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Gold Coast wants a little (more) piece of the action

Despite the grim subject matter, the Gold Coast tourism industry is hoping The Strip will bring in even more visitors.

Following the premiere of The Strip on Channel Nine this week, the Gold Coast is hoping for a boost to its tourism.

Despite a softer debut than either Packed to the Rafters or Sea Patrol enjoyed, its 1,452,000 viewers is still an impressive figure. This week.

The Nine series is shot entirely on location at the Gold Coast, exploiting the glamorous scenery on offer. Nine’s Sea Patrol also shoots most of its exterior scenes in Queensland waters.

Sofitel Gold Coast General manager Mark Wilkinson said he was happy his establishment had been included in the show but added, “we did have some specifications about what they could do here – we didn’t want any murder scenes, for example.”

In the Brisbane region, which includes the Gold Coast, the show was the third most watched program on Thursday night, with about 317,000 viewers tuning in.

While this week’s episode started with the bloody death of a window washer who fell from one of the Coast’s iconic high-rises, said he thought the graphic content of the show would not harm the area’s reputation as a leading family destination.

Ben Pole of the Gold Coast Tourism Corporation said, “They chose the Gold Coast not because of the criminal element but because it’s a distinct city.”

“I think audiences know how to distinguish what’s true from what is fiction.”

He said that like other crime dramas set in well-known tourist destinations, such as CSI: Miami and CSI: New York, the show would ultimately help promote the city.

Source: Courier Mail

Also today: Graeme Blundell article on The Strip appears in The Australian.

5 Responses

  1. I agree with you Knoxoverstreet, in that whilst I too enjoyed The Strip, I think though it has alot more potential to come.

    I also agree with you Jake, especially when you wrote: “I can see why people thought the show resembled Miami, but that’s mainly what the city landscape happens to look like. Next week is something to look forward to, this week was the introduction to everybody, let’s see what they can do next week!”

    Can’t wait till next Thursday!

  2. I’m glad they’ve decided to venture out of the bush for drama. As much as that’s good to watch, it does get dry and repetitive. Gold Coast is a good place to shoot a show like this. It’d probably be good for a great heist movie, or something like the movie Heat, the downtown shootout. The intial reviews I read for this were pointing towards the negative side, but they made it seem like Bob Morley’s character was the boss’s shoe cleaner in a sense, but he was far from it. That girl he’s partnered up with was from Blue Heelers before it packed in, so yeah she fit in well. I can see why people thought the show resembled Miami, but that’s mainly what the city landscape happens to look like. Next week is something to look forward to, this week was the introduction to everybody, let’s see what they can do next week!

  3. Nothing to do with Melbourne it’s a wonderful city to set a tv show. More to do with Canal Rd not being a formulaic cop show such as City Homicide or The Strip. And look at the ratings for Damages compared to formulaic shows such as CSI,Criminal Minds or House,which are great shows btw but are pretty much follow a similar formula each week.

    As for The Strip I enjoyed it and think it has some potential.

  4. Canal Road grew on me. I really didn’t like the first 2 episodes – admittedly Brooke Satchwell was a big reason for that – but I chanced on a episode whilst trying to avoid the Olympics, and was pleasantly surprised. I don’t know if the storylines just improved, or whether it was the acting, but it definitely became a show I was enjoying.

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