Who got that job?

Were you one of the 30 people who applied for this job and wondered who got it? By LIANE VOISEY

John Rasmussen, Chief executive officer, Tourism Waikato.

Throughout his working career, Rasmussen, 58, has been associated with marketing destinations - entire countries right down to small towns - working for others as well as through his own business.

"I've had positions which have had significant budgets to rather minuscule budgets, dealing with all kinds of stakeholders, media, tourism officials, suppliers of tourism products and politicians along the way," he says.

Originally hailing from the South Island's West Coast, Rasmussen began his long association with the travel industry when he joined the Government Tourist Bureau in Christchurch.

He held a number of positions with Tourism New Zealand until 1991, when he upped sticks to the United States to resume the position of regional director with the Canadian Tourism Commission.

Before returning to New Zealand last year, Rasmussen owned his own online tourism marketing company for five years. He was also co-owner of a mountain resort bed-and-breakfast lodge near Los Angeles.

After spending 12 years in southern California, Rasmussen was looking forward to returning to New Zealand.

When the position of chief executive at Tourism Waikato came up, he was attracted by the opportunity to promote the region.

His main objective, he says, will be to build on work already done to position the Waikato region as a vibrant, must-stop-and-visit destination in the minds of New Zealand resident travellers.

A theme to encourage international visitors will follow from that, he says.

The opportunity to live in Hamilton was also a plus for Rasmussen, who prefers smaller cities.

"To live among all the greenery that is the Waikato is appealing - and it's so easy to go to other places in the North Island."

Rasmussen looks forward to using his experience to benefit "a very beautiful part of New Zealand and make a difference".