FREDERICKSBURG, TX — Organizers of the 2016 Wine Tourism Conference have named Fredericksburg and the Texas Hill Country as the 2016 Wine Tourism Conference host location.

“The Wine Tourism Conference will not only bring wine tourism industry leaders from throughout the country and world to Texas, but it will also feature experts in all aspects of wine tourism and wine marketing who will be presenting content of great interest to local wineries, hotels, tour operators, and others involved in the industry,” said Wine Tourism Conference Director, Allan Wright.

Headquartered in downtown Fredericksburg, Texas, the 2016 Wine Tourism Conference will take place November 8 through November 10, 2016. Host hotels for the conference will be Inn on Barons Creek Spa and Conference Center and Fredericksburg Inn & Suites.

“Texas Hill Country Wineries is thrilled to host the 2016 Wine Tourism Conference in the heart of Texas Wine Country. We are ready to welcome our colleagues from all over the world and have planned a number of excellent events to really share what the thriving Texas wine industry has to offer,” noted Texas Hill Country Wineries Executive Director, January Wiese.

The conference will include three days of educational sessions featuring wine tourism industry leaders.

All attendees will be treated to lunch by Becker Vineyards and Frost Bank on Wednesday and by Woodrose Winery on Thursday in nearby Stonewall, as well as experiencing dinner and dancing at Luckenbach Texas, an authentic Texas dancehall, on Wednesday evening.

Pre and post optional tours on Monday and Friday will be offered to Texas Hill Country wineries.

Tuesday’s optional dinner will be hosted and sponsored by William Chris Vineyards in nearby Hye, Texas with wine and food provided by Lewis Wines, Kuhlman Cellars, Compass Rose Cellars & Hye Market, while an optional dinner on Thursday night will be hosted and sponsored by Fall Creek Vineyards and Salt Lick BBQ in Driftwood, Texas.

In addition to programming for conference attendees, spouse and guest programs will highlight numerous Texas Hill Country attractions such as the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park in nearby Stonewall, Texas, hiking at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, a visit to the largest working wildseed farm in the nation- Wildseed Farms, craft beer tastings and tours at the Pedernales Brewing Company, tours and tastings at Garrison Brothers Distillery and lunch at Hye Market in nearby Hye, Texas.

Fredericksburg, Texas is located in the heart of Texas Wine Country and home to more than 30 wineries and tasting rooms, while Texas is home to more than 350 wineries, the sixth most in the nation. The Texas Hill Country American Viticultural Area (AVA) is the third largest AVA in the nation and has been home to expansive growth in the wine industry.  The Texas Hill Country wine industry has also gained a number of accolades, being named one of the “ten best wine travel destinations in the world for 2014” by Wine Enthusiast and one of the “10 Best Wine Destinations” by USA Today.

Organized by Zephyr Adventures, the 2016 Wine Tourism Conference will come to Texas for the first time in 2016. Participating sponsors include the Texas Hill Country Wineries Association, the Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau, and the GOTEXAN program of the Texas Department of Agriculture.

For more information and to register for the 2016 Wine Tourism Conference in Fredericksburg, Texas, visit www.winetourismconference.org. For additional information on Fredericksburg and Gillespie County, visit www.VisitFredericksburgTX.com.  For more information on Texas Hill Country wineries, visit www.TexasWineTrail.com.