Budget for business travel remains stable in Europe. - In 2012, two thirds of European businesses kept their business travel costs stable, as compared with 23% which reduced them, according to the annual barometer carried out by American Express Business Travel. Overall, these costs have only progressed by 1%. According to the specialist, this wait-and-see policy shows that businesses are aware of the importance of professional travel in conquering new markets. In 2013, businesses having travel budgets of less than €250,000 should only make them grow by 0.9% (as compared with 1.6% this year), those having budgets of €250,000 to €3 million by 0.4% (as compared with 0.1%) and those spending more are counting on zero growth (as compared with 0.1%). The crisis is moreover pushing towards greater control of spending - a third of businesses going as far as measuring the return on investment for business travel. With regard to tariffs, the survey forecasts a moderate rise in airfares and hotel prices in Europe and North America next year due to austerity. Another specialist in business travel, Egencia (Expedia Group), is counting on a rise in air tickets of 3% in Europe next year, as well as price rises of 2% for a night in a hotel. The hotel group Accor, which is publishing its first European barometer of business travel, confirms the evolution of the practices and expectations of business people, with a preference for online hotel reservations (76%) and an increase in importance in the use of reservations by mobile phone (36% now book from their mobile phone). (IL/transl.fl)