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Videoconferencing has become an effective alternative to travel for face-to-face interactions, Kevin Stavers, mvision’s sales and marketing director told an Institute of Travel Management (ITM) forum held in London, England last week. Mvision provides managed videoconferencing solutions made by Tandberg.

The forum titled, “ECO-nomics - The Realities of a Green Program” attracted over 100 visitors interested in learning about the business travel environmental debate, from the latest on scientific thinking to breaching behavior change blockage and the rise of videoconferencing.

 

Stavers, representing mvision, shared a panel with counterparts from British Airways, World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) and BT discussing whether video conferencing really is an alternative option for those companies wishing to reduce costs and carbon emissions.

Stavers outlined the year ahead for the business travel market and the challenges travel managers will have with regards to changes in travel policy and cost-containment strategies. He further demonstrated, using a combination of industry analysis and real-life case studies, how a fully managed video conferencing solution can provide companies with an effective alternative to many business trips.

 

There is substantial evidence demonstrating the enormous amounts of pollution generated by business intercity travel. A 2006 Hydro-Quebec report revealed a mid-sized car with one driver and passenger would generate 95 grams of CO (2) per passenger-kilometer (g/passenger-km). The emissions drop to 56 g/passenger-km for a diesel train and 40g/passenger-km for a bus but rise to 204-340 g/passenger-km for a short to mid-length flight. While electric trains release smaller amounts of pollutants, especially if the electricity sources are solar/wind, hydro, and nuclear they are less efficient than videoconferencing because of the energy required to move them. There is also energy and emissions resulting from infrastructure construction, maintenance, and upgrades.

 

“Companies are cutting back on their travel budgets and every new request to travel will be examined for a return on investment,” observed Stavers. “Despite these challenges, face-to-face meetings are essential. It is my belief that 2009 is the year of video conferencing and telepresence. By removing the obstacles to mass video adoption; specifically cost, quality and reliability issues, managed video services enable companies of any size to reduce travel costs and their carbon footprint, and increase productivity.”