Passage 1

I would like to extend a special welcome to those of you who have travelled great distances to get here from all around Australia and all around the world. The Australian Government recognises both the current value of wine tourism and its potential for growth, the sector has  been identified as having considerable development  potential in the Government’s recent Tourism White Paper.  It is no surprise,  therefore,  that the Government has funded the development and implementation of a National Wine Tourism Strategy. //
    This Strategy brings together two of our largest and most successful export earners in a recipe for success. Tourism which employs more than 550,000 Australians and generates some A $17 billion per year in exports; And the wine industry, which employs 30,000 Australians and has exports totalling A $ 2.4 billion. The Australian wine industry has done a tremendous job in promoting and marketing their product overseas. As a result exports have been booming.