(KLJB) - The first-ever Wine Tourism Day in North America was all about promoting local wineries to boost our local economy.

It's a tradition that began in Europe and has now made it's way to the QCA. The first-ever national Wine Tourism Day was in full swing Saturday at wineries all over our area.

One winery we visited said events like this one can make a big difference for the Quad City Area economy.

Creekside Winery in Coal Valley already has seen visitors come from as far away as the Eastern Seaboard and the West Coast. But with the a national Wine Tourism Day starting up, owners believe that can convince even more people to come to the area.

Winery tourism in the United States got its start in the 1970's in California - and it's been booming there ever since. Now, vineyards here believe the Midwest is ready to support that kind of business.

And the benefits would not just be for wine-related business.