Prince Edward Island tourism officials hoping for big gains may experience just that after New York Based Live! with Regis and Kelly taped four shows from Charlottetown Monday and Tuesday. With the help of local and international media attention, PEI became Google’s second most popular search topic in the US as a result of the tapings and the Charlottetown broadcasts have been the highest rated remote episodes of the popular talk show.

At 6 a.m. Monday morning, thousands of fans braved the rainy Charlottetown forecast, lined up for several hours and cheered as the gates opened for Regis Philben and Kelly Ripa’s first appearance in Atlantic Canada. The hosts of Live! with Regis and Kelly were greeted by 3,000 seated fans and about 7,000 more who packed confederation square welcoming the Television stars.

The popularity of the Charlottetown shows was echoed by fans all over North America who participated in online conversations. Regis and Kelly's pre-taped segments from all over the Island were documented in real time on Twitter by the more rabid fans while curious folks ‘from away’ nearly crashed the province’s tourism website.

PEI minister of tourism Robert Vessey recently expressed his appreciation for the success of the tapings in Charlottetown’s Guardian newspaper:

“You cannot put a price on this kind of exposure,’’ Vessey said in an interview Tuesday. “We’re very proud of Prince Edward Island and to see it showcased like this, so professionally, so beautifully, it’s wonderful.”

While Regis is no seafood fan, he was a good sport about his participation in lobster fishing while another segment featured Kelly in full Anne of Green Gables regalia.

In the midst of the success, some still question whether increasing PEI’s brand awareness is worthwhile to islanders. What do you think?

Click here to read more about the debate at the Guardian’s website.

_{Also with files from by Amber MacArthur’s recent video blog at theglobeandmail.com.}