Chinese tourists flock in to see marvels of New Zealand

Liu Qibao (left), head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, attends the first BRICS Media Summit in Beijing in December. Liu arrives in New Zealand on May 24 for an official visit. JIN LIANGKUAI / XINHUA

The Hobbit and much more are tourist draws, An Baijie reports.

China-New Zealand cultural exchange events to be held from May 24 with participation of senior officials from both countries are expected to boost people-to-people communications between the two countries.

A delegation led by Liu Qibao, head of the Communist Party of China Central Committee's Publicity Department, will promote bilateral cultural exchanges through a series of events including Chinese Film Week and the Beautiful China Photo exhibition.

Cultural exchanges have played an important role in bilateral ties in recent years as more Chinese are traveling to New Zealand to enjoy its landscape and culture.

On China's popular travel website mafengwo.cn many tourists say they have traveled to the places in New Zealand seen in blockbuster films and that their trips are unforgettable.

"In the little township of Matamata the landscape is just the same as what you see in The Lord of the Rings," a traveler identified as Lai Lai said on the website. "The whole township is colorful, just like in a fairy world."

The traveler said that even though the ticket price is a little steep, the NZ$75 is well worth it for any Hobbit fan.

"Visitors can visit the 44 unique houses of the Hobbit, including the Bag End where Frodo and Bilbo started their adventure," said a traveler with the user name Am Cecilia.

Sun Xiaopeng, a writer, said that whether travelers have watched The Lord of the Rings or not, they will fall in love with Matamata.

"We attended the program of the Hobbiton Movie Set & Farm Tours. Following our guide, we traveled through the Kaimai farm, 500 hectares of beautiful land. We saw flocks of sheep eat grass at their leisure."