesses exporting Australian wine to mainland China during the 12 months ended September 2024, the top 10 exporters by value contributed 68% of the total value and 38% of total volume.

“While the export figures to mainland China are very positive, the impact on total export value is much larger than volume due to the premium price point of most wine entering the market," Bailey said. 

"As such, this increase is unlikely to reduce the oversupply of red winegrapes in the warm inland regions.

“It’s important to note that shipments in these first six months are likely to be characteristic of re-stocking Australian wine after a long absence.

"Export levels are not equivalent to retail figures, and it will take time before it is evident how Chinese consumers are reacting to having Australian wine back in market. Despite this recent growth in exports, it is increasingly important to pursue market diversification and defend our share in other wine markets.”

Exports to all other destinations were stable in value at $1.78 billion but declined in volume by 3% to 585 million litres.

“The most significant decline in volume was in exports to the United States, with nearly all the loss in volume (21 million litres) being unpackaged wine, following a surge in unpackaged wine to the market throughout 2022 and the start of 2023," Bailey said.

"Exports to Canada stabilised in value as the decline in unpackaged wine eased and exports with an average value of $7.50 and above increased by 28% in value.”

In Europe, growth in exports to the United Kingdom and Belgium more than offset declines to Germany, Denmark, and Spain - resulting in a small increase overall for the region.

The top five export destinations by value were:

# China (up $604 million to $612 million)
# UK (up $9 million to $362 million)
# US (down $25 million to $341 million)
# Hong Kong (up $65 million to $270 million), and
# Canada (down $0.08 million to $147 million).

For more information see Wine Australia’s Export Report

Australians travelling in record numbers

 

Australians are travelling at record levels, with outbound and inbound travel experiencing unprecedented growth in 2024, the latest Travel Trends Report from the Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) shows. The report, which analyses data from various sources, including the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Department of Infrastructure, shows a significant surge in both outbound and inbound travel for the year ending August 2024. Australians are embracing international travel more than ever, with major increases to key destinations across the Asia-Pacific region. Indonesia, which, in effect means Bali, continues to be the top destination for Australians, with a 30.4% increase in travellers, reaching 1.59 million. Japan recorded the highest growth, with a 103.4% rise in Australian visitors, totalling 727,260 for the year.  Other key destinations include New Zealand (up 10.0% to 1.33 million) and the United States, which saw 728,550 Australian visitors, reflecting a 16.7% increase. China led the inbound market, with a 135.5% increase in visitors, reaching 844,940 in 2024. Growth from New Zealand visitors also remained strong, up 20.2% to 1.38 million, while visitors from Japan surged 64.9% to 373,700. Overall, inbound tourism to Australia grew 25.7%, with a total of 8.06 million international visitors in the year ending August 2024. “The incredible 30.4% year-on-year rise in travel to Indonesia, our top overseas destination, shows how much demand for international travel has skyrocketed," said ATIA CEO Dean Long. "But it’s the growth in new and emerging markets that really tell the story of 2024. The 103.4% surge in travel to Japan is a clear sign that Australians are looking for more than just a getaway - they’re seeking cultural immersion and unique experiences. "We’re seeing a shift towards more adventurous and diversified travel, with destinations like Thailand and Vietnam growing by 20.2% and 40.1%, respectively.”

Big Apple has more millionaires than any city on the planet

Where would expect to find more millionaires per square kilometre than anywhere else on the planet?

The city with the highest number of resident millionaires with liquid investable wealth of $1 million US or more is New York.

In fact, the US leads the pack, with 11 cities in the top 50 of the 2024 World’s Wealthiest Cities Report, published annually by international wealth migration specialists Henley & Partners in collaboration with global data intelligence firm New World Wealth.

A stunning 349,500 millionaires, 744 centi-millionaires (with investable wealth of over $100 million), and 60 billionaires live in the city.

Hot on its heels in second place is Northern California’s Bay Area, encompassing the city of San Francisco and Silicon Valley.

The Bay Area has enjoyed one of the world’s highest wealth growth rates, increasing its millionaire population by 82% over the past decade, and is now home to 305,700 millionaires, 675 centi-millionaires, and 68 billionaires.

Tokyo, on the other hand, which led the pack as the world's wealthiest city a decade ago, has suffered a 5% decline in its resident high-net-worth-individual (HNWI) population over the past 10 years, and now sits in third place with 298,300 millionaires.

City-state Singapore has climbed two places to fourth with 244,800 resident millionaires, 336 centi-millionaires, and 30 billionaires.

London, the wealthiest city in the world for many years, continues to tumble down the rankings (thanks Brexit), and now sits in fifth place with just 227,000 millionaires, 370 centi-millionaires, and 35 billionaires - a decline of 10% over the past decade.

By contrast, Los Angeles, home to 212,100 millionaires, 496 centi-millionaires, and 43 billionaires, has jumped up two places over the 10-year period to sixth place and has enjoyed a notable 45% growth in its wealthy population.

Paris, the wealthiest city in mainland Europe, retains its seventh place on the ranking with 165,000 resident millionaires, while Sydney ascends to eighth position with 147,000 HNWIs, after experiencing exceptionally strong wealth growth over the past 20 years.

