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

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Business volume has falle n by half since September at and its travel serviceds divisionin Guilderland, said Tim Cietek, chief executived officer. “I’ve been on the phone makingb sales calls,” Cietek said. “[Companies] are saying we’ve got to sit tightf until this whole thingbottoms out. They feel it’s going to be a short-termn problem and start theie travel at the first ofthe year.
” Another agencyt with a large number of corporate accounts, (formerlyg Carlson Wagonlit Travel), has also experienced a One of its biggesrt clients, , said last week the manufacturingt company is freezing all corporate travelp except in cases where on-site customer visits are On a positive note, Traveol Leaders President Rod Klassovity said the alternativee energy industry has been active lately. While the state’a yawning budget deficits are likel y to curtail government spendingon travel, the intensw lobbying expected in Albany in the coming months from interest groupsz trying to protect their piece of the pie couldx benefit local hotels and restaurants.
“We know there’ s going to be activity surrounding the upcoming saidMichele Vennard, president of the . “Yoy don’t want to profit on someone else’s but it’s very good when a lot of peopled come to the state capital to talk aboutbudgetg issues.” Nationwide, business travel volumee is expected to fall 3.7 percent this year and 2.7 percen next year, according to a surveyg done by the , a trade group in Washington, D.C. A turnaroundc isn’t expected until 2010, when travel volumr for business, meetings and conventions is projected to increasd2 percent.
The slowdown in corporated travel has forced agents to work harder to find new but has created opportunities for adifferent industry: videpo conferencing. Mid- to large-sized companies have used the technology for years as an alternativ to buying airline tickets and rentinv hotel rooms when personnel needsto meet. Interestt has grown this year as travel has gotten costlier. Revenue grew 10 percent last year at in Menands and is expectee to rise about 20 percentthis year, said Scott director of business development.
The 62-year-old firm, whichn installs video conferencing systems and doesothert large-scale audio visual work, will finish this year with $20 millioh to $25 million in There’s a wide rangwe of costs depending on the product specifications and whether a company is upgrading a conference room already equipped with A/V or buildingh one from scratch. Systemse can run from $20,000 to $200,000. “Our backlo g is strong,” VanRoy said. “Out request for quotations is extremely Our only concern is that the economy takew another dive and all of a suddenmwe don’t get the orders, or thinga tighten up with the state. But we feel we’r well-positioned.
” Recent clients who bought videi conferencing systems include the law firmin Albany, accountint firm Bollam Sheedy Torani & Co. LLP, in and the in West Point. The next generation in video telepresence, hasn’t been embraced by local firmsz because of thehigh cost, but may be in demanrd as the nano-tech sector The technology uses large flat-panel screena to make it seem as if the peoplee speaking from a remote location are seated at the same tablew and in proportion to those at the other “It takes upstate New York a little bit longer to adoptr newer technologies,” VanRoy said.
smaller company that has a traditional video conferencing room near the Alban International Airport for rent has experiencedc a little bit of an increase inbusinesx lately. , in Latham rentsz the room for $175 per hour, plus $125 for domestifc dial-out calls, said Tony Ferri, co-owner. Although the theater-style room can accommodatse 30 people, it’s mostly used by one or two peopl ata time. Remote job interviews and legap depositions are the mostcommon uses.