Financing Exhibits
 

In some conferences, the Exhibits Chair is a paid position. The following payment scheme was used by AMTA in 2000. ACL generally relies on volunteers exclusively.

The exhibitors are charged a flat fee for exhibiting and the conference. This fee covers hotel space rental (if such is needed), the cost for pipe-and-drape setup, rental, and teardown, insurance (if needed), and the fee paid the Exhibit Chair.
 
 

Exhibit Charge

Typically, this is about $1000 for four or five days. This fee covers:

• hotel space rental
• the cost for pipe-and-drape setup, rental, and teardown
• signage
• insurance (if needed)
• internet access
• phone access (but not calls)

Payment of Exhibits Chair

The Exhibits Chair receives:

• $150 per exhibitor she brings in, with a minimum of 5 exhibitors
• $1000 flat fee
• $1500 for a site visit and attendance at the conference (this based on the fact that air travel from Tijuana to Cuernavaca costs under $400, and 1 night site visit and 3 nights conference cost another $400 tops, and food another $400 tops).

To come out even, AMTA needs more than 3 exhibitors; as soon as the 4th exhibitor is brought in, the Exhibit provides a profit for the organization.
 
 

Author: Eduard Hovy, 2000 from AMTA conference series.