Dr Juerg Steffen, CEO of Henley & Partners, says a key factor driving growth in the world’s wealthiest cities has been the strong performance of financial markets in recent years.

China has established a notable presence on the latest rankings, with five cities in mainland China making the list.

Andrew Amoils, had of research at New World Wealth, says Shenzhen is the world’s fastest-growing city for the wealthy, with its millionaire population exploding by 140% in the last 10 years.

In the Middle East, Dubai takes the crown as the wealthiest city in the region, with impressive growth of 78% in its millionaire population over the past 10 years.

Read the full 2024 World’s Wealthiest Cities Report..

Image: Darya Mead, Scop,io

Tourism to South Africa bouncing back in style

International tourist arrivals to South Africa are booming - and are close to returning to pre-Covid numbers.

International tourist arrivals from January to November 2023 totalled 7.6 million, representing a remarkable 51.8% increase when compared with same period in 2022.

While recovery towards pre-Covid-19 numbers is encouraging, this performance remains 17.6% lower compared to the same period in 2019.

South African Tourism reports: "South Africa remains an attractive destination, for both domestic and international travellers. The numbers show that the tourism sector is successfully driving travel to South Africa while shaping cultural exchanges and contributing to inclusive economic growth."

Arrivals from other countries in Africa numbered 5.8 million visitors, a significant 75.5% of all arrivals.

“I am so pleased by these numbers from the rest of the African continent," says Minister of Tourism Patricia De Lille.

With 1.1 million tourist arrivals, Europe contributed to 14.6% of the total arrivals during the first eleven months of 2023.

This marks a 43.2% increase when compared to the same period last year. The UK remains the top European source market ahead of Germany.

“Europe continues to show strong growth and recovery when compared to the same period in 2022. Notably, the Netherlands has achieved 90% of 2019 arrivals, solidifying their position as the fourth largest international market behind the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Germany," says de Lille.

"This recovery can be attributed to consistent efforts to showcase South Africa as a welcoming, responsible tourism destination, highlighting experiences that align with intrepid, green economy conscious travellers.

“It is evident that our country remains attractive and that more can be unlocked with more policy and regulation revisions. I am committed to working with all partners and government colleagues to unlock barriers such as visa regulations, safety concerns and limited air access and air lift, so that we can grow our sector and meaningfully contribute to our country’s economy."

See https://www.southafrica.net

Images: Table Mountain, Cape Town (top), Soweto (middle)

Tourism bounces back around the globe

International tourism has roared back post-Covid with the industry on track to recover to almost 90% of pre-pandemic levels by the end of this year.

The latest data from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) issued this week shows an estimated 975 million tourists travelled internationally between January and September, 2023, an increase of 38% on the same months in 2022.

The newest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer also shows that destinations welcomed 22% more international tourists in the third quarter of 2023 compared to the same period last year, reflecting a strong northern hemisphere summer season.

It was also revealed that international tourist arrivals hit 91% of pre-pandemic levels in the third quarter, reaching 92% in July, the best month so far since the start of pandemic.

Overall, tourism recovered to 87% of pre-pandemic levels in January-September 2023. That puts the sector on course to recover to almost 90% by the end of the year.

UNWTO secretary general Zurab Pololikashvili said: "The latest UNWTO data shows that international tourism has almost completely recovered from the unprecedented crisis of Covid-19 with many destinations reaching or even exceeding pre-pandemic arrivals and receipts.

"This is critical for destinations, businesses, and communities where the sector is a major lifeline."

Europe, the world's largest destination region, welcomed 550 million international tourists over the period, 56% of the global total. That represents 94% of pre-pandemic levels. The rebound was supported by robust intra-regional demand as well as strong demand from the United States.

Asia and the Pacific reached just 62% of pre-pandemic levels this period due to slower reopening to international travel, the UNWTO said.

Image: Carmen Ramon Cami, Scop.io 

Australians have a taste for imported wines

Australian wine drinkers have a healthy appetite for imported wines, Wine Australia has reported.

Imported wine has an estimated 20% share by volume on the domestic market in Australia - and more by value.

New Zealand accounts for approximately half of all imported wine, followed by France (20%), Italy (17%) and others (10%).

Customs figures show total wine imports have grown from 82 million litres in 2014 to 106 million litres in the year 2023.

Wine Australia says: "It is no surprise that other wine-producing countries are targeting this market in a competitive, free-trade global environment, characterised by declining demand and excess supply."

Imports from France and Italy have both grown by a compound annual growth rate of around 7% since 2014, although figures have dropped over the past two years.

Wine Business Solutions reported Australian wine-producing states and New Zealand lost ground to European countries in 2023 in terms of share of wine listings in licensed premises across Australia.

Overall, wine listings from France increased by 16% to be second only to South Australia, while Italy grew 1% to take third spot from Victoria, which slipped from second to fourth.

Another warning sign for Australian producers is that although the volume of French wine imports may have declined in the past 12 months, the value increased by 9% overall, driven by Champagne (up 30%).

Overall, French wine imports account for 49% of the total value of imports. 

Can you guess the busiest airport in the world?

