{"id":283,"date":"2020-07-05T14:41:03","date_gmt":"2020-07-05T14:41:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/indepthcommunication.com\/?p=283"},"modified":"2020-07-05T16:48:28","modified_gmt":"2020-07-05T16:48:28","slug":"new-zealands-destination-promotion-a-case-study-on-the-impact-of-the-filmlord-of-the-rings-on-tourism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indepthcommunication.com\/index.php\/2020\/07\/05\/new-zealands-destination-promotion-a-case-study-on-the-impact-of-the-filmlord-of-the-rings-on-tourism\/","title":{"rendered":"New Zealand\u2019s Destination Promotion: A Case Study on the Impact of the Film\u2018Lord of the Rings\u2019 on Tourism"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The chapter is part of Media Management in Communicating Tourism: Edited Essays<\/em><\/strong> (ISBN: 9781648054341). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr.<\/strong> Debastuti Dasguptaa<\/sup>, Grishma Raj Ariyalb<\/sup><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abstract\n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the rise in number of travelers around the globe at 1.4 billion global travelers by the end of 2019, the global tourism industry contributes $8.8 trillion and 319 million jobs to the world economy.  With such growth, the government and different stakeholders of tourism industry are constantly marketing their destination through various channels as tourism has positively contributed to a country\u2019s economic progress. In this light, destination tourism induced by films has been one of the key strategies used by tourism marketers and the government to promote a specific destination.Being increasingly aware of the international release of the film \u2018Lord of the Rings\u2019(LoR), Tourism New Zealand (TNZ) aligned its promotional strategy to draw tourists in their country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This study reviews articles, research papers, economic surveys and analysis related to TNZ destination promotion strategy and its socio \u2013 economic impact on New Zealand\u2019s tourism. This case study analyzes the destination promotion strategy undertaken by TNZ, and the subsequent impact on New Zealand\u2019s tourism generated by promoting its destination in the movie LoR. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keywords: <\/strong>Destination Promotion, Tourism New Zealand, Global Tourism, Film Induced Tourism<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

a – Assistant Profesor, Asutosh College, Kolkata
b – Freelance Visual Communication Trainer, Nepal<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Destination\nmarketing is a type of marketing that promotes a destination (town, city,\nregion, country) with a purpose to increase the number of visitors. In other\nwords, destination marketing is advertising a location to promote tourism of\nthe specific area. Unlike marketing a physical product where consumers buy a\nproduct which is delivered through different distribution channels, destination\nmarketing persuades a consumer to visit a location. Destination marketing<\/strong> has received considerable\nattention over the last couple of years as it contributes to a country\u2019s\neconomy, creates job and provides a platform for cross cultural influences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like in any marketing, a\nsuccessful destination marketing mix also has the four P\u2019s i.e the Product,\nPrice, Place and Promotion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Product in destination\nmarketing corresponds to various activities tourists can engage themselves\nwhile visiting a destination like adventure, sports, sightseeing, food etc.\nLikewise, price is the cost a tourist has to incur while visiting a\ndestination, which influences their decision while selecting different locations\nto visit. Similarly, place corresponds to the physical location, its\naccessibility, availability of transportation etc. Lastly, Promotion refers to\nhow well a certain location has been promoted through digital and traditional\nmedia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This paper, out of the\nfour marketing mix will focus on the promotion mix to study how movies can\npromote a particular destination. The paper will analyze the strategies of Tourism\nNew Zealand to promote New Zealand through the movie Lord of the Ring. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Film tourism is\nrelatively new in the field of tourism. It is seen from various literatures\nthat film can have strong influence on tourist decision making process. Film\ndoes not give only short term revenue but long term affluence to the\ndestination<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The movie Lord of the\nRing (LoR) is a fantasy fiction where human co \u2013 existed with elves and dwarves.  The story of LoR begins with the history of\nthe power of rings, which were distributed to humans, elves and dwarves. However,\none ring was the most powerful which was made by dark lord Sauron, by which he\ncould rule every other creature in the fictitious world. However, the dark lord\nloses the ring which is dropped in the ocean, and years after found by the\nhobbits who are depicted as peaceful creatures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, having known\nthe hobbits own the ring, an uprising among various creatures starts to gain\nthe ownership of the ring. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout the film, the\nadventure of one of the main character Gandalf, who has supernatural powers and\nan ally of the hobbits are shown in the movie, taking him to different shoot\nlocations in New Zealand. The movie depicts the beauty of the country with\norganic images of New Zealand.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Literature Review  <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Film tourism is a\ngrowing area as the entertainment industry is growing parallel with tourism\nindustry (Hudson, Ritchie, 2006).According to Hudson and\nRitchie (2006), film tourism is characterized as tourist visits to a place or\nfascination, thus, of the destination being highlighted on TV, video, or the\nsilver screen.There are many opportunities for a tourism marketers to promote a\ndestination during a release of the movie, and can also encourage many\nindustries related to tourism to promote their business by persuading visitors\nto travel to the destination. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Morgan and Pritchard (1998), placing a\ndestination in a film is the ultimate in tourism product placement. Product\nplacement is an emerging phenomenon, and has been defined as the planned\nentries of products into movies or television shows that may influence viewers\u2019\nproduct beliefs and\/or behaviors favorably (Balasubramanian 1994). Its growth\nhas been spurred by the diminishing effectiveness of traditional advertising\ntechniques (Kaikati and Kaikati 2004), and marketers are realizing that\ncommunications via product placement can be more sophisticated, more targeted,\nand more widely seen than traditional advertising methods (Karrh, McKee, and\nPardun 2003).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many researches points to the fact that product placement\ncan have greater impact with program audiences than is typically found with\ncomparable advertising exposures (Karrh, McKee, and Pardun 2003), and some\nresearchers have found that a simple visual placement in the background can be\nas effective as a highly integrated placement (Russell 2002).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Films, through its visual means have an impact on\ndestination image if the location plays a part in a film. However, as many\nbusiness groups have started to place their destination in movies, the\ncompetition in destination promotion is fierce. Therefore, a destination must\nbe favorably differentiated from its competition and positively positioned in\nthe minds of consumers (Pike and Ryan 2004; Echtner and Ritchie 1991; Joppe,\nMartin, and Waalen 2001). Schofield (1996) suggested that in the minds of contemporary\ntourists\u2019 organic images of a destination can form a favorable image of a\ndestination. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Likewise, according to a study titled, \u201cPromoting\nDestinations via Film Tourism: An Empirical Identification of Supporting\nMarketing Initiatives\u201d, (Ritchie) there are four types of activities where film\npromotion can play a crucial role in destination promotion, which are as\nfollows: <\/p>\n\n\n\n