While middle class Americans may not have experienced direct tax increases yet, they are certainly paying more government fees to travel.

Managed by the Department of State, passports are required for individuals who wish to travel to nearly any destination outside the U.S. And, effective July 13, 2010, U.S. passbook book fees are increasing as follows:

• $135 for first time adult passport applications
• $105 for first time minor passport applications
• $110 for adult passport renewal applications

My business travel view, "What Business Travelers Should Expect at Green Hotels and Sustainable Conferences" explores this in more depth.

People are beginning to consider what sustainable choices they may want to consider or expect when traveling for business and attending conferences, and that’s a good thing.

Many business travelers have already changed some of their habits while traveling on the road – perhaps bringing their own amenities, reducing shower time and/or closing draperies when leaving the room to conserve energy.

Subtle changes can make a big impact, and sustainability advocates in the business travel industry are making progress.

Whether it’s for business travel or a personal leisure trip, most people know that the best deals for air fare and hotels are frequently found through an online travel booking agent. We all know this. In fact, roughly 15 to 20% of airline revenues are now booked through online travel booking, according to TravelWeekly.com.

So what helps make one online travel booking system more appealing than another?

Despite economic conditions and past political criticisms, Las Vegas remains one of the biggest draws for business travel and leisure visitors in the U.S. In 2009, Las Vegas welcomed more than 36 million visitors. While many visit Las Vegas for vacations, business travel, conventions and corporate meetings account for about 20% of all visitors to Las Vegas.

We've identified 10 hotels where business travelers stay when in Las Vegas:

• Aria Las Vegas
• Caesar's Palace
• The Palazzo
• Wynn Las Vegas

The volatility experienced during the last two years may be setting the stage for permanently changing the way corporate travel will be managed. And as it relates to the needs of small and mid-sized businesses, perhaps small travel agencies that are part of larger networks may be in the best position to help navigate it.

While online booking systems are useful and relevant to saving money, when unpredictable situations impact travel plans these same travelers are usually kept waiting on hold with overwhelmed customer call centers like the thousands of people who find themselves trapped in the lobby of the airport during a blizzard at the peak of Christmas travel.

Large corporate travel departments will begin to express greater demands on the corporate travel companies that serve their needs. And small business executives, associations and nonprofits will turn to travel agencies that are backed by national and international networks.