Air New Zealand strikes deal to promote Hobbit movies

London, July 18 (ANI): Air New Zealand has struck a two-year deal with film studios New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to promote their upcoming movies.

According to stuff.co.nz, a Boeing 777-300 will be transformed into a flying billboard for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, and a Boeing 777-200 for The Hobbit: There and Back Again.

Passengers traveling to and from the United Kingdom and North America will get to fly on two film-branded Boeing 777 aircraft and watch a special edition of the in-flight safety video, both made with the help of Weta workshop.

Air New Zealand General Manager of marketing and communications, Mike Tod, said the airline was excited at the prospect of a large number of international visitors travelling to Wellington for the world premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey on November 28.

"Similarly, we will be putting millions of dollars of marketing behind the two films based on The Hobbit to promote New Zealand in new and innovative ways across the globe," Tod added.

As part of a deal signed in 2010 to ensure the two Hobbit movies were made in this country, the government and Warner Bros agreed to work together in a long-term strategic partnership to promote New Zealand as both a film production and tourism destination. (ANI)