Short listing for Tourism Port Douglas and Daintree's new CEO will start next week, with a new boss to be appointed in late April.

Applications closed last Friday with inaugural CEO Doug Ryan announcing his retirement in January.

Mr Ryan says bringing private investment to the region and developing the marina are two key challenges for the industry in the future.

"Things like development of our waterfront that started and stalled," he says.

"I think it's important that gains momentum again."

But Mr Ryan says sustained growth and profits over the last two years are encouraging.

"2012 was up something like 12 per cent on the previous year and last year was up 18 per cent on that."

"That's great continual growth and we're predicting it could be up as high as 20 per cent this year."

Mr Ryan will retire in June, working alongside the tourism body's new boss as the region enters its busiest time of the year.    

He says he has one piece of advice for his successor.

"The biggest thing is you've got to have passion for this region and tourism," he says.

The new CEO will inherit a significant number of stakeholders, including more than 200 tourism operators and 82 accommodation houses in the region.