U.S. corporate travel gross bookings in 2013 will surpass $100 billion,

according to PhoCusWright. The research firm projected a total of $100.5 billion next year, exceeding the previous peak of $98.3 million in 2008 and up 4.3 percent from the 2012 projection. That rate of growth, according to PhoCusWright, will be more modest than the previous three years, due to such factors as "uncertainty in oil prices, slow employment growth and companies’ continued vigilance in managing spend." Published in May, the "Market Size and Technology Trends" report also projected that corporate travel next year would account for a full third of the total U.S. travel market, up from 31 percent in 2009. Fifty-six percent of the projected $100 billion in corporate travel bookings will be transacted online, up one percentage point from the current year projection and six percentage points from 2009, PhoCusWright estimated. Its corporate travel figures include "supplier-direct" bookings as well as those through the more typical corporate travel channels, but exclude "fees associated with ancillary services (e.g., hotel upgrades, Wi-Fi, baggage fees)" and "miscellaneous expenses such as parking, ground transportation and meals." PhoCusWright and Business Travel News share a parent company, Northstar Travel Media.