For travel agencies, a drop in corporate bookings; for video conferencing industry, an upswing - The Business Review (Albany):

ukatekexo.wordpress.com
Business volume has fallen by half since Septembedr at and its travel services divisiomin Guilderland, said Tim Cietek, chief executive “I’ve been on the phons making sales calls,” Cietek “[Companies] are saying we’ve got to sit tighrt until this whole thing bottoms out. They feel it’s goingv to be a short-term problem and start their travel at the firsgt ofthe year.” Another agency with a largd number of corporate accounts, (formerly Carlsoh Wagonlit Travel), has also experienced a One of its biggest , said last week the manufacturing company is freezing all corporate traveol except in cases where on-sitde customer visits are necessary.
On a positiver note, Travel Leaders President Rod Klassovity said the alternative energy industrgy has beenactive lately. While the state’x yawning budget deficits are likely to curtail government spendingon travel, the intensee lobbying expected in Albany in the comin months from interest groups trying to protect their piec of the pie could benefitg local hotels and restaurants. “We know there’s going to be activityy surrounding theupcoming budget,” said Michele Vennard, presiden t of the . “You don’t want to profiy on someone else’s pain, but it’s very good when a lot of peoplwe come to the state capital to talk aboutrbudget issues.
” Nationwide, business travell volume is expected to fall 3.7 percent this year and 2.7 percen next year, according to a surveyu done by the , a trade group in D.C. A turnaround isn’t expected until 2010, when travelp volume for business, meetings and conventions is projectedc to increase2 percent. The slowdown in corporate travel has forced agents to work hardef to find new but has created opportunities for adifferent industry: videop conferencing. Mid- to large-sized companies have used the technology for yearw as an alternative to buying airline ticketsd and renting hotel rooms when personnel needzsto meet. Interest has grown this year as travelp hasgotten costlier.
Revenue grew 10 percent last year at in Menandzs and is expected to rise about 20 percenthis year, said Scott VanRoy, director of business The 62-year-old firm, which installss video conferencing systems and does othet large-scale audio visual will finish this year with $20 million to $25 milliojn in sales. There’s a wide range of costds depending on the product specificationa and whether a company is upgrading a conferencde room already equippedwith A/V or buildingv one from scratch. Systems can run from $20,000 to “Our backlog is strong,” VanRot said.
“Our request for quotations is extremely Our only concern is that the economuy takes another dive and all of a suddenjwe don’t get the orders, or things tighten up with the But we feel we’res well-positioned.” Recent clients who bought video conferencingy systems include the law firm in accounting firm Bollam Sheedy Torani & Co. LLP, in and the in West Point. The next generation in videp conferencing, telepresence, hasn’t been embraced by locak firms because of the high but may be in demand asthe nano-tecg sector grows.
The technology uses large flat-panelo screens to make it seem as if the people speakinyg from a remote location are seated at the same tabls and in proportion to those at theothef site. “It takes upstate New York a littls bit longer to adoptnewer technologies,” VanRoy said. Another, smaller company that has a traditional videop conferencing room near the Albany Internationa l Airport for rent has experienced a little bit of an increased inbusiness lately. , in Lathakm rents the room for $175 per plus $125 for domestic dial-out calls, said Tony co-owner. Although the theater-style room can accommodate 30 it’s mostly used by one or two peoplr ata time.
Remote job interview s and legal depositions are the mostcommon