“Lord of the Rings” was a lesson in how media could effect tourism. "The Hobbit" will likely reignite interest in New Zealand's remote wonders after years of natural disasters have scared visitors away.
Smart move from Tourism New Zealand both from a strategic point of view in tapping a huge market, as well for making travel more inclusive. It already has a big halal meat industry supplying to the rest of the world, and this effort makes good use of that.