| Travelocity.com hangs up on Dickenson
Virginia Business
April 2004
They
heard that giant sucking sound in Southwestern Virginia
in February after Travelocity.com's decision to
shutter its 275-employee call center in Clintwood in
Dickenson County and send the jobs to India.
Travelocity.com's arrival there three years ago
was good news for Dickenson, which has chronic, double-digit
unemployment. Gov. Mark Warner called the decision to
leave “disappointing” and said the state
will try to help find another tenant for Travelocity's
building in Dickenson's technology park.
Travelocity Senior Vice President Rick Welch made the
announcement in person in Clintwood. He cited losses
the travel industry has suffered since the Sept. 11,
2001 terrorist attacks. Travelocity lost $55 million
last year and $37 million in 2002.
Workers will be able to stay through December. Those
who do will be offered severance pay and bonuses, along
with the chance to interview for jobs in Texas and Pennsylvania.
Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Abingdon, who helped recruit Travelocity.com,
wants company officials to reconsider. In the meantime,
he added the Travelocity.com building to his “Showcasing
Southwest Virginia” program and had plans to show
it to two telecommunications firms looking to relocate.
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