COMPANY chiefs in Buckinghamshire are cautiously going about business as usual in the wake of American and British attacks on Afghanistan.

George Dick, managing director of the Travel Management Group, which has a business travel office in Denmark Street, in High Wycombe, said 'business still has to go on'.

He said that although business dipped considerably for three or four days after the attack on the World Trade Centre, people are now travelling fairly normally.

He added: "As long as the conflict remains contained people will keep travelling."

Mr Dick's comments were endorsed by Julie Oliver of Ickenham Business Travel which has a Marlow office.

Julie said bookings did fall drastically after September 11. However, she said: "Things have picked up over the past two weeks but they are not back to normal. Business people have postponed their trips rather than cancelling them."

And businesses have also been turning to cutting edge technology such as video conferencing to keep in touch with colleagues.

Philip Mellor, senior analyst at Dun & Bradstreet in Holmers Farm Way, High Wycombe, said: "Flying has not been cancelled but people are being asked to look at whether a meeting is really necessary. We are also exploring other options such as video conferencing and telephone conferencing."

Sir Bill Castell, chief executive of Amersham plc, in Little Chalfont, is keen that air travel continues.

But the company has increased the use of its video conferencing facilities, linked to all its main locations, incluuding Scandinavia, the USA and Japan.

Dave Lewis-Savage, MD of the SmartComm Group, High Wycombe, said: "Our inquiries for video conferencing facilities and equipment have gone up by 50 per cent in the short period of time since September 11."