The number of people booking holidays in New Zealand could be set to increase thanks to a new film.
The director of The Hobbit chose to make much of the film on location in the country, which means the movie will be a great showcase of its mountains and all-round natural beauty.
This could be great news for the tourism industry if it prompts moviegoers to see these sights for themselves.
So far, Tourism New Zealand has refused to put a figure on what kind of boost it is expecting to see as a result of the film’s release, AFP reports.
However, chief executive Kevin Bowler is confident it will have an effect on visitor numbers in the next few months.
“We aim to show potential travellers that the fantasy of Middle Earth is in fact the reality of New Zealand,” he commented.
The Hobbit is based on JRR Tolkien’s famous novel of the same name and stars Sir Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage and Benedict Cumberbatch.
