The release of the new Hobbit movie, The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies, is once again expected to boost tourism in New Zealand, which has already seen an unprecedented increase in the flow of fans and tourists since filming on the trilogy wrapped.

New Zealand was used as the sole filming location for both The Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, in more than 250 points across both the North and South Islands - from the rivers of Marlborough to the mountains of Mount Cook and the back country of Queenstown and Paradise - all of which can be easily experienced by visitors.

Thanks to Bilbo Baggins and friends, New Zealand has been dubbed the 'real Middle-earth', with 13% of tourists saying that The Hobbit trilogy movies were a factor in influencing their decision to visit the country between July 2013 and June 2014.

'Set-jetting' - holidaying in countries and locations where films are shot - is not a new phenomenon. Jaws inspired a generation of movie fans to visit Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts in 1975 and even Albuquerque, New Mexico, has seen a flood of visitors since Breaking Bad hit TV screens around the world.

In fact, around 40 million international tourists choose their destination largely because they saw a film shot in the country, according to research by Tourism Competitive Intelligence.

Tourism New Zealand chief executive Kevin Bowler says: "We have seen significant growth driven by beautiful backdrops and key aspects of New Zealand in the movies.

"While it is clear that improving economies and increased airline capacity are supporting tourism growth, the 'Hobbit' factor has raised the profile of New Zealand exponentially around the world.

"This summer we've seen record numbers visiting Matamata and Hobbiton, running tours of around 40 tourists every 10 minutes."

Hobbiton Movie Set Tours, the real-life film set used in the The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy and The Hobbit films, has welcomed around 800,000 people since first opening and has become one of New Zealand's most visited tourist attractions.

After an initial set was built for The Lord Of The Rings production, the set was rebuilt in 2011 for The Hobbit Trilogy - this time in permanent materials, complete with Hobbit holes, gardens, bridge, and mill.

There's a range of new packages for visitors to experience the film locations - from new evening dinner tours of Hobbiton, to trying your hand at prop making at Peter Jackson's WETA Workshop in Wellington, to kayaking trips down the Pelorus River where the dwarves in the barrels scene was filmed.

Nomad Safaris (www.nomadsafaris.co.nz) also runs a combination of off-road adventure with Middle-earth magic in the stunning alpine setting of the Queenstown region, taking in filming locations from The Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit, as well as the 'Earnslaw Burn-Heli Hobbit' experience, travelling with a guide by helicopter over the pass of 'Cardharas' into the 'Misty Mountains' to land on a dramatic ridge line beside the Earnslaw Glacier.

Other attractions include guided tours through Mangaotaki Valley, exploring the exact place where the Troll Camp Fire scenes were filmed in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and see the base of towering limestone cliffs that look exactly like the real Middle-earth.

There are also tours of the Waitomo caves under the hills of the Waitomo Valley, where some of the sound was recorded for its excellent acoustic quality.

:: For more information on Middle-earth adventures in New Zealand, visit www.newzealand.com