CHIEF Minister Andrew Barr is overseas, leading an eight-day trade mission to the US with goal of presenting the ACT as a desirable location for tourism, a safe place to invest, a leader in innovation, and Australia’s knowledge and research capital.

The $55,000 mission left on Tuesday morning and includes staff from Visit Canberra, the Commissioner for International Engagement Brendan Smyth and the delegates from the Australian National University.

It will visit Los Angeles, New York and Washington DC. The chief minister will meet with Australian Ambassador Kevin Rudd, Austrade and DFAT executives, Tourism Australia, Fiji Airways, US travel agents, US investors, US government officials, the president of the American Australian Association, medical research companies and several cultural and live performance venues.

The government says the US is the ACT’s third largest inbound international tourism market.  This comprises government, defence, business, education and leisure travel.

The government, in partnership with Tourism Australia, Fiji Airways and Visit Canberra, says it is seeking to further grow demand out of the US to Canberra, which will enhance enhance the prospect of additional flights being added to Fiji Airways weekly schedule between Canberra and Nadi.

The government is also seeking to enhance connectivity with the US east coast and south through one-stop transits between Canberra and New York (via Auckland) and Canberra and Dallas.