Carlson Wagonlit Travel's first-half 2014 North America sales volume and transactions increased 10 percent and 5 percent, respectively, versus the prior-year period,

according to president of the Americas Patrick Andersen. Speaking to BTN last month in Los Angeles during the Global Business Travel Association annual convention, Andersen cited a nearly 12 percent jump in transactions among U.S. military and government clients. "A major contribution is the fact that we are out of sequestration," he said, referring to the 2013 across-the-board U.S. federal spending cutbacks.