Business travelers will pile on the miles in 2015

Economic analysts look at a variety of data when making their predictions about the financial future. And one bit of info that appears to say a lot about the nation's economic well-being is corporate spending on business travel.

According to a study by the U.S. Travel Association, American businesses spent $225 billion on domestic travel alone in 2012, supporting 3.7 million jobs and generating $35 billion in taxes.

And now, in a newly issued quarterly report sponsored by Visa (V), the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) is projecting overall spending on U.S. business travel will increase by 6.2 percent in 2015 to $310.2 billion, surpassing the record $292.2 billion reached in 2014.

"2014 was a stabilizing year for U.S. business travel, with continuous, sustained growth, despite a plethora of external issues internationally that have weighted down economies in Europe, Russia and Asia," Michael McCormick, GBTA executive director and chief operating officer, said in a press statement. "This is a significant and encouraging sign of confidence in the strength of the U.S. economy."

The report also noted that last year was a "comeback year" when it came to international, outbound business travel, which grew by 6 percent in volume, year-over-year, after falling 1 percent in 2012 and rising just over 1 percent in 2013.

Factors that have been helping the national economy in recent months, including falling oil prices, stronger employment data and rising retail sales figures, are apparently allowing business managers to loosen their purse strings when it comes to business travel expenses.

"Based on what we're seeing, business travel will continuing growing as our road warriors take to the skies and streets in 2015 and beyond," added Joseph Bates, vice president of research at the GBTA Foundation, the association's education and research division.