[EuroPython] Public Relations, Registration of the people willing to come

[Martijn Faassen]

Andrew Smart wrote:
> 
> 
> >> With the later informations we can talk to hotels and get special
> discounts.
> 
> Martijn wrote:
> >I think we need to be careful with this (it all depends on how we ask
> >the questions), and I think we can simply start with the above mailing list
> >and see how many people subscribe.

I think something went wrong with the context here. I was talking we
should be careful doing pre-registrations and questionnaires before we
actually have enough infrastructure set up to handle them.

> Hmm... since we have the assistance from the Charleroi city people it's not
> so difficult to talk to the hotels. They are used to it, at least the
> business hotels. If we don't know how many people, ok, so lets talk about
> rates for at least 40 / 80 / 120 people. The people have to register
> themselfs in the hotel (and, of course, to the conference) early enough to
> get the discount.

Sure, that sounds like a good idea. I think looking into this is a good
project.

> So, if we have OUR registration formular up and running, we'll see the count
> of students, business people etc. and can talk to the hotels. If there are
> 39 instead of 40 people than the hotel won't complain - they have at least
> 39 bookings, thats more than zero. Ok, if there is only ONE hotel in
> Chareloi then we have maybe a different situation :-)

Ah, right. That's a good point. But let's not make it the registration,
as we don't know enough right now about the budget to handle registration.
Let's just start a mailing list for those interested, along with a questionairre
asking those interested for some more details about themselves (whether they're
students, and such).

> For the students I thoughted about two possibilites:
> a) "Jugendherbergen": (youth hostel ?) - don't know the word, but that are
> cheap accomodations - we should just reserve enough beds
> b) Families - with the support of the local city
> 
> Who is from Chareloi, by the way? Maybe it's neccessary to send manpower to
> Chareloi from time to time to support...

Denis Frere is the main contact for Charleroi. I think it certainly makes
sense to have at least one other meeting at Charleroi before the actual
conference, sometime in the following months.

Regards,

Martijn