The best job around the world has been filled. In September we shared how vacation matchmaker Jauntaroo was looking to hire a “Chief World Explorer,” tasked with spending 2014 traveling the globe, participating in voluntourism, and then sharing the experiences via social media, webisodes, and Janutaroo.com.
This dream job not only offered up a C-suite title, but also a salary of $100,000 to travel to 50 destinations ranging from Denver and Jacksonville to St. Lucia, Berlin, and the Maldives. There were 3,000 applicants from 99 countries who applied, and after careful deliberation, the candidates were narrowed down to five finalists, and then one hire.
Vying for the highly coveted position, the five remaining individuals got a head start on the exotic global adventure with a four-day trip to Abu Dhabi via Etihad Airways, where they would have in-person interviews and final-selection activities, while staying at the magnificent Emirates Palace.
Janutaroo’s Chief Commercial Officer, Tom Wilson, says of the meeting place: “Abu Dhabi is a magical place where east meets west, combining traditional Bedouin hospitality with state of the art travel experiences. I can’t wait to have our finalists together, immersed in another country and experiencing other cultures. Isn’t that what the love of real travel is all about?”
Say hello to the new Chief World Explorer, Tyson Mayr, from Queensland's Gold Coast. The 27-year-old, Australian-native, not only embodies the Janutaroo values, but is also a humanitarian who believes in the importance of “giving back to the communities that you travel through.” When asked about examples of this, he shared how for years he’s worked to replace water filters in underdeveloped areas with contaminated water. As if we weren’t already convinced of his altruism, he then pulled a water filter out of his bag and shared how easy it is to use.
Gabrielle Blitz is the Associate Social Media Editor at Travel + Leisure.
