Middle-earth Tourism: A Blessing or a Curse for New Zealand?
Alright, so ever since Lord of the Rings was filmed here, things have changed heaps in Aotearoa. Tourists keep pouring in, all keen to see Hobbiton and the other film locations. It’s like everyone and their nan wants a piece of Middle-earth.
On one hand, yeah, it’s been great for business. Local cafés, hotels, and tour companies are raking it in, and plenty of people have jobs thanks to all the visitors. Tourism’s a massive part of our economy now, and LOTR put us on the map in a way nothing else could.
But mate, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Some of our most stunning spots are now jam-packed with selfie sticks and tour buses. It used to feel like we had these wild, untouched places all to ourselves, and now? Not so much. The environment cops it too – too many feet on fragile land, too much rubbish left behind. And let’s be honest, not all tourists are respectful. Seen way too many people trampling over places they shouldn’t, just for a better photo.
So yeah, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. We love sharing our home with the world, but sometimes it’d be nice to have our quiet, unspoiled New Zealand back.
