PHILADELPHIA—Business travelers are once again clustering at the front desks and in the conference rooms of Philadelphia hotels, part of a nationwide surge that analysts call an unofficial indicator of an improving economy.

"You can see it in our lobby after 5 p.m. It's teeming with corporate types after they get out of meetings," said Paul Schwartz, general manager of the Sheraton Philadelphia City Center Hotel. The hotel is booked solid three days in the middle of this week due largely to business travelers, he said.

"And they are all short-term bookings," as opposed to those made months in advance—"which is unheard of," Schwartz said. Hotels generally profit more from business bookings in the middle of the week than from leisure guests, who often take advantage of discounted weekend rates.

Mike Fitzgerald, a corporate accounts manager for an Atlanta manufacturer of medical-disposal products, sat in the Courtyard by Marriott last week, going over sales data on a laptop computer with his supervisor. He said he was being sent out of town on business more this year.

"We're definitely getting a better response from customers for our products," Fitzgerald said.

Hotel managers in Philadelphia's Center City say the turnaround in corporate travel has been faster and more robust than they expected, with occupancy and revenue per available room up 8.3 percent and 5.8 percent, respectively, in May.

"We attribute the upsurge to

increased confidence from companies that business activity is coming back," said C. Patrick Scholes, senior lodging analyst for FBR Capital Markets & Co. Inc., which tracks the hotel industry.

Economists cite the resurgence of the coveted group of travelers known as transient business or individual business travelers as another step out of recession.

"Travel is one of the first things businesses cut in recessions—and resume in economic recoveries," said Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody's Economy.com in West Chester.

"Improving corporate travel is a sign that businesses believe it is finally worth the cost to send their people out looking for sales," said Joel L. Naroff of Naroff Economic Advisors in Holland, Bucks County. "That points to growing demand for goods and services and a greater willingness to spend money."

Mary Margaret Bartik, director of research and development for a Bloomington, Minn. biotech firm, arrived Wednesday at Sheraton City Center. She said she went to no meetings at all last year but is now seeing colleagues she has not seen for a while at events such as last week's World Pharma Congress in the city.

"It's time to make investments in our business again, and to network and make new contacts," she said.

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Information from: The Philadelphia Inquirer, http://www.philly.com