Youth campaign kicks off with jobs drive

The international youth market will be the focus of a new $4 million campaign, as Tourism Australia joins forces with the states and territories to offer six travellers a go at the "Best Jobs in the World".

Launched today in Cairns, the global competition builds on the success of Tourism Queensland's 2009 "Best Job in the World" campaign which saw Ben Southall take up the role of island caretaker on the Great Barrier Reef.

But this time round, six of Australia's state and territory tourism organisations each have a position up for grabs, with each six-month salary package worth $100,000 including living costs.

New South Wales is seeking a "chief funster", while the Northern Territory is in the market for an outback adventurer. Queensland is on the hunt for a park ranger, and South Australia for a wildlife caretaker. Meanwhile, Melbourne has an opening for a lifestyle photographer, with Western Australia recruiting for a taste master.

The competition forms part of a wider promotion of the tourism opportunities provided by Australia's Working Holiday Maker (WHM) program for 18 to 30 year olds, with a particular focus on international markets eligible under the program – the UK and Ireland, the US and Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan.

TA managing director Andrew McEvoy described the competition as an "excellent platform" to not only entice young travellers to Australia, but also to fill the abundance of tourism jobs across Australia.

"We've taken one of the most successful tourism campaigns in recent times, "Best Job in the World", and made it bigger and better by coming up with a competition which represents the very best of our country – our breathtaking landscapes and scenery, our unique nature and wildlife, great food and wine and, of course, our huge sense of fun," he said.

The youth segment contributes $12 billion in total tourism spend annually, delivering a quarter of all international arrivals with an average spend of $7279 per trip. Working Holiday Makers contributed $2.5 billion to the Australian economy in 2012.

"These are visitors who tend to stay longer, disperse widely and often come back again with their families later in life," McEvoy said. "For many young people, Australia's working holiday visa programs provide the economic means to fund travel plans, and this is at the heart of the new campaign."

The campaign is backed by Virgin Australia.