Dover experiencing minor tourism bump this summer

DOVER, N.L. — The spinoff from the smash Broadway hit Come From Away still resonates in the Town of Dover.
The initial boost came two years after the musical production opened when the summer of 2018 tourism numbers rose 38 per cent over the previous year.
The musical tells the tale of new love between Nick and Diane Marson. The pair met in Dover during 9/11 and their love grew from there.
By the first week of August this year, Dover saw a visitor bump of 18 per cent over the previous year’s total. 
The number could grow, said Mayor Tony Keats, once the town factors in its numbers for the end of August and September. 
“Those are big parts of the year for us,” he said. “Word of mouth helps most of the time. 
“We’ve had some exposure from Come From Away.” 
Dover has always been known as a town where worlds collide. 
It's where parts of the earth’s crust crashed into each other eons ago and it's where the worlds of Nick and Diane collided in the wake of 9/11. 
The documentary You Are Here released in the fall of 2018 continued shine a light on the Marsons and many others. 
“A lot of people come for Come From Away and a lot of people come to see the fault,” said town clerk Yvonne Collins. “Some people have come asking to see where Nick and Diane sat.” 
With this in mind, Dover has been working with the couple in an effort to showcase their story through informative panels in the community. The community has Come From Away materials ordered for the gift shop and is looking at other ways tell their story. 
Like any small town in Newfoundland and Labrador with an attraction to pull in people, the challenge is making those people stay longer, and spend more money.
It is something Dover has been working with other tourism outlets in the region to promote the shoreline as a whole and get people exploring. 
“We’re getting there,” said Keats. 
While Keats feel like his town was a bit late hopping on the Come From Away tourism boom that hits the region every summer since the musical opened, he thinks Dover is still primed to attract more people in coming years. 
Especially if a planned big-screen adaptation of the musical happens. 
“We’re very excited for the future,” said Keats. 

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