KEY POINTS:
After six years of promoting Wellington tourism, Tim Cossar is leaving his love affair with the city behind him.
The chief executive of Positively Wellington Tourism is stepping down from the marketing body to head the Tourism Industry Association, which holds its annual conference in Rotorua this week.
Location-wise it's not a big change - Cossar will move just 50 metres across the road to his new office.
But the new job means he will move from working with just one region to representing 2000 businesses all over the country.
"It's going to be a big challenge," he admits. But it's one he is looking forward to.
The 45-year-old old was born in Wellington but moved to Auckland in his mid-teens where he attended Auckland Grammar and completed a BA in management studies and history at Auckland University.
It wasn't until he moved to Rotorua in his 20s that Cossar moved into marketing and then tourism.
Rotorua is perhaps an unsurprising place to start a career in tourism as so much of the city is linked to the tourism industry.
"Initially it was the scale of tourism in the Rotorua economy," Cossar says.
Then he just became hooked on the industry.
"There are some industries where you really feel comfortable. I enjoy it, I enjoy the dynamic of it - the changing nature of it."
His first focus is his new role at the TIA will be getting to know the people he will be representing.
"I want to ensure that the TIA is positioned as a central player and valued contributor to tourism development and growth in New Zealand.
"Essential to this is ensuring the collective views of a very diverse industry are as well represented as possible in the wider community as well as political environments."
Then it will be down to the issues.
Alongside the hardy annuals the tourism industry faces, such as how to maintain profitability all year around and finding enough staff, are the big issues facing tourism such as sustainability.
Last year the tourism industry produced a a draft strategy for dealing with sustainability over the next seven years.
A step-by-step plan is with the Tourism Minister's office and is expected to be released midway through this year.
Cossar says his job will be to connect the strategy to those at the grassroots.
"There's no point in having a great strategy if we can't get the industry buying into it."
"It's going to be more embedded in business culture. Those that embrace it will be more commercially successful. It is the largest issue of our time."
Cossar is a big fan of encouraging domestic tourism. He has played a strong part in pushing Wellington's local marketing drive in the form of its Have a Love Affair with Wellington television advertising campaign.
"That's one thing we have done well in Wellington - the community sees the benefits of tourism.
"I get a real buzz when a retailer will bail me up and say - I had a great weekend because of that event."
Cossar is also very keen to see tourism gain greater recognition as New Zealand's biggest export earner.
"At present I think most people think it is kind of important but not critical," he said.
"Perhaps a good litmus test is to ask whether New Zealand's largest foreign exchange earner is an industry that features prominently in local body or general elections as an issue - sometimes it does but not often enough." Cossar is expected to take up his new position on July 21.
TIM COSSAR
* 45
* Married with two children.
* Enjoys swimming, cycling and going to the beach.
* Has a bach near Levin.
