'Neighbours' Queensland plot tipped to boost tourism

Neighbours has been tipped to boost tourism in North Queensland by featuring the region in a forthcoming storyline.

Cast and crew at the long-running soap are about to start filming special episodes which see Kate Ramsay head off to Far North Queensland after deciding that she needs time away from Ramsay Street.

Show producers have confirmed that Kate (Ashleigh Brewer) flees after she makes a mistake which causes her to lose her job and friends. However, things start to look up during her holiday when she meets a new love interest called Dominic Emmerson, played by former Home and Away actor Lincoln Lewis.

Tourism bosses in North Queensland have now expressed their excitement over the on-location scenes, which are expected to centre around Port Douglas.

Doug Ryan, head of tourism for Port Douglas and Daintree, told Travelbite: "Neighbours is arguably Australia's favourite national TV export and is watched by more than ten million viewers around the globe, including 1.5 million fans in the UK and 450,000 fans here in Australia.

"The timing couldn't be better. Just as the UK and northern Europe enters the depths of winter, Neighbours will project vibrant reef scenes, stunning rainforests and the iconic charm of the tropics right into their lounge rooms."

Paul Robinson, played by Stefan Dennis, will also appear in the episodes when more trouble at home leads to him embarking on a desperate mission to bring Kate back to Ramsay Street before it's too late.

Neighbours' Queensland episodes will air in early 2012.

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