We all may know about New Zealand or Aotearoa (the land of the long white cloud), but it wasn’t until the filming of “the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the Hobbit movies” that we all got to truly appreciate the real beauty of this country. With approximately 1/3 of the country as a protected nature reserve, it is only fitting that, with its panoramic rolling hills, waterfall cliffs and crystal clear lakes [Blue Lake has the title of being the clearest natural spring water in the world], it was the ideal setting to depict a land of hobbits, fairies and elves.
With a Kiwi director at the helm and record breaking trailer viewings, the government saw an opportunity and appointed their very own Minister of the “Lord of the Rings” whose sole role was to maximise New Zealand’s exposure and revenue during the filming ….and it certainly paid off as tourism shot up by at last 40% after the movie’s release. A smart move by their government, understanding that the film industry is a precious investment.
