Gov. Maura Healey spent just over $30,000 on flights, hotels, and ground transportation during a trip to Italy earlier this month where she attended a climate summit at the invitation of Pope Francis, her office said in a statement Friday afternoon.
Healey’s multi-day trip to Rome was covered by money from the Massachusetts Tourism Trust Fund, a $6.7 million account used to promote tourism in the state and help regional tourism councils. It is in-part funded by the tax on gross gaming revenues generated by local casinos.
A spokesperson for the governor, Karissa Hand, said the trip was a “valuable opportunity” to showcase the state’s “global climate leadership on the world stage and send a clear message to climate sector businesses and workers that Massachusetts is the place to be for climate innovations.”
“The summit was also an opportunity to share with other Governors and Mayors what has worked well in Massachusetts, and we heard from numerous leaders that they were interested in exploring the creation of a climate chief and embracing a whole-of-government approach to climate change,” Hand said in a statement.
Hand did not provide receipts for airfare or lodging for the governor and accompanying staff members — Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer and three aides. Hand also did not say what hotel the governor and her team stayed at, the airlines they flew, nor which class they sat in during the flights.
The total cost of the trip for Healey and her team was $30,263, according to her office.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu also traveled to Italy for the climate summit and a request seeking costs incurred by the mayor was still pending Friday afternoon.
Healey spent less traveling to Italy than she did on a trade trip to Ireland last year, which ran roughly $83,000 and was covered by state funds and some private dollars.
During a speech at the Vatican Climate Summit two weeks ago, Healey announced the launch of the “Climate Careers Fund,” which she said was an effort to fill climate workforce gaps, increase access to “economic mobility for workers,” and support a “diverse clean energy workforce.”
Healey said the goal is to have the fund grow to $10 million.