ATLANTA (AP) A weeklong trade mission to Germany cost Georgia about $137,000 for 20 people to travel there this month, along with two economic development employees based in Germany.
That's according to a tally of preliminary expenses requested by The Associated Press under Georgia's Open Records Act.
Chris Carr leads Georgia's economic development agency. He says these trips help build key relationships.
The group of 22 included executives with Atlanta-based Coca-Cola, Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. based in Savannah and MAU Workforce Solutions, a staffing and recruiting agency based in LaGrange.
According to the Georgia Department of Economic Development, people on the trip paid a registration fee of $4,885 for hotel rooms, train and bus transportation and other costs. The state covered some of that fee for employees of various agencies.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2016/7/426509/records-show-cost-of-germany-trip-officials-tout-benefits