Fossil treasures, icebergs spotlighted in new tourism ads

Newfoundland and Labrador's tourism department will release a new national TV campaign Monday, with two commercials that promote icebergs and fossils.

The latest instalments in the province's eye-catching tourism ads will air across the country until May.

One is titled Iceberg Alley, while the other — titled Secret Place — was shot in part at Mistaken Point on the southern Avalon Peninsula, where fossils as old as 565 million years have been found.

"Our province is full of adventure in every cove, harbour, and bay," Tourism Minister Derrick Dalley said in a statement.

Government is spending about $13 million this year on tourism marketing.

The ads have been credited with drawing new visitors to the province, with visitors in 2010 exceeding Newfoundland and Labrador's population. Government estimated that the province had 518,500 out-of-province tourists that year, up more than seven per cent from 2009.