Ringing in the Changes
Tourism is predicted to overtake dairy as NZ’s top export earner by mid-2004 – a phenomenon largely attributed to Lord of the Rings hype. The country’s newfound status as a must-see destination is confirmed by a spate of Rings-related travel stories, in the Scotsman, Boston Herald, Taipei Times. The breathtaking Taranaki backdrop in The Last Samurai is another reason to take the long-haul flight, according to a second Scotsman article.