Tourism New Zealand: The Hobbit should be filmed here

Tourism New Zealand has claimed that should the filming of The Hobbit take place in another country it would be hugely disappointing for everyone.

Suzanne Carter, general manager public affairs at the body, said that the impact of the Lord of the Rings trilogy provided a huge boost to the country, encouraging people to travel New Zealand and see many of the spectacular landscapes from the movie.

She stated that to this day people are still heading to the nation as a result of the exposure created by Sir Peter Jackson's films and filming The Hobbit somewhere else would be "deeply" disappointing.

"From a tourism perspective the flow on effects of these films reach communities across the country with visitors coming to enjoy our unique scenery and lifestyle," Ms Carter added.

Before filming Lord of the Rings, Sir Peter said that his home country is the perfect place to shoot such movies, thanks to the wealth of locations it has.