Take an Unexpected Journey with Austravel and Air New Zealand

LONDON, December 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

- Travel to Middle Earth in the footsteps of the new movie, The Hobbit; An Unexpected Journey, with Austravel, the leading Australasia Specialist.

The well anticipated movie, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will be hitting our cinema screens for the first time on December 13^th. From the Academy Award winning filmmaker Peter Jackson, he brings the first of a trilogy of films taken from the popular masterpiece The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.

After the huge success of the Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, which is the story of Middle earth 60 years before, will bring alive New Zealand's landscapes once more. The adventure follows the huge character Bilbo Baggins, played by Martin Freeman, as he is swept into a quest like no other to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. The loved Bilbo Baggins faces all sorts of challenges as he travels from the picturesque and charming surroundings of the Shire to more threatening territory. This brilliant fantasy introduces many new creatures, as well as bringing back to our screens some of the well-known characters that we loved from Lord of the Rings.

The film, sure to be a hit, is set in the beautiful surroundings of New Zealand's breathtaking landscapes. Some of the country's most stunning backdrops of the movie include Tongariro National Park, Rock and Pillar Range, Lake Pukaki, Mangaotaki and home to the famous hobbit shire, Hobbiton, Hinuera Valley, Matamata.  Austravel, the Australasia Specialist, can take its customers right to the heart of New Zealand and the backdrop for the movie. Your quest will start from the minute you step foot on your plane to then landing in Middle Earth and exploring the exquisite natural beauty of New Zealand. Follow in the footsteps of some of the biggest stars and experience your very own unexpected journey.

The incredibly cool Boeing 777-300 of Air New Zealand complete with an 830 square Hobbit graphic has just been launched in line with the movie. On departures from London to New Zealand, via Los Angeles, Austravel customers have a good chance of flying on-board the plane to Middle Earth. Premium cabin passengers can enjoy Hobbit-themed menus with creative meals such as "Gandalf's Gobble Melt" and the "Hobbit Hole Breakfast". Passengers will also find hairy Hobbit socks in their amenity kits. Spilled out across all Air New Zealand planes is their fantastic new in-flight safety movie that undoubtedly captures attention

For more information on Austravel, flights to Australia and New Zealand, visit http://www.austravel.com or call a specialist on +44-(0)800-988-4834.

SOURCE Hayes and Jarvis Travel Limited T/ATUI Specialist Holidays