According to the CBC, although the province and federal government spent $1 million to attract the popular talk show, the return has made the investment worthwhile. “We estimated that we’sve got about $5-million worth of advertising so far, and that was even before we started broadcasting from here in Confederation Landing,” P.E.I. premier, Robert Ghiz, was quoted as saying by the CBC.
Ghiz was also said to point out that Prince Edward Island ranked among the top of the most commonly used Google search terms in the U.S. yesterday, July 12.
Even better than the advertising befalling the province is the unexpected surge in visitors who travelled to the island to see the broadcast. The CBC reports that Two-thirds of each show’s 3,000-strong live audience are tourists, likely already wining and dining in the region.
Food has already taken centre stage with their first guest, a local chef who presented samples of unique seafood applications, presenting a mussel hotdog and oyster ice-cream — the second of which Philbin refused.
Thursday will mark the final show on the Island.
