Three-quarters of business travellers expect to travel the same or less this year, according to a survey released at the Business Travel & Meetings Show yesterday (February 9).

The survey of 317 business travellers worldwide found that 51% predict their travel will be unchanged in 2010, with 21% expecting to make fewer trips.

Just 27% expect to up their number of trips, according to the poll conducted by the Association of Corporate Travel Executives and KDS.

The survey also revealed that companies are trying to stick to their green principles despite the recession, with 58% of respondents stating their organisations have a corporate social responsibility charter.

And 57% disagreed that their company had abandoned its commitment to CSR in the past 12 months.

Just under a fifth said travel reductions resulted from CSR goals as well as cost-cutting objectives.

However, almost half said their bosses were setting a bad example in the “greenness” of their travel choices.

The survey was conducted between December 2009 and January 2010, and included the opinions of 317 business travellers and procurement and travel executives.

Unsurprisingly, cost-cutting is still top of the business travel agenda, with 61% of respondents stating that employers cut the amount of business travel undertaken in 2009.

ACTE President Richard Crum said: “It is a great relief to see that CSR remains a strong priority for many corporations, and an equally strong concern for travellers, who are making an effort to reduce their impact on the planet.

“It is understandable that the last year has seen corporate leadership focus on the financial health of their companies.

“However, it is important to recognize that truly sustainable businesses balance the demands of shareholders with respect for the environment and the people and communities they impact every day.”