2025Q3 Reports: Local Organization Chairs

This report details the main tasks and duties of the local organization chairs subsequent to the initial proposal stage for hosting ACL 2025, who in this edition were Benjamin Roth and Dagmar Gromann both from the University of Vienna. The organizational activities as well as the initial application process for hosting ACL 2025 were strongly supported by the Vienna Convention Bureau, including providing extra funds for the conference in the form of the Vienna Meeting Fund.

Main Tasks and Duties

• Propose and help finalize the conference venue and establish contact between event management and conference venue
• Propose local printing services for posters but also lanyards, shirts, etc.
• Propose locations and options for social event (conference dinner)
• Propose and provide specific quotes for various entertainment options for social event
• Provide a list of hotels close to the venue, including options for different budgets to be published on website
• Prepare travel and local information for website and publicity chairs, e.g. for social media
• Assist event management with additional locations, e.g. for recognition and thank you dinner(s)
• Prepare to accommodate specific requests of company sponsors and international researchers to visit local university buildings, research networks or faculties
• Forward the many requests from participants, companies, etc. to responsible chairs
• Connect with local tourism center or providers:
  • Ticket options and discounts for public transportation
  • Options and discounts for airport connections
  • Other travel options and discounts, e.g. trains or airlines
  • Provide details on best options for sightseeing in terms of tickets and best sights to vitis
• Assist Visa Chairs
  • Contact local government officials for fast-track visa processing given the short deadline of ACL (usually less than the official time required for processing visa applications world wide)
  • Respond to individual embassy inquiries to confirm letter of invitation/accepted papers and duration of stay, i.e., duration of conference
  • Forward requests and issues regarding visa to visa chairs

Recommendations for Future Chairs

• Get in touch with local tourism organization(s) to provide information for publicity chairs and obtain assistance for locations/suggestions
• Inquire about discounts and package deals for public transportation and sightseeing early in the process
• Prepare for different numbers of participants (our initial inquiries for 3 000 participants for locations were soon outdated due to the expected 4 000 participants)