preface

A decade ago, the small South Pacific country of New Zealand’s signature within global culture was its sheep-to-human ratio. Most people could not pinpoint it on a map, and, to those who could, it was nothing more than Australia’s inferior cousin. But that’s all changing now. While farming – namely, dairy – remains integral to New Zealand’s economy, it has been surpassed in recent years by tourism as the country’s largest export industry. As of February 2009, according to the Ministry of Tourism, tourism accounted for 18.3 percent of New Zealand’s total export earnings, and employed nearly 10 percent of the country’s workforce[i].

Although interest in New Zealand as a destination has been increasing steadily over the years, the country was really thrust into the international spotlight when a hobbit named Frodo Baggins walked into frame on 5,700 movie screens worldwide on December 19, 2001[ii]. “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, directed by New Zealand-native Peter Jackson and utilizing the country as a backdrop, acted as one of the largest advertisements for destination tourism ever.

The New Zealand government predicted the economic boost it would receive from the films, and latched onto them as a vehicle for tourism marketing before the films were even released. In 2001, then-prime minister Helen Clark said, “Set against the spectacular and diverse New Zealand landscape, ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy has the potential to be a major tourist promotion and investment tool for years to come[iii].” She was right. Collector stamps and coins were minted, billboards were painted on the sides of Air New Zealand jets, and the government appointed a “Minister of the Rings” whose job it was to maximize the benefits from the trilogy[iv]. Tourism New Zealand launched a special tourism Web site for “The Lord of the Rings,” and coordinated part of their “100% Pure New Zealand” campaign to paint the country as “The Real Middle-Earth.”

Even though J.R.R. Tolkien originally wrote the books to serve as the mythology England was lacking, New Zealanders embraced the films as a cultural product of their own making. For the 2003 world premiere of “Return of the King,” the third and final installment in the trilogy, New Zealand’s capital city of Wellington was transformed into Middle-Earth. Gollum loomed over the airport, Ringwraiths and trolls clung to the sides of downtown buildings, and hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors lined the streets for a giant tickertape parade honoring the filmmakers and cast[v]. The eyes of the cinematic community were on New Zealand. And the country didn’t disappoint.

By the time “The Return of the King” won all eleven of the Oscars it was nominated for at the 2004 Academy Awards, New Zealand was already capitalizing on the increased international attention it was receiving. Specialized “Lord of the Rings” tour companies were popping up in all corners of the country, offering everything from themed 4-wheel Jeep rides and horseback treks to helicopter excursions and week-long journeys to view filming locations. In the years that have passed since New Zealand tourism companies first began using “The Lord of the Rings” as inspiration, one company has emerged as a frontrunner: Red Carpet Tours.