OpenOffice.org Conference (OOoCon 2008)
5th-7th November 2008
Beijing, China
Travel from the Airport to the Hotel
We have prepared a document (opens in a new window) to help you to get from the airport to your hotel. Most important, the hotel name and address in Chinese, so you can point your finger on it.
Registration
If you are planning to attend the Conference, please register. By registering now, you help the organisers prepare for your arrival and tailor the Conference to your needs and expectations.
Registration is free, but we will be happy to accept donations to the OpenOffice.org project on your arrival in Beijing. On arrival at the Conference, please go to the welcome desk to collect your conference material including maps, programmes, etc.
To register, you will need to tell us your name and email address. Optionally, you may tell us your Job Title/Organisation (for your badge), and which Conference themes you are most likely to attend.
If you have this information ready and would like to register now, please go to the OOoCon Registration site
.Registration FAQs
Q: I have joined the 'pre-registration survey'. Do I now need to
register?
A: Yes please, the pre-registration was needed to get first estimates of
the number of attendees we can expect. As well, we wanted to kick-off the
visa process early.
Q: I am a speaker at the OOoCon. Do I need to register?
A: Yes please, registration will ask for some additional information.
Q: I was informed, that I will receive a travel subsidy to be able to
join OOoCon in Beijing. Do I need to register?
A: Yes, the registration will ask for some additional information.
Q: I was informed, that I will receive a travel subsidy to be able to
join the OOoCon in Beijing and sent a note, that I will be able to take
advantage of the bursary. Do I need to register?
A: Yes, the registration for the OOoCon and confirming the acceptance of
the bursary are two different things.
Visas
Applying for a Visa is mandatory. Regulations vary from country to country. Please contact the Chinese Embassy or Consulate responsible in your country.
Vaccinations are not required to our knowledge, but to be on the safe side, you should also contact the Chinese Embassy in your country.
Some selected links: Germany, France, Austria, Italