Word is out around the world about Marlborough's iconic wine festival.

Internet booking figures show that tickets to the Wine Marlborough Festival next month have been snapped up in Venice, Salt Lake City, Alaska and Marina del Rey. International ticket sales have also increased by 20 percent this year compared with last year, said Wine Marlborough Festival spokesperson Sarah Booker.

In previous years people booked tickets for the festival from main cities in the United States and the United Kingdom, but this year the variety of places from which people were booking was new, she said.

The wine festival will also host 150 tourists from the cruise liner Silversea, which is visiting Picton during festival week.

"It's an indication of how much more international awareness there is of Marlborough wine," Ms Booker said.

This year 55 wine companies will be showing of their latest Marlborough wines at the festival, among them are several new names that have not featured at the festival before.

As well as highlighting the region's world acclaimed wines, the festival will also feature 26 food sites, entertainment from Greg Johnson and Rhombus and introductions by Leigh Hart, better known as That Guy,

The Wine Marlborough Festival will be held on Saturday, February 10, from 10am to 6pm.