New Zealand tourism hits record level

New Zealand's pristine environment helped boost tourism revenue by nearly 5 percent to a record of more than $15 billion last year, the government said.

The tourism sector was responsible for some 9.2 percent of the nation's gross domestic product for the year through 2007, government funded Statistics New Zealand reported. The industry supports 9.7 percent of New Zealand's total work force, or 181,000 full-time equivalent jobs, it said.

Spending by domestic and international tourists rose 4.7 percent to $15.3 billion in the year ended March 31, 2007.

A nation of some 4 million people, New Zealand is known for its rugged mountains and wilderness made famous by the Hollywood movies "Lord of the Rings."