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.
Going on foot
Jennifer Attersall, director of incentive travel for Destination Canada (pictured left), 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 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 (pictured left). McCarthy’s company, Food Culture Place, connects travellers with longstanding Newfoundland and Labrador traditions and food history through several-day cultural residencies – including seashore foraging, game butchery, and wild game cookery. More than enough to stock an enriching incentives itinerary. Newfoundland and Labrador’s coasts are brimming with wildlife – including one of the largest puffin communities worldwide, over 10,000 humpback whales in their feeding season, and a hearty seal population. These can be seen up-close on a Zodiac Safari from Petty Harbour or a kayaking tour in Cape Broyle, where guests can also see Newfoundland divers hand-harvest fresh scallops the group can go on to enjoy for lunch or dinner.
A scoff and a scuff
At the heart of Newfoundland and Labrador culture is, like many, enjoying a hearty meal. If a Newfoundlander invites you for ‘a scoff and a scuff’, you’re in for a night of good food (a scoff) and dancing (a scuff). But, before you jump into your traditional Jiggs dinner, there’s an unmissable way to fully welcome delegates to the destination. Bars like Christian’s and O’Reillys on nightlife hotspot George Street will offer guests an official ‘Screech-In’ ceremony to become an honorary Newfoundlander. It’s an unusual method, but somehow kissing a frozen cod and drinking Screech rum is a great bonding experience that attracts tourists from all over the world.
Catie Owen is screeched-in at The Rooms
