Jan Hindson spent her last day as Tourism Dunedin chief executive yesterday, packing her bags for a trip to the North Island.
‘‘I have decided to take a break for a couple of months and I am entitled to do that,'' she said.
‘‘I feel like I have achieved everything here I wanted to do, and it is time to go.''
Resigning a month ago from the position she held for nearly nine years, Mrs Hindson said she would look at other opportunities after taking a break for several months.
‘‘I love Dunedin but I have some other opportunities in other places . . . so I am not certain where I will end up.''
Tourism Dunedin issued a media statement about Mrs Hindson's resignation yesterday, with all related questions about the announcement directed towards chair Murray Walker.
When contacted, Mr Walker refused to answer questions about the resignation, referring to the media statement. In the statement, Mr Murray paid tribute to Mrs Hindson. ‘‘Jan has shown a huge amount of energy and passion for the development of tourism in Dunedin.''
DCC economic development committee chairman Cr John Bezett said he was surprised to hear of Mrs Hindson's resignation. ‘‘She has done a wonderful job for Tourism Dunedin and worked hard for the industry.
It hasn't always been easy for her because there hasn't been funding coming through from the tourism operators that we would have liked. She was essentially relying on funding coming from council and it was a difficult situation.
Cr Bezett said he would be fully informed on the resignation when the Tourism Dunedin board reports to the economic development board.
‘‘I expect she will be hard to replace.''
Tourism operators contacted by the Otago Daily Times declined to comment on the announcement.
Dunedin City Council chief executive Jim Harland said: ‘‘Jan's strength was getting out there and marketing the city''.
In her role as chief executive, Mrs Hindson was also on the steering committee for the Dunedin Visitor Strategy report, which is due for release late May.
A decision on advertising for a replacement had yet to be made.