A business-class air ticket between Johannesburg and Cape Town costs more than R2 000. A rented car, with insurance and mileage charges, swallows about R300 a day. Add to that R500 a night for basic accommodation, R120 a day for ordinary meals and you end up with a substantial bill. International travel, of course, costs much more. It's against this backdrop that South African companies in particular are turning to video conferencing technology to help contain the costs of doing business over great distances.
Critics claim many employees view business travel as a perk, especially travel abroad.
A Johannesburg travel agent says this may be true for younger employees but the excitement soon wears off. In addition, the older a person gets, the more likely he is to have a family and become reluctant to spend long periods away from home. Most executives we talk to, especially those who travel abroad frequently, do so grudgingly. They cite time away from their families as problematic as well as the fatigue that comes with international travel. If there is a way for them to avoid having to travel, they will grab it.