Come From Away is going global, and Gander is bracing for visitors

As the beloved musical Come From Away is performed in more countries across the world, globetrotters are heading to Gander in increased numbers.

It's a potentialboom for tourism, and the town is trying its best to accommodate these new visitors, says thepresident and CEO of the Gander and Area Chamber of Commerce.

"We're realizing that we have to get ready because we're not even at the tip of the iceberg yet," said Hazel Bishop. "Last night, Come From Away opened in Australia,and as it moves out and out, people are coming from everywhere."

The chamber's way of welcoming those guests is something called a "visitor passport."

"It's designed to entice visitors to get to know the areas we're involved with,Come From Away events and that, and to get an experience from it," she said.

"It tells stories along the way, plus it also highlights the KittiwakeCoast. So it's not just Come From Away it's the whole KittiwakeCoast area."

The booklet has points of interests, co-ordinates for the real-lifesites from the musical and suggestions for spots tourists can check out in the region. It costs $10, notes Bishop, but that also includes a chance to win a trip for two to Toronto, two nights' stay in Toronto, two tickets to see Come From Away,and $250 in spending money.

Just this morning I had people here in the info centre that wanted to meet someone who was actually here when the event happened.- Hazel Bishop

The link between the musical and Gander's tourism boom is undeniable. Bishop sees the effects of the show's influence every day.

"We get people here daily, many people here daily that have heard the story or heard the play of Come From Away, and they're looking for experiences when they come here," she said.

"Just this morning I had people here in the info centre that wanted to meet someone who was actually here when the event happened. I do this on numerous occasions."

Bishop estimates tourism has been going up four to five per cent a year since the play hit.

That's great news for Gander Mayor Percy Farwell.

"There's a new type of tourist that's coming in now," Farwell said. "People want to come to Gander to see the sites that were referenced in the musical, that sort of thing."

He wants to help tourists find those spots from their favourite theatrical production.

"There will be very tastefully done interpretive signage at various locations around town," he says.

"The signage is in. There's about 12 six-foot signs and three 16-foot signs. So 15 large signs going around the community."

Farwell admits this sort of work could have been done earlier.

"We'replaying catchup. I think initially when the musical was conceived and was launched on Broadway there was some indication that it could have an impact on tourism," Farwell said.

It's kinda nice having people around.- Percy Farwell

"I'm not sure anybody had an understanding of the degree to which it would, and the degree to which it would spread, and the spinoff productions in other countries."

Having to prepare for a flood of international tourists isn't a terrible problem for a small town to have, said the mayor.

"There's a big economic spinoff to tourism, so it's a benefit to the entire community and it's kinda nice having people around."

Signs of those economic spinoffsare everywhere. Farwell found a board game called Gander-Opoly at a local department store, and he has no idea where it came from.

"This showed up on the shelves of Walmart. Interesting, eh?" he said. "If nothingelse, this is an indication, an opportunity to use that to generate sales."

Inspired to visit

John Gregory, visiting Gander from San Diego, said he was inspired by the musical to verify the character of Gander for himself.

"The way the musical depicted the people of Gander, I thought, there's no place in the world where people can really be that nice. So I wanted to find out for myself," he said.

"So far I'm finding nice people."

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