NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Mayor LaToya Cantrell has boarded a flight to Amsterdam to attend a conference along with other mayors from across the world. The trip comes after facing recent criticism of her travel expenses.

In a release from the City of New Orleans, the mayor will be attending the Bloomberg CityLab Conference and Mayors Innovation Studio that is set to happen Oct. 9-11. Mayor Cantrell released a statement on the trip:

“It is an honor and a privilege to be invited to join my brother and sister mayors from around the world, as well as other prominent city innovators, business leaders, urban experts and activists to explore the shared hurdles and possibilities faced by cities and around the world and create better solutions and opportunities for our people and communities to thrive. From leading our communities through pandemic recovery to welcoming refugees from global conflicts to being on the frontlines of climate change as a coastal city, attending this year’s Bloomberg CityLab is directly aligned with my administration’s goal to create a more inclusive, equitable, resilient and welcoming city. We are a world-class city, and I will continue to embrace any opportunity to place New Orleans front and center on the global issues that greatly impact our people the most.”

Mayor Cantrell

The travel controversy led to the city council docking the mayor’s salary to cover the travel upgrades. Cantrell ultimately refused to pay the funds back on the basis of her safety being a priority but recently agreed to return the money.

On top of the expense dispute, New Orleans residents expressed their disappointment in the mayor’s actions after she stood in defense of a young carjacker in court with the vast amount of crime in the city. This began the Cantrell Recall efforts.

Mayor Cantrell is set to return to New Orleans on Tuesday, Oct. 11.