The Perfect Pairing: Inspiring Incentives in St. John’s & Fogo Island

An adventure destination for the intrepid and curious, the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador promises unique nature experiences as well as a warm, welcoming culture that is perfect for creating inspirational incentive rewards. 

Combine the vibrant and colourful capital city of St. John’s with the remote and unique Fogo Island Inn for a trip that will live long in the memories of your top performers. When it comes to perfect pairings, this combination is hard to beat.

Credit: Fogo Island Inn

Discover a city of contrasts

The closest point between North America and Europe, St. John’s has been a natural meeting place for over 500 years.

Home of the oldest street in North America, and with it’s very own, unique time zone, this jellybean-coloured city, in the youngest province in Canada, is unlike any other. 

Credit: Barrett & MacKay Photo

Rich and colourful, rugged and refined, St. John’s offers a stark contrast between city and nature. Here your group can hunt for icebergs, kayak beside whales, spot colourful puffins, pop into a gallery or museum to see Newfoundland & Labrador through a curated lens, live it up on George Street, famous for its lively bars and restaurants.

Being the most easterly city in North America comes with the perks of endless coastlines and amazing ocean views. A birding tour or hike along the coast will offer delights of over 350 species of birds.

Glide among giant icebergs

Sail from St. John’s Narrows to Iceberg Alley, where towering slabs of 10,000-year-old frozen water drift along the horizon, like a moving mountain range on the ocean. Navigate amongst ice sheets, capturing the best angle to photograph these seaway skyscrapers.

If you’re lucky, humpback whales and playful pods of dolphins will emerge from the depths, enticing you with their blow’s, clicks and whistles.

Your group can revel in local legends told by your seafaring captains, with an iceberg vodka cocktail in hand, as they watch the water sparkle against the glistening landscape. This is one ocean-bound adventure your group won’t ever forget.

A Newfoundland night to remember

Celebrate your team’s successes on George Street, a St. John’s landmark and home to more bars and pubs per capita, than anywhere in North America.

Rollick and roll on a “Rally in the alley” – a St. John's pub and restaurant crawl organised by DMC McCarthy’s Party.

Your group will enjoy a slap-up supper, traditional live music and take part in activities such as an Irish Newfoundland Step Dance lesson from local dancers during stops at three different venues, ending the night with an unforgettable party at your final venue.  

Credit: Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism

Recharge between the wind and the waves on Fogo Island

Travel to Fogo Island, the last remaining Newfoundland outport, to stay in the unique and luxurious Fogo Island Inn – a once-in-a-lifetime reward. Here, attendees are lulled to sleep by the song of the Atlantic in 29 ultra-luxe rooms.

A powerful landscape meets an even more powerful ocean outside each window, where views leave guests gob smacked. Each unique room is an individual expression of traditional Newfoundland outport design and décor featuring Fogo-crafted furnishings.

Marvel at nature’s wonders

With dozens of guaranteed breath-taking hikes right at the inn’s doorstep, the Fogo Island’s landscape beckons exploration. Join the inn’s geologist-in-residence on a guided walk, where your group will discover the destination’s unique ecosystem while learning how to read a landscape and identify local wildlife.

Spot caribou grazing along island paths, furry seals slipping along shore bound ice, colourful puffins and other seabirds, and 22 species of whales, including majestic humpbacks.

Roam the hills, bogs, and marshes to pick a bucket full of berries. Look out for partridgeberries, marshberries, crowberries, bakeapples, and blueberries as your group gathers wood for a traditional Fogo Island boil up meal. The Newfoundland and Labrador berry season tradition of an outdoor fire, roasted salt fish, berry tarts, and strong tea is the simplest yet most satisfying of feasts.

Credit: Destination Canada

At night, you and your team can stargaze with uninterrupted views of the ocean and of the sky above you. Guided activities include dark sky hikes to lookout points, late evening strolls around the harbour, and daily sunrise and sunset hikes.

Guests can bring the magic and marvels of the night sky into sharp focus, as they search for stars with a pair of binoculars from one of the inn’s amazing viewing points. There’s even the option to soak in the soothing warmth of the rooftop’s outdoor hot tubs as you scan the sky for shooting stars.

Get creative with the local community

Inspire your top performers with hands-on artist-led workshops in collaboration with Fogo Island Arts. Sketch, paint, weave textiles, amp up your photography skills or learn to quilt in small groups with local artists. Or head to Fogo Clay Studio, located on the edge of the water, where potter Sarah Fulford will lead a pottery-making session for your group.

Enjoy a jam and jelly making session with a member of the inn’s culinary team, or a local community host. Learn the traditional techniques for making tarts, savoury dishes or even berry ice cream, as well as how to bottle your freshly made jams jellies, as you get an insight into the island’s culinary culture.

Join local Fogo Islanders around a kitchen table or a bonfire and celebrate their unique history and culture through an evening of music and storytelling, the perfect end to your group’s memorable Fogo Island experience.

Getting St. Johns & Fogo Island

St. John’s International Airport is serviced by all major Canadian and regional airlines with links to destinations including Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary and more.

Groups can fly directly to Fogo Island’s airstrip via charter plane. Depending on your starting point, you can fly private charter all the way, or you can fly commercially to St. John’s, Gander or Deer Lake and then fly charter to Fogo Island.

There is also a passenger and vehicle ferry from Gander, operated by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador several times each day. The crossing takes about 45 minutes.

Planning your 2022 incentive programme? If you’re interested in rewarding your top performers with a memorable trip in Newfoundland and Labrador, head to the Destination Canada Business Events Canada website for ideas and inspiration. 

This content is sponsored by Destination Canada Business Events.