A travel company is on the hunt for one lucky person to land their dream job - and it's certainly no ordinary 9-5. In the company's first-ever Joy Seeker role, the successful candidate will be staying in a minimum of 12 cottages around the UK over the year. All travel is completely free, plus a salary of £30,000.

Holiday Cottages has already uncovered the UK's happiest destinations. And now they want the person who secures this brand-new role to help bring these places to life.

"This is more than just a job," said Sarah Pring, the company's digital PR manager.

She added: "It's a chance to swap your 9-5 for a year of creativity, adventure, and real connection to people and places across the UK."

The company is looking for someone who will visit the nation's happiest destinations, showcasing the joy of these places along the way in their own unique way.

They say their ideal candidate will be a confident and creative storyteller with a passion for travel, the outdoors and celebrating local culture within the UK. They should also be experienced in creating engaging content across various formats.

They'll spend a year in the content creation role, travelling everywhere from Cornwall to Cumbria. Sharing their adventures through photography, long and short-form social media content and blog writing, their work will also be shared across holidaycottages.co.uk's digital channels and with the national press.

Some of the top destinations in their recent survey of the UK's 10 happiest destinations have emerged as Cornwall, Devon and Cumbria. These locations were followed by Norfolk, North Yorkshire, Northumberland, Dorset, Pembrokeshire, Gwynedd and Suffolk.

Holiday Cottages said: "From wandering the cobbled streets of Devon's coastal villages to hiking hidden trails in Pembrokeshire's national parks, the role is about uncovering local stories, unforgettable experiences and the country's most unique charms."

The journey to becoming the Joy Seeker for 2026 involves three stages. In the first step, candidates submit an online entry form accompanied by a written pitch and a video, in which they describe to Holiday Cottages their UK happy place.

The second stage is where shortlisted applicants get invited for a call and must complete an additional creative task. In the final stage, successful candidates go on a short break to produce property and location content. The role commences in February 2026.

Entries close on January 20, 2026.