Middle Earth push still working for NZ after 15 years says tourism agency

Tourism New Zealand says the Middle Earth push is still working after 15 years.

The government-owned marketing body says its surveys showed almost one in five international visitors say the Hobbit was a factor in choosing New Zealand to visit and 437,000 people have some kind of Hobbit or Lord of the Rings experience.

Although Middle Earth was not the focus of current overseas campaigns, another movie was still working for Austria, said Tourism New Zealand's director of PR, trade and major events, Rene de Monchy.

"What we do is that we always look at the Sound of Music in Salzburg - 50 years on they still get 300,000 visitors to the Von Trapp house."

The New Zealand figures were released in the latest International Visitor Survey findings from MBie for the year to September.

"Tourism New Zealand's work was designed to demonstrate how easy it is for people to come to New Zealand, experience Middle Earth's stunning landscapes and unique activities,'' said de Monchy.

"Tourism is now our biggest export earner and Middle Earth continues to plays a very significant role in attracting overseas visitors. It is huge achievement to get to the 15-year milestone and see that interest is as strong as ever."

Leveraging its connection to Middle Earth had changed the face of New Zealand tourism and has paved the way for film tourism as a powerful drawcard.

He said there were no signs any visitors had been deterred by the emphasis on Middle Earth in marketing overseas.

Director Sir Peter Jackson said that since the release of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 15 years ago nothing has changed.

New Zealand is and would always be the "real" Middle Earth.

"New Zealand has such a variety of landscapes from lush green forests, to soaring mountains. The grandeur of these landscapes saw tourists flock to our shores, and made a huge impact on the tourism industry.

New Zealand is the perfect Middle Earth and a real place that visitors can experience for years and years to come." Jackson said.

Tourism New Zealand has produced a 15-year anniversary video highlighting some major milestones along the Middle Earth journey.

Find out which character you would travel through the real Middle Earth as: Take the Quiz