Recession could spur ban in business travel

The deepening of the economic crisis into next year could see small businesses impose total travel bans.

That's according to one industry expert, who claims that while smaller enterprises are cutting down on their travel expenses, a blanket ban would be a last resort.

Figures recently released by the Business Travel Coalition show that more than a quarter of small firms are already implementing emergency travel cutbacks.

Gill Upton, editor off Business Travel magazine, commented: "A lot of companies are reducing non-essential travel; they're not often stopping the trips where the company is going to catch deals, earn money and keep the company alive."

She added that if 2009 is going to be as bad as predicted, then small business may have to consider total travel bans.

The Federation of Small Businesses earlier this week announced that it was backing the government's decision to provide a £350 million skills training fund for private enterprises.