Travel bosses predict the amount spent on business trips will rise next year, according to research by the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE).
Some 64% of European members who responded and 70% of those from the US anticipate a greater travel spend in 2011.
Most believe this will be down to more frequent trips, not just higher costs, according to the survey.
Some 60% of European and 60% of US respondents expect their companies employees to travel more next year than in the last two years.
More than half of European companies questioned expect their travel spend to increase by between five and 15%, while in the US 43% thought the same.
President Chris Crowley, ACTE's president, said the findings are an encouraging sign for economic recovery.
"Business travel has always been held up as a key performance indicator of any economy," he said, "and the findings from the ACTE survey of members shows clearly that economic performance may well move ahead, across the globe, next year."
www.acte.org