Why are fees higher after 29 November?

As almost all conference organizers find, there is a need to plan far ahead when making arrangements for 200 or more people. Even in a city with vast numbers of restaurants, like New York, banquet reservations must be made a month or more ahead, or the conference may be shut out. Hotel rooms blocks disappear if not reserved far in advance. Conference paraphernalia, such as bags, must be ordered. Programs must be printed. Most of the expenses of a conference are incurred well before the first conferee steps off the airplane. Adjusting orders upwards after contracts are set often incurs higher per person costs. Conservatively oversizing contracts to accommodate late registrants also puts dollars at risk. Late registrants bear these extra costs in higher registration fees, which are real.

In the case of an international conference, it also behooves participants from abroad to plan well ahead, to secure competitive airfares and to ensure that visas and passports can be obtained in time. An early registration bonus is an inducement to finalize these arrangements in time.

The early registration deadline of DD16 has been extended in order to recognize that later than expected announcements about paper acceptances and financial support packages have prevented some participants from committing until mid-November. By now, all registrants should have heard about their acceptances and travel award guarantees.