N. Zealand merely the latest tourism board to cash in on Hollywood.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)

For New Zealand tourism officials, last year's fantasy epic "The Lord of the Rings" was a dream come true.

Though ostensibly about elves and hobbits and a magical quest, the movie also gave tremendous screen time to a supporting character _ the New Zealand countryside. The movie was set in a mythical land, but extensive pre-film publicity ensured that nearly every moviegoer knew that the beautifully photographed, velvety green pastures, fog-shrouded lakes and lush, misty forests were the stuff of reality in New Zealand.

And just in case people didn't get the hint, New Zealand tour operators began advertising special "The Lord of the Rings" tours, promising to show off the dairy farm that served as home of the hobbits, the volcanoes that doubled for the slopes of Mount Doom, and the Wellington cafes and pubs patronized by cast and crew.

No wonder the New Zealand tourism industry was among those rooting the hardest for "Lord" and its 13 nominations at last week's Academy Awards presentation. A blockbuster movie has been good for business; a few Oscars would be even better.

But New Zealand is merely the latest, though perhaps the luckiest, of the tourism boards rushing to cash in on Hollywood. Among other recent movies spawning "as-seen-on" tours:

_The French movie "Amelie" has translated its popularity into walking tours of the Parisian neighborhood home to the quirky title character.

_The French cabaret "Moulin Rouge" has seen a spike in interest thanks ...