A state ethics law enacted by the Legislature last year requires that out-of-state travels by Cabinet level officials be available on the Internet.

The reports reviewed by The Knoxville News Sentinel show Susan Whitaker, commissioner of the Department of Tourist Development, has taken nine out-of-state trips so far at a total cost of $7,313. That is more than 20 percent of the total spent on such travel by the Cabinet members.

Whitaker's most expensive journey was to London for what the disclosure report describes as a "Deep South trade mission" in late June.

Tourism Department spokeswoman Cindy Dupree said Whitaker's trip was highlighted by a British Broadcasting Corp. interview with the commissioner on events commemorating the 30th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death in Memphis.

She said that served as an "entry point" for pitching Tennessee as a tourism destination to the British market, and the mission also included meetings with travel agents and tourism industry organizations.

"The United Kingdom is our No. 1 overseas market," Dupree said. "They're particularly interested in and intrigued by our music assets."

Economic and Community Development Commissioner Matt Kisber accounted for another $6,726 in travel spending. More than half that - $3,482 - was for a trip to China to lay the groundwork for Bredesen's trip to Beijing later this year.

Kisber led in travel spending last year with $17,141 in expenses, including trips to Australia and China. Whitaker was runner-up in 2006 spending with $11,203.

This year's Kisber trip to China is the most expensive journey billed to the state by a top official, records show. He also had the smallest bill submitted for reimbursement - $8 as the total taxpayer cost of a trip to Orlando in April to make a speech at a CEO roundtable.

Washington was the most common destination in out-of-state travels, accounting for 17 of 47 trips listed in the reports this year. Besides Kisber and Whitaker, eight other officials have listed out-of-state travel expenses of more than $1,000 this year.

They are Adjutant General Gus Hargett ($1,970), Agriculture Commissioner Ken Givens ($1,500), Commerce and Insurance Commissioner Leslie Newman ($1,688), Education Commissioner Lana Seivers ($3,154), Financial Institutions Commissioner Greg Gonzales ($3,776), Safety Commissioner David Mitchell ($2,671), Transportation Commissioner Gerald Nicely ($1,422) and Veterans Affairs Commissioner John Keys ($1,422).

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Information from: The Knoxville News Sentinel, http://www.knoxnews.com

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