By Lilia Guan

 

The exposure of Canberra through national and international media, from the United States President Barak Obama will have some significant flow on economic benefits. 

 

An Australia Capital Territory media spokesperson told Government News, the with the United States President Barak Obama making his way to the territory there’ll be free exposure from local and international media.

 

The flow on economic benefit won’t be known until after the visit, but the spokesperson said a recent visit by the Queen was conservatively estimated to be “worth $35 million to the Canberra economy in terms of positive free publicity”.

 

ACT Policing has had a role to play in terms of security and providing some support in informing the Canberra community about likely disruptions.

 

The police were also looking after the logistics of road closures and assisting in scoping a potential school visit.

 

The President’s visit will be an entirely different from the recent by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

 

“Her Majesty’s visit was largely focused on allowing the Royal Couple to connect with the people of Australia,” the spokesperson said.

 

“That visit was rated as a much lower security risk. For the US President’s visit there is (as everywhere else he visits) a heightened security risk which limits the opportunities for people to see Mr Obama.

 

“There will be a much more obvious security presence for this visit.”
 

Besides a visit to ACT, the President will also visit the Northern Territory on Friday.