Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and several city staffers took off for a partially-taxpayer funded international trip to Dublin, London and Istanbul Thursday. 

They’ll return Nov. 2. 

On the surface, Dublin, London and Istanbul may not not seem to have much in common. But they all represent an economic opportunity for Denver and Denver International Airport (DEN), according to the mayor’s spokesperson.

That is why, with six months left in his term, Hancock and several of his staffers are taking a $66,133.22 trip across the pond: Explore economic opportunities with Irish, Turkish and U.K.-based businesses. 

The trip will cost taxpayers $15,312.38, which comes from the general fund and the Denver Office of Economic Development and Opportunity budget. The remaining balance is covered by DEN’s own enterprise funds. The airport runs entirely on revenue generated by airline and user fees, not taxpayer money. 

Hancock will be joined by seven staffers:

• Chief of Staff Alan Salazar
• Deputy Chief of Staff Evan Dreyer
• Laura Jackson, vice president of  Air Service Development at DEN
• Penny May, executive vice president and DEN’s chief commercial officer (Istanbul only)
• George Karayiannakis, senior vice president of DEN’s Airline Affairs (Dublin only)
• Stephanie Garnica, director of Global Business Development for the city’s economic development office (London/Dublin only)
• Vanessa Simsick, global business development manager for the office (London/Dublin only)

Other travel companions include members of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, VISIT DENVER and the Colorado Tourism Office, though a spokesperson from the Mayor’s office did not say which members.

Flight service to and from London is big for DEN, but it may play second fiddle to Istanbul if the airport can secure a direct, long haul flight to Turkey’s largest city. 

“London is, year after year, Denver’s largest long-haul market in terms of demand,” Michael Strott, Hancock’s director of communications, said in a statment. “Istanbul, if we’re able to secure that flight, is a gateway to potential future air service expansion into central Asia, the Middle East and Africa.”

More than 200 British companies, with subsidiaries, call Colorado home, Strott said. Recently, a software as a service company (SaaS) called Cledara opened its U.S. headquarters in Denver. Additionally, the major British defense contractor BAE Systems Inc. has offices in south Denver. 

But the relationship between Denver and the U.K. is two way. Exports to the U.K. from Denver are valued at over $1.5 billion and fuel 9,000 jobs in Denver and statewide, Strott said. 

Hancock looks to open similar avenues of opportunity with Ireland and Turkey. 

But with six months left tin his term, why go on this trip now?

It’s all part of the job:

“Increasing Denver’s global connectivity has been a priority of the Mayor’s since he took office back in 2011,” Strott said. “Recruiting international businesses to set up shop and invest in Denver opens new job opportunities for our residents in terms of jobs, growth opportunities for our local businesses and start-up opportunities for entrepreneurs.”

Adding international flight destinations is also a huge driver to Denver’s economy. Just one new destination can result in tens-to-hundreds of millions of dollars in economic impact, which can reach beyond the Denver city limits, Strott said.