Abstract
People may be significant vectors for vine diseases and pests. Yet despite the potential biosecurity risks of visitation few New Zealand wineries have biosecurity strategies in place. The paper therefore aims to examine biosecurity threats to wineries in terms of first, visitor understanding of terms used in customs declaration and their relation to their perception of vineyards; and second, the behaviours of winery visitors. In order to undertake an exploratory assessment of biosecurity risks associated with wine tourism a short convenience survey was undertaken of winery visitors in the Canterbury, Marlborough and Central Otago wine regions of the South Island of New Zealand in January-March 2002. The survey had 324 respondents of which 69 were international visitors. The demographic profile of respondents was similar to previous profiles of New Zealand wine tourists. The results indicated that relatively few respondents recognised a vineyard as a farm therefore raising concerns about the extent to which present customs forms may identify winery or vineyard visits. Of equal concern was the extent to which the same clothing items are used from one winery visit to another, and on different trips. The paper concludes by noting the urgent need to develop more appropriate biosecurity strategies for wineries and vineyards in the light of the development of wine tourism.