The first trip would be to China, where delegates would include the mayor or another councillor, a council officer and at least two business participants from StartUp Ballarat.

If the travel plans are approved, they would all attend the NEXUS Nanjing-Victoria Start Up Summit in May,, where businesses would be able to pitch for prizes and investments as well as discuss ideas with Chinese venture capitalists

The mayor, or deputy mayor, and the council officer, would also attend the Shenzhen Smart Cities Forum, and the Victoria-Jiangsu Sister State Anniversary Summit while they are there, following an invite from the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Sally Capp. The invite has also been extended to other regional mayors.

There are plans for a return start-up summit in Victoria in 2020, which the City of Ballarat say could bring economic returns of around $11,000.

The cost quoted for the trip is between $6,000 to $8,000 - or between $1,500 to $2,000 per delegate - covering a councillor, officer and representatives from two Ballarat-based businesses.

Funds would come from the StartUp Ballarat program, which is co-funded by the State Government, which aims to help new city businesses succeed.

Most of the travel and accommodation costs in China would be covered by the hosts.

The second proposed trip is for the Mayor and a council officer to go to Poland for the congress of the Organisation of World Heritage Cities in Kraków in June.

Council documents state the purpose of the trip as "to promote the World Heritage serial listing of the Central Victorian Goldfields Region internationally, gain exposure to new global World Heritage networks, and advocate for membership of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network."

Representatives from the City of Greater Bendigo would also be invited.

The cities of Ballarat and Bendigo are bidding for world heritage listing for the Central Victorian Goldfields on behalf of 13 local governments.

The Mayor travelled to Europe and China last year to help promote the region's bid for world heritage status.

Costs for the Krakow trip are estimated at $13,000 for two participants, with Council potentially seeking funding contributions from "hosts, collaborative partners and other sources".

Councillors will debate four options: to approve travel for the Mayor and a council officer; to participate as long as travel is funded externally; decline to participate; or decline the invitation and initiate a review of the Council's travel policies, strategies and plans.

Council documents quote a potential growth of $68m every year to the region in extra business and tourism revenue if the world heritage bid is successful.

Last year the Council granted the chief executive the power to sign off international travel without going to a public meeting, a policy that was reversed in December last year.

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