Come From Away and Have a Lovely Stay in Gander
How a boffo Broadway show has become the ultimate marketing tool for a small Newfoundland town
[Initially published on Passport2017.ca on June 5, 2017]
Let it be known: For Canada’s tourism boards, 2017 is the year of going all-in. Sesquicentennial excitement has prompted provinces, regions and cities to double down on fun events and unique experiences to attract visitors. Ottawa, for example, is positioning itself as the place to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday. Meanwhile, Toronto is selling itself as an open-minded, multicultural hub of excellence, and Montreal is putting its rich history, creativity and tech expertise on display to celebrate not only the Confederation’s 150th, but also its own 375th anniversary.
Despite the deep pockets of Canada’s biggest cities, there is an unlikely contender in this summer’s Hunger Games for tourism: the small town of Gander, Newfoundland. No, it doesn’t have a marketing budget to rival those of Toronto, Montreal or Ottawa. Nor is it a short drive or train trip away from any major urban centre. It doesn’t have world-class museums, boast an internationally renowned cultural scene or host a sought-after music festival either. So what’s the big sell, you may ask.
The answer is Broadway. Yes, the Broadway.
The Newfoundland town of 12,000 has become the unlikely star of mega-hit musical Come From Away. The show, a creation of Canadian husband-and-wife duo David Hein and Irene Sankoff, tells the true story of how Gander welcomed thousands of stranded travellers in the wake of the September 2001 attacks on New York City. If you don’t remember, here’s a refresher: In the hours after the planes hit the World Trade Center on 9/11, the United States Federal Aviation Administration closed off American airspace, preventing hundreds of planes from landing on U.S. soil. Thirty-eight civilian and four military flights were grounded in Gander, bringing some 6,600 travellers into town — close to two thirds of the local population at the time. For the five-odd days that followed, Gander’s residents came together to donate food and money, welcome strangers into their homes and make sure no one was left behind, all during a time of exacerbated tension and rampant distrust.
The musical is now having quite a run in New York. In April, it joined the likes of Wicked, The Lion King and Hamilton in Broadway’s “Million Dollar Club” — meaning it grossed more than $1 million in a single week. Yesterday, Come From Away won three prestigious Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Musical. It has also earned seven Tony nominations this year, including Best Musical.
Amidst the buzz created by Come From Away, Gander is gearing up for an increase in tourism, the National Post reports. “No doubt we’re going to be expecting an influx of people. The town is preparing. Is it preparing to the degree it should be? We hope so. But we really won’t know until we get through this season,” Debby Yannikidis of the Gander and Area Chamber of Commerce told the paper. According to her, tours featuring locations included in the musical are being planned for visitors who are eager to go behind the scenes.
If the beautiful scenery and nearby national parks are obvious draws, there’s something else to look out for, according to Ken Sooley, owner of CapeRace Newfoundland Adventures: “The majority of people say their best experience was with the people. When people come to Newfoundland, they’re taking a cultural adventure. The scenery is the main attraction, but that soon becomes the backdrop.”
Take a bow, good people of Gander. The spotlight is all yours.
