'Net has long way to go when it comes to travel planning.(Brief Article)

The business travel industry is flying high in a global economy, with more travel suppliers than ever and cutting-edge technology that promises market advantages in the form of time and cost savings.

Corporate travel managers face the massive task of handling the details behind transactions that add up to a $185 billion-a-year industry. That's up from $150 billion five years ago, according to the National Business Travel Association.

"Business travel is the third-largest expenditure in the corporate bottom line," said Maryanne McInerney, spokeswoman for the Virginia-based organization. "Infrastructure (costs), salary and then travel. It's a huge industry."

It's also an industry that is being reshaped, some believe, by the Internet. Consider the sheer number of travel-related web sites that …