What other factors could have accounted for the rise in visitor numbers in 2002?

In 2001, the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy was released on 10,000 cinema screens worldwide. It provided tourism marketers in New Zealand with the perfect opportunity to re-brand the destination. In fact, the whole country was branded as Tolkien’s Middle Earth through forward thinking, calculated risk-taking, quick reaction to public demand, best marketing practices, thorough research and sustained management of media opportunities, as well as speedy but controlled tourism development in all locations used.
Film director Peter Jackson used 150 sites across New Zealand, showcasing the country’s dramatic, diverse and extreme landscape, featuring Wellington, Queenstown, Matamata, Tongariro National Park and Poolburn. In the media, most reports maintained that the film was being shot in New Zealand, linking the film and location right from the start. The long production time and the staggered release of each film made for a longevity for New Zealand tourism, and the subsequent Academy Awards helped to sustain exposure. Also, the stars provided endorsement on everything from the scenery to the fashion and the cafés. The 2003 annual survey of visitors found that almost 90 per cent of all tourists knew that The Lord of the Rings series was made in that country, and the outstanding scenery in the films was one of the main reasons people travelled there.