Australia and Film Tourism

Time Magazine notes that the Australian tourism sector is fervently hoping that Baz Luhrmann's $130 million epic Australia will do for them what Lord of the Rings did for their New Zealand counterparts: inspire a surge in visitor numbers. Back in June, I blogged on a Sydney Morning Herald report announcing a promotional deal involving Luhrmann, 20th Century Fox and the local tourism bodies to capitalise on the opportunities presented by the film.

Now, I'm picking up word that Australia is not (apparently) a particularly good film - it's more Pearl Harbour-meets-Crocodile Dundee than any modern Gone with the Wind - but that's not necessarily a hindrance to tourism. With the right planning, people will still come to experience the sights and sounds. The thing is, it's got to be planned.

But my other point is really that Baz Luhrmann is Australian, Peter Jackson is a New Zealander. So it could be argued that an extremely successful way to boost film revenues and tourism income is to develop some really talented local directors................Just sayin'.