You may not be ready for telepresence but the interactive systems that support this form of live, real place transmission are growing as an alternative to travel for meetings, at least in some corporate boardrooms.

I remember being pretty impressed several years ago when Morton’s The Steakhouse debuted its videoconference meeting room offering. Now, two of the world’s biggest hotel companies, Starwood Hotels and Resorts and Marriott International, are offering telepresence suites. Today’s high-end systems go beyond typical videoconferencing technology and are comparative to face-to-face meetings because of the interactivity made possible by advanced technology. Some participants may be in the hotel room, while others attend from remote locations, with information transmitted in both directions.

While virtual meetings will not eliminate the need for in-person meetings, they are giving potential attendees another option. In fact, some industry leaders view it as an expansion of their meetings business. According to a New York Times report, companies that have telepresence technology are incorporating it into their travel booking systems, so employees consider it as a choice in lieu of taking a trip.

“Offering telepresence as a different option to still connect people with each other is a method that we fully expect our client companies are going to adopt and embrace,” Alicia Tillman, a vice president with American Express, told The New York Times.