After yesterday's further postponement of the presidential visit, the Americans are so mindful of the disruption and disappointment they have created in Australia, they are willing to be more generous with the President's time when he finally gets here.

US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton may also visit mid-year, though not at the same time as the President.

Mr Obama called Prime Minister Kevin Rudd personally yesterday morning to inform him of the delay, explaining that his domestic political agenda steering his health reforms through Congress made it impossible to leave the US next week.

US ambassador Jeffrey Bleich said the President's June itinerary was likely to involve more Canberra appointments and more stopovers than just the capital and Sydney. Destinations that would appeal to the Obama children were also being considered.

''The hope is we have more than 24 hours and hopefully his family will be able to join him,'' Mr Bleich said. He would not recommend spots to visit.

''That's like asking me to choose among my children,'' he said.

''I love all of Australia and I've given the President a briefing about the wonders of many different places.''

Absolute winners from the changed itinerary will be Canberra's hotels, which will for the most part be paid for the cancelled rooms booked for the President's entourage next week and for the new bookings in June.

The President could also be bringing a larger entourage already numbering in the hundreds because of the longer stay.

For more on this story, see the print edition of today's Canberra Times.