Incentive Canada
A scoff and a scuff in Newfoundland
CATIE OWEN VISITED THE COASTAL CITY OF ST JOHN ’ S , CAPITAL OF NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR , AS PART OF THE SUMMER EDITION OF INCENTIVE CANADA .
A departure from the snowy Quebec visit in the early winter season , 13-16 August Destination Canada invited a group of organisers , agencies , partners , and media to St John ’ s . 2023 ’ s summer edition of the biannual Incentive Canada trip aimed to highlight an often-overlooked province for business events : Newfoundland and Labrador .
It ’ s a striking coastal province known for its colourful houses , shorefront greenery , friendliness , and a curious English dialect . This unique combination can be felt by both tourists and business visitors , especially when staying in a local hotel . The Incentive Canada group stayed in the Alt Hotel , which had both a stunning view and a great restaurant . The lodgings and meeting spaces here can work in conjunction with events held at the St John ’ s Convention Centre , an unmissable modern space in Canada ’ s oldest city .
Catie Owen is screeched-in at The Rooms
Going on foot Jennifer Attersall , director of incentive travel for Destination Canada , explained that the city ’ s authentic vibe and culture were the driving forces behind the decision to host in St John ’ s : “ It was important to us to host the summer edition here so that we could really showcase how unique Newfoundland ’ s incentive experiences are .” She added : “ There are experiences to be had here that can ’ t be seen anywhere else in the world ; we wanted to showcase how special they are .”
St John ’ s is a destination with a flexible pace for its adventurers . On the smaller side , it ’ s a city that can be entirely seen on foot at a visitor ’ s own speed . To follow in the footsteps of the Incentive Canada group , a walking tour of the city centre and a casual climb to the historic tower on Signal Hill set off the adventure to a relaxing pace . A visit to St John ’ s isn ’ t complete without a full exploration of the island ’ s
Above : Jennifer Attersall , Destination Canada ’ s director of incentive travel
colourful houses , most notoriously demonstrated by Jellybean Row .
The city is brimming with museums and galleries , perfect for immersing guests further into the culture of Newfoundland and Labrador . The Rooms , for example , is a public cultural space that combines an art gallery , the Provincial Archives , and the Provincial Museum . But for incentive groups , the venue can have a two-fold purpose . After a thorough exploration of the site ’ s collections , dinner can be had on the venue ’ s panoramic mezzanine with views of the city . An added touch of beauty ? Watching the seaside fog roll in and swirl among the buildings below .
There are plenty of opportunities to see the surrounding area on foot , also . The East Coast trail in particular has acclaimed views of both the shoreline and the mountains . For incentive groups visiting between May and June , just before the summer heat sets in , a visit to Fort Amherst might provide a remarkable opportunity to see one of the 10,000-year-old Arctic icebergs float past .
From the land to the sea After getting acquainted with the city , there are lots of ways to enjoy St John ’ s sights from both the land and the sea . Our group was divided into several sub-groups to either try their hand at foraging , kayaking in the Atlantic or watching the ocean sea life from a Zodiac boat . Highlighting these experiences was important to Destination Canada , with Attersall explaining : “ We wanted the group to have a taster of what itineraries in St John ’ s can look like , and the activities that draw people in – that make people visit the destination .”
Foraging began with homemade tea and fishcakes on a rocky beachfront , courtesy of acclaimed guide and outdoorswoman Lori McCarthy . McCarthy ’ s company , Food Culture Place , connects travellers with
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