All Visitors (spouses and friends of Buyer-Attendees, no children allowed), are subject to a small fee if they would like to visit the Sponsor Display Hall. There is no pre-registration for this; they will be available for purchase onsite, at the Registration Desks outside of the Sponsor Display Hall where there will be a separate area for Visitor Passes. The cost will be approximately the same amount as last year, which is good for both of the display days.

Name of Facility: Pharmacy Purchasing Outlook

City, State: Newsletter

Years as a Buyer: 30+

THANK YOU FOR GETTING BACK TO ME

Name of Facility: Boulder Comm Hosp

City, State: Hospital

Years as a Buyer: 16

Last year I had to pay $65.00 to get my husband into the showroom and I thought that was outragous! All he did was walk around while I talked to the reps I knew or was interested in getting information from. There was nothing special in that room that should have cost so much to get in. I didn't want to just leave him in the room while I was gone for hours or I would never had paid such a high price. Maybe $25.00 would have been appropropiate.

Mike...is there a way for Summerdale to waive that charge. there is nothing in that showroom that would interest a non-pharmaceutical person.
Thanks.

Name of Facility: DELNOR HOSPITAL

Years as a Buyer: 5

Our Exhibit Hall times may be more laid back then at some other conferences, but it is very much still a part of the business meeting. We strongly encourage you to use the time in the Exhibit Hall to network and socialize with the Vendor Representative and other Pharmacy Buyers that have come all of that way to share their products, knowledge, and experiences with you.

Las Vegas is a city where guests usually find plenty of things to do during the times when their spouses are at meetings. And part of the reason we chose this new location is for the easy access to the Las Vegas Strip via the monorail system, which has a stop right in the Hilton and is reasonably priced, for attendees to avail themselves of during off hours, and so that family/friends with you in Vegas may utilize while you are attending the conference.

Should you still want to take advantage of the Visitor Pass for a spouse or friend, please realize that they are only provided as a courtesy, allowing for your family or friends to attend the Exhibit Hall festivities should you absolutely not want to go without them. Included in the price of admission is food, drinks (usually including 1-2 Sponsored bars), the usual giveaways from Sponsors, and various services (such as manicures & massages), that can be utilized by anyone, regardless of whether they are only a Visitor (except for the optional Prizes that Sponsors may raffle off, which is separate from the giveaways). All Visitors must pay the same price whether they choose to take advantage of what is provided or not, and all of these things except for the Sponsor Raffles, would pertain to Visitors, and is something Visitors could avail themselves of, without us having a way to monitor whether or not the Visitors were doing so or not.

We believe, based on catering and administrative labor costs, that the Visitor Passes have been very fairly priced in the past. Know that we are doing our best to keep this rate as low as we can realistically set it. By comparison, the NPTA Convention (being held the week after ours this year), charges $99 for a Visitor Pass, and at ASHP’s Meetings, they charge $200 for such a Pass. And we are sorry, but we just do not have the resources to offer a 1-day Visitor Pass instead at a lower cost; this is just not something, again, that we would be able to easily monitor.

If you still think the cost is an unnecessary expense for your family, then we hope that you would simply decide there is no need to buy such a pass, and leave your Spouse/Family/Friends behind to fend for themselves, and still be able to enjoy the displays by meeting & networking with new colleagues and the Sponsor representatives, during the display times.

We appreciate your understanding in this matter, and look forward to seeing you in Las Vegas.

Name of Facility: Summerdale Enterprises, Inc.

Years as a Buyer: President/CEO, Summerdale Enterprises, Inc. & Editor-in-Chief, Pharmacy Purchasing Outlook newsletter

It's bad enough that I leave my spouse all day long while I attend different meetings, I do not feel I want to leave him again to attend the displays. I understand there is some cost involved by yourselves, but truly the $65.00 it was was out of line. We paid for what we drank ( a coke each ) no freebies there and we ate nothing. It costs a lot of money to travel out to Vegas for the four days and with car rentals, airfares, room rates and food, it's kind of nice to be able to spend SOME time together. Some people don't anyone else at the show and it is kind of nice to be able have someone with you. A minimum price should be fine, say around $25.00 after all we're not one of the big guys (organizations)