The New York City based daytime talk show, ‘Live with Regis and Kelly’, arrived on PEI a few days ago to set up production and all of PEI is taking notice. The crowds are huge, as are the expectations for what this visit will do to increase PEI tourism and recognition for Canada’s smallest province in the U.S. "Many people simply do not know that PEI exists", said Robert Ghiz (PEI’s top politician) in a recent interview. The PEI government has been strongly critisized in recent weeks for shelling out about one million in tax payer’s funds to lure the highly rated U.S. morning program to do four shows on Canada’s Island Paradise, but PEI tourism officials stand by their decision to bring Regis Philbin and Kelly Rippa to the Birthplace of Confederation and hope the move will be a panacea for the Island’s sluggish performance as a tourist mecca in recent years.

Others question the wisdom and performance of PEI Tourism officials for maintaining ‘The Gentle Island’ advertising campaign that has been widely critisized as unimaginative and ineffective in recent years. There is little doubt that the ‘Regis and Kelly’ show will have a positive impact  to some degree. Future statistics will show if the effects will be long lasting or simply ‘fly by night’, but thousands of people are embracing the excitement. Some may  argue that it’s simply a ‘Hail Mary Pass’ late in the fourth quarter and not a more elaborate initiative designed to provide a well defined marketing strategy- time will tell.

1. The above average size of PEI’s lobster (No one can honestly say size doesn’t matter).

2. Prince Edward Island sunsets. (second to nowhere)

3. The Golf on PEI. (Sean Connery agrees)

4. The cost of PEI seaside real estate. (Best deal in Canada or U.S.)

5. Bothwell beach near Souris, PEI. (Check it out)

6. The PEI Potato (Especially the organic spud)

7. The entire works of Lucy Maude Montgomery. (No one would know of PEI otherwise)