Business travel 'still rising'

Increasing numbers of businesspeople are taking to the skies because of a preference for face-to-face meetings, according to new research.

Barclaycard Business' latest annual travel survey revealed that 78 per cent of business travellers undertook the same number of journeys or more in 2006 than in the previous year.

Popular destinations for those who embarked on business-related trips last year included Ireland, western Europe, the United States and Canada.

"It is clear that despite modern communications such as video conferencing people still believe that travel is an essential part of business," commented Denise Leleux, director of commercial cards for Barclaycard Business.

"The vast majority of business people accept that travelling is still efficient and effective, and that without it they could not produce the same results."

Last month, a poll by Global Traveler magazine saw business travellers vote British Airways as the best overall airline.

Other airlines honoured at the awards included Qatar Airways, American Airlines and Thai Airways.

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