A major roadshow, aimed at winning new investment for Northern Ireland, starts in New York tomorrow. Visiting 11 US cities, the tour will be launched by British Chancellor Gordon Brown.

Among those who will be on hand to promote Northern Ireland to potential US investors will be the First Minister Mr David Trimble and Deputy First Minister Mr Seamus Mallon as well as the Secretary of State Ms Mo Mowlam and Economy Minister Adam Ingram. The tour, which will finish in San Jose at the end of the month, is expected to attract influential business leaders in the US.

Industrial Development Board (IDB) representatives as well as US executives who have already done business in Northern Ireland will address the meetings. These will feature representatives from companies including Nortel and Liberty Mutual.

There are more than 100 wholly or partly US-owned firms in the North. Of these 52 employ around 12,300 people, or 10 per cent of the local manufacturing workforce. In addition, four Canadian investors employ more than 7,000 workers. The IDB said yesterday that two of Britain's leading companies - British Airways and British Telecom - had agreed to act as major sponsor of the tour.

An IDB spokeswoman stressed that it was not a trade mission. "Political and economic leaders are going to sell Northern Ireland to potential US investors," she said.

Meanwhile, a new Internet Marketing site (www.INVESTNorthern Ireland.com) which will enable Northern Ireland to reach out to potential investors in the US and around the world, went live yesterday.

IDB chairman Mr Bruce Robinson said the site was an integral part of the US tour and marketing campaign. The site includes details and photographs of premises such as factories and call centres and case studies of successful US and Canadian companies already located in Northern Ireland.