The Global Business Travel Association for 2012 anticipates a 0.8 percent year-over-year decline in total U.S.-originating business trips and a 4.3 percent increase in business travel spending.

The association attributed the volume drop to "eroding business and consumer confidence," and the spending growth to higher travel prices driven by constrained airline and lodging capacity and higher energy costs. GBTA expects outbound international business travel to remain strong in 2012 "as growth in U.S. exports will help to offset weaker domestic GDP performance," with spending jumping 7.7 percent and trip volume increasing 3.3 percent. For groups, meetings and convention trips, the association projected 0.7 percent declines this year and next year, followed by "modest growth of 0.3 percent in 2013." Total travel spending in that category is expected to increase 3.5 percent in 2012.