How can you feel homesick for a place you’ve never lived?
It happens each time I go to Newfoundland: I get home and start missing it. During my visit to St. John’s last week, I spoke to many visitors, and they all felt the same way: they had fallen deeply in love with “the Rock.”
What is it about this gem that makes it so magical?
Here are some suggestions about making your clients happy by selling them a trip to Newfoundland.
• First, the easy part: how to say it. Newfoundland is pronounced “new-fun-land.” Locals are called Newfoundlanders - please don’t say Newfies - and the rest of us are "Come From Away".
• This is a province of eye-popping scenery, toe-tapping music, a vibrant culinary tradition, a hugely creative arts scene and adventure travel options galore. Most of the tourists here are from mainland Canada, with the majority from Ontario.
• Every destination in the world likes to think it has the friendliest people. But the people in Newfoundland take the gold medal. It’s almost impossible to find a local who is not genuinely kind, generous and deeply funny: it seems to be built into their DNA.
How come?
“Kindness in Newfoundland is a survival tactic,” one local explained. “Given our harsh climate and treacherous history, in the past, your survival could count, quite literally on the kindness of strangers.”
If you need further proof, watch the hugely successful musical Come From Away, and have your Kleenex handy.
• The island of Newfoundland is big – from Rocky Harbour in the west to St. John’s in the east, which is 700 km. Encourage clients not to be too ambitious about covering too much ground.
• Newfoundlanders speak with a distinct accent which reflects their Irish heritage. There are so many local expressions that they are compiled into books. “Whaddya at?” (How are you?) “Some shocking good” (Excellent!) And: how windy is Newfoundland? “So windy it’ll blow the milk out of your tea.”
• The cultural scene is brimming with talent and choices. Live music is huge here, from Irish folk ballads to choral to rock to jazz. This year alone, festivals include music, live theatre, art, food, regattas and writing.
• Place names are probably the most colourful in the world. There are some to make you smile (Cupids, Heart’s Delight), some to make you sad (Ile aux Morts – Island of the Dead) and some to make you giggle (Tickle Harbour, Jerry’s Nose and the famous Dildo).
• The capital, St. John’s, is a colourful, hilly, musical, edible city full of pubs and those famous, multi-coloured “jellybean” houses. It’s a city of neighbourhoods where attractions include Signal Hill National Historic Site – featuring great views of the city – as well as the charming fishing village and artisan centre of Quidi Vidi (“kiddy viddy”). Both are within an energetic walking distance of downtown. There are also a variety of day trips available from the city, including whale, puffin and iceberg sightings and even jigging (fishing) for cod.
• What a food scene! Seafood is king, and menus can feature cod, crab, lobster, and mussels (48 mussel farms on the island). Elegant fixins are available at St. John’s chic new ALT Hotel. Pubs like the Yellow Belly combine centuries of history with traditional pub fare. Clients can also go really local to the popular Bagel Café, which features a raft of toutons options. Deep-fried bread dough and a staple of the Newfoundland diet, toutons are traditionally served with molasses, but at the Bagel, you can get them with deep-fried cod, bologna, crabcake or baked beans.
• Clients will never go thirsty in St. John’s. There are also lots of craft breweries, and there’s the famous George Street. With over two dozen bars, pubs, clubs and restaurants, it’s a colourful and shockingly short street – I counted just 400 steps from start to finish. Cheers!
• Rental cars in Newfoundland can be a challenge due to high summer demand. Alternatives may include renting cars from the locals through Turo or getting around by Uber, which has been in St. Johns for only a matter of weeks. If your clients are open to escorted tours, the pax I spoke to on coach tours were having a whale of a time. They all told me that having the local guide with them was informative and hugely entertaining.
• No matter the season, clients should come prepared for various weather. As one local told me, “There’s no such thing as a good hair day here.” Counsel clients to bring layers, including waterproof ones.
• Don’t forget the meetings and incentive market. While I was there, a group from DHL Supply Chain was there, as well as conventions of medical geneticists and laboratory scientists. There’s a lot of cachet to saying, “I’m going to Newfoundland,” which you can capitalize on.
As for me, I can’t wait for my next trip to the Rock. Heart’s Delight, perhaps? Then I’ll get to write another love letter to Newfoundland.
Find out more about tourism in Newfoundland and Labrador here.
