Lord of the Rings production moves to UK in blow to New Zealand tourism

Published on Sunday, August 15, 2021

The New Zealand tourism industry has reacted with disappointment over news the Shire is moving to the UK. Amazon Studios is shifting production of the second season of the Lord of the Rings project to the UK.

Tourism Industry Aotearoa CEO Chris Roberts said it is unclear how much an impact it will have on the Hobbiton Movie Set near Matamata, which has been a major attraction for tourists since the original LOTR and Hobbit movies.

The first episodes of the Amazon series are set to air next year. “The Amazon series is a derivative of Lord of the Rings and until the first episode appears, it’s not possible to say whether New Zealand’s landscapes are used in a way that inspires visitors to come here,” Roberts said. Hobbiton Movie Set Tours boss Russell Alexander also expressed disappointment.

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