Before we went to New Zealand, I knew Lord of the Rings was a big part of the culture of the country but I really had no idea what I was getting myself into. The films really have had an enormous impact on the culture of the country and that impact can be seen almost everywhere.
First of all, the tourism in New Zealand has spiked since the release of Lord of the Rings. The films have a cult-like following around the world, and New Zealand is the Mecca for Lord of the Rings fans. There are pros and cons to this jump in tourism. An obvious pro is the incredible economic stimulation tourism provides across the country. The amount of people that were paid as part of our stay in New Zealand is staggering, and that’s the way it should be for a trip of the magnitude of ours. From Douglas to our Hobbiton guide to hotels to bars, a lot of money entered the New Zealand economy from our trip and it could’ve been much more had we not left for Australia. However, the cons are significant. New Zealand is a small country, and giant influxes of people can be difficult to deal with. Douglas told us about the lack of housing in Auckland. The city doesn’t have enough room to house the people that live there, never mind the tourists that come to see Lord of the Rings sites. Many of the filming locations are also in quite fragile environments, and over running them with people can be damaging to the land. When we were at the Rivendell site, a man and his dog got stuck on one side of the bridge for more than twenty minutes because of our group and others crossing the bridge while paying no attention to the people around them and taking numerous videos and pictures on a bridge that wasn’t wide enough for multiple people. Though this was a small inconvenience I’m sure, that man was negatively impacted by Lord of the Rings tourism. I think it would be safe to assume he would gladly sit there for twenty minutes with his dog in order to boost the economy of his country by the magnitude the films have allowed, but it’s worth mentioning.
These films have shaped the people, the economy and the land of New Zealand ever since their release, and it is easy to see why when you combine a film that such an enthusiastic following and a land with such unmatched beauty. I hope to return to New Zealand one day and the country and the Lord of the Rings films will always hold a special place in my heart.
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