"It gives me great pleasure to introduce the new caretaker of the islands of the Great Barrier Reef, from the United Kingdom, Ben Southall." [Tourism Queensland]

A global recruitment drive with the trappings of a TV reality show that was truly a tourism marketing campaign.

'The best job in the world' competition finally has a winner, Ben Southall, a 34-year-old charity worker from Britain. He beat 34,000 candidates from 200 countries in an online competition that became something of an internet phenomenon.

"To go away now as the island caretaker for tourism Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef is an extreme honour. I hope I can fill the boots as much as everybody is expecting, my swimming hopefully is up to standard and I look forward to all of the new roles and responsibilities that the task involves." [Ben Southall]

For an Australian tourism industry currently in the doldrums, this has been an unexpected boost. Tourism Queensland deliberately chose the midst of the northern winter to launch the campaign back in January, but didn’t expect anywhere near the global response. They think the only countries where people didn’t visit their website was North Korea and a few African nations.

What’s purported to be the best job in the world comes with a $110,000 (about 750,000 yuan) contract for six months' work, a luxury beachside home and a plunge pool.

For the losers meanwhile, there's the worst of long-haul journeys home.