Geo guru I absolutely agree with your speculation with the escalation of price. How ever there are methods to cut cost: 1. Forums As the speakers and the moderators can not properly manage time and are not considerate of following programs, presentations of irrelevent topics to wrong crowd the whole forum can be converted into POSTER Presentations which I think, will be more effective than those ineffective "talks". Even the very professional conventions are adopting this method. This will cut cost of the renting of the individual rooms too. 2. Literary Programs Can be shortened by curtailing lenghty talks and starting at time or can be limited to some classroom of a university. It does not need whole ball room to run that if the kids are eliminated. 3. 2 days instead of 3 4. The main problem I saw is not being able to start things in time, be it literary program or banquet. If the organizers are pretty disciplined then it should be taken care of. However, this is a geographical and cultural problem of ours and may be difficult to get rid of. I saw the domino effect with that. 5. I have suggested to hire SOME professional event managers in the thread of ANA explained. http://www.sajha.com/sajha/html/OpenThread.cfm?forum=2&ThreadID=22461 6. One thing which can be done is sell liquor by the organizers. 37000$ was spent in that Marriot alone, not including those bought from outside or consumed outside and some of the profit can be diverted to the organization of the program. more later.