A good majority of UK business travellers plans to travel as much or more this year as in 2007 because their businesses are expanding.
This is a main finding of the 12th Barclaycard Business Travel Survey.
The annual poll of 3,000 British business travellers found that companies were "less pessimistic about the state of the economy than analysts suggest."
The survey revealed that 44% of respondent travelled more in 2007 than they did in 2006 while a third (33%) said they expected to travel more this year than they did last.
"Overall, the majority of respondents (77%) anticipate travelling the same amount or more in 2008, with 36% citing business expansion in the UK as the main reason, and 31% citing overseas expansion," the survey said.
But the survey also found that travel spending was under "closer scrutiny" with fewer people travelling business class.
It said more businesses were focused on minimising costs with 55% saying they are more likely to fly economy than business class.
This compares with 46% of businesses which plumped for economy last year.
Barclays said that over the 12 years of its survey, business class travel had "reduced significantly."
It added: "In 2001 41% of respondents cited business class travel as their main class of travel when travelling by air. Six years later just 11% now travel business or first class."
The survey also looked at which airlines UK business travellers chose. The most popular was BA with 28% choosing it, followed by easyJet (15%) and Ryanair (8%)
Among other airlines named were bmi (6%), KLM (6%) and Flybe (5%).
The survey said a growing number of travellers was opting for low cost carriers.
"While British Airways remains the most used airline for business travel, both easyJet and Ryanair have increased their market share.
"easyJet recorded a year on year increase from 7% to 15% and Ryanair from 3% to 8%,” it said.
Denise Leleux, Barclaycard Business's director of commercial cards, said: “Travelling on business to expand into new markets or win new business has always been an indicator of economic confidence.
"This year's results show that confidence is still there and that business people are still positive about economic and business growth.
"But they are also becoming even more cost conscious - perhaps more so this year than before.
"And it is clear that the long term impact of premium economy services on many long haul scheduled carriers is continuing."