In Episode 3 of the Into the Hearts of Canada podcast, Matt Leedham welcomes Zita Cobb, the iconic founder of Fogo Island Inn, to share her story about the island’s “seven seasons,” the art of knitting together past and future, and why travel should always make places stronger.
Into the Hearts of Canada is an engaging 10-part series that explores the people, places, and powerful ideas shaping the future of travel through a Canadian lens.
From Indigenous knowledge-keepers and local changemakers to iconic landscapes and regenerative tourism pioneers, each episode offers an intimate conversation with the people reimagining what travel can be.
Whether you’re a curious wanderer or a travel professional seeking fresh insights, this podcast invites you to see Canada with new eyes and an open heart.
Episode 3: How Fogo Island is redefining luxury with community at its heart – Zita Cobb
On the far eastern edge of Canada, where the Labrador Current shapes a subarctic island of rugged, stark beauty and deep cultural roots, Zita Cobb has built one of the most remarkable travel experiences on the planet.
An eighth-generation Fogo Islander, Cobb returned home after a career in Silicon Valley in 2006 to co-found the Shorefast Foundation with her brothers and create the world-famous Fogo Island Inn, a community-owned, design-led project redefining luxury as a force for good.
Through the Shorefast Foundation, Cobb and the community built the award-winning Fogo Island Inn, a 29-room property that walks delicately on 400-million-year-old rocks and reinvests all its profits into the island and its people.
Episode 3 Top Takeaways: How Fogo Island is redefining luxury with community at its heart – Zita Cobb
“Every place is shaped by what makes it specific.” Fogo Island sits at 49°44′N — the same latitude as Paris — but its plants, berries, and culture are defined by the icy Labrador Current. The island’s “seven seasons” include pack ice, trap berth (cod fishing), and berry picking.
Hospitality vs. service: For Zita, hospitality at Fogo Island Inn is about a genuine welcome rooted in place. “We might make a service mistake at the Inn, but we’ll never make a hospitality mistake — that’s just us.”
Building the Inn: The design brief to architect Todd Saunders: “Please find a way to express in contemporary architecture what we have learned in 400 years of clinging to this rock.” Every object inside was made locally or sourced as close to home as possible.
No tipping, all-inclusive: To keep relationships between guests and hosts authentic, Fogo Island Inn has a strict no-tipping policy and revenue shares with its team. “It’s a more dignified way to make a living,” says Cobb.
Redefining luxury: For Zita, true luxury is knowing your visit does more good than harm, being at ease in a place that wants you there, and being surrounded by objects and food chosen with intention. “The strength of a place is its ability to hold onto itself — and to reach out and belong to the world,” says Cobb.
Creating a tangible Impact on the community: From creating jobs to keeping traditional skills alive, the Inn has given young people a reason to return and has strengthened Fogo Island’s identity. “We’ve done a great job of balancing money-making and meaning-making,” Cobb states.
Looking ahead: Through the new Shorefast Institute for Community Economies, Zita wants to connect communities, governments, and businesses worldwide to share best practices in place-based development.
Show Notes
- Subscribe to Into The Hearts of Canada Podcast here
- Learn more about Fogo Island Inn here
- Learn more about the Shorefast Foundation here
- Find your local Canada Specialist Travel Advisor here
- Travel Advisors: Join the Canada Specialist Program here
Catch up on past episodes
Into the Hearts of Canada is presented in partnership with Destination Canada.
