More small businesses are booking flights within Europe despite the ongoing economic downturn.

This is according to Visa Europe, which revealed that the number of transactions made on business credit cards issued by the company increased by ten per cent in June 2009 compared to the same month last year.

A study of customers revealed that the number of payments to travel agents was increasing, while small businesses were shown to be budgeting more carefully for travel and accommodation costs.

Editor of Business Travel Magazine Gill Upton said that she was not surprised by the rise in travel expenditure, despite the sector being widely reported as one of the worst hit by the recession.

The difference between travelling for business and travelling for pleasure is [that] it's not optional - you don't do business and your company will go bust" she commented.

"Businesses have to travel - there is only so much they can do by phone and video conference and the rest is done face to face."

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