Posted by Wendel Swan on January 12, 1999 at 14:58:04:
In Reply to: Re: Conference budgets posted by Yon Bard on January 12, 1999 at 14:10:54:
Yon,
My posting wasn't really in response to your concern about the registration cost, but rather an attempt to explain something about the financial factors that go into putting on a conference.
Everyone has a right to be concerned with rising costs and so are the organizers of these conferences.
Registration fees are often just the beginning of the costs, however. One must also consider plane fares as well as hotel and food costs - sometimes both before and after the actual conference.
As to spousal or family discounts, many efforts have been made by both ICOC and ACOR to give them, but issues arise on certain events. The actual costs for the lectures themselves are relatively small. The food events, such as evening receptions, are where the money is, so it is difficult to admit anyone for less that the cost of that event.
Admissions to exhibitions is complex. Sometimes the exhibitions are part of a food event, sometimes not. Sometimes they are in public places, sometimes not. Accordingly, it is very difficult to establish a single policy to cover exhibitions.
The Dealers' Fair or Row is also complex. I can't speak for the situation in Italy, but generally family members ought to qualify for discounted admissions to Dealer spaces. Debates take place as to whether or not the public should ever be admitted to the Dealers' Fair or Row. Security is a major question, but it should not be difficult to get a "family badge."
I'll use this oppotunity to talk about "rogue" or "bandit" dealers who register for the conference (sometimes they don't even do that) without paying to be on Dealers' Row or in the Dealers' Fair and then lurk around the hotel, inviting participants to their rooms to view their merchandise. The dealer who pay to be in the official spaces are important to the conferences; their support is essential. Those who choose to cirucumvent the system should be avoided. They are, in essence, cheating the particpants, the paying dealers and the conference organizers.
Wendel