ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the potential and limitations of substituting travel with various means of information and communications technology (ICT) based communication, and the implications for the global environment. It also discusses the future outlook of, and some of the barriers to, holding virtual meetings using ICT-based communication tools in business enterprises and highlights some background information on travel and its environmental impact. The chapter describes the concept of a virtual meeting and elaborates on the possibilities and consequences of shifting some of the business communication to the ICT-based medium. Business travel is surrounded by an aura of status and glamour even though travelling in business class has become increasingly commonplace and is no longer the privilege of top management alone. In the business sector, there is also a growing awareness of the environmental and financial impact of travel. An important step may be for companies and organisations to acknowledge and understand the environmental dimensions of business travel.