The busiest airport in the world? London Heathrow perhaps? Los Angeles International? Charles de Gaulle in Paris?

Wrong. Wrong and wrong.

Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport was officially the world’s busiest airport in 2021.

It had been overtaken during the Covid pandemic by Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in China.

ATL handled 75.7 million passengers in 2021, up a massive 76% from 2020, official figures show.

The Airports Council International’s busiest airports by passenger volume rankings - released last week - show eight of the top 10 are in the US.

Dallas/Fort Worth was the second-busiest in 2021, with 62.5 million passengers.

The international airport in Denver, Colorado, ranked third, with 58.8 million passengers while Chicago's O'Hare and Los Angeles International rounded out the top five.

Guangzhou's airport dropped to No. 8 in 2021, with 40.3 million passengers. Another airport in China, Chengdu's Shuangliu International Airport, is ninth on the 2021 list, down from No.3 in 2020.

China's dominance in 2020 was because of the early rebound of domestic travel in China. The country still has not reopened to international visitors.

The list shows "an encouraging trend of recovery," Luis Felipe de Oliveira, ACI World's director general, said in a statement.

"Although we are cautious that recovery could face multiple headwinds, the momentum created by reopening plans by countries could lead to an uptick in travel in the second half of 2022," de Oliveira said.

Schmuckenschlager celebrates some sassy stats

The Austrian wine industry is booming. 

Taking advantage of a global trend towards elegant cool-climate wines, Austrian wine exports grew by over 15% despite the travails of 2021. 

Revenue rose by €29.5 million to €216.8 million (+15.7%) - the greatest growth in value ever.

Exports were mainly driven by Austria’s white qualitätswein (quality wine) and growth was strong in the USA, Canada and China.

In Australia, cool-climate wines from Tasmania have enjoyed similar success. 

“The export figures for 2021 are a huge success for the whole of the Austrian wine sector,” said Chris Yorke, CEO of Austrian Wine (Austrian Wine Marketing Board). 

“What is particularly significant is that we were able to achieve such a high increase in value. That is, after all, the ultimate aim of our efforts: to boost value for our winegrowers.”

Johannes Schmuckenschlager, president of Austria’s Winegrowers Association, said: “Thanks to the outstanding work done by our winegrowers, exports have been on a steadily rising trajectory for a number of years now. 

"Together, we are taking advantage of this growth potential to make Austrian wines more widely known outside of Austria. One thing is clear: choosing Austrian wine is a guarantee of top quality and sheer enjoyment. This is increasingly being recognised around the world.”

Austria exports to 100 countries but has recently focused efforts more on the top 10. The top three markets are currently Germany, Switzerland and the US.

Austrian Wine has supported winemakers with over 100 events around the world in 2021, either staged as virtual, hybrid events or events held on location. 

Vintage performance. Australia wine industry celebrates

The Australian wine industry has rebounded from two successive small vintages to produce a record crop of 2.03 million tonnes in 2021. 

The season was characterised by near-perfect growing and ripening conditions across most states and regions, according to the National Vintage Report 2021 released today by Wine Australia.

Wine Australia General Manager, Corporate Affairs and Regulation, Rachel Triggs said 2021 was being described as a ‘unicorn’ vintage because of the rare combination of events leading to both exceptional quality and a good crop size.

“Good fruit set, plenty of water at the right time, lack of heatwaves, low disease pressure, and favorable harvest conditions have resulted in a high-yielding, high-quality vintage,” Triggs said.

The 2021 crush was 31% higher than the 2020 vintage and 19% above the 2019 vintage. 

The larger crush balanced out the two previous small vintages, with the average of the three being closely in line with the 10-year average of 1.74 million tonnes.

South Australia was the largest contributor of the states, with an estimated harvest of 1.06 million tonnes (52% of the national total), followed by New South Wales with 580,875 tonnes (29%) and Victoria with 334,834 tonnes (17%).

“This vintage provides an opportunity for depleted inventory levels to be restored, ensuring we have the supply we need to take up new export opportunities,” Triggs said.

Red grapes made up 57% of the crush comprising 1.16 million tonnes, an increase of 37% over the previous year. The white varieties comprised 864,946 tonnes, an increase of 25%. 

Shiraz was up by 41% per cent to a record 538,402 tonnes. This saw its share increase by one percentage point to 46% of all red varieties and 27% of the total crush.

The total value of the crush at the weighbridge increased by more than $400 million (36%) to $1.56 billion. 

Triggs said that concerns prior to vintage about the effect on grape prices of the tariffs imposed by the Chinese government on Australian wine, had not been realised in 2021. 

“That’s not to say that some producers aren’t doing it tough," she said. "Exposure to China is very variable from one producer to another depending on their ability to diversify, cash flow and the ability to physically hold stock and it will take some producers time to bounce back, which could also have flow-on effects for growers.” 

The National Vintage Report is based on a survey of winemakers conducted in May-June each year. 

In 2021, responses were received from a record 579 businesses, including all wineries known to crush over 10,000 tonnes, estimated to account for 89% of the Australian wine grape crush in 2021.

For more information, download the full report from www.wineaustralia.com/market-insights/national-vintage-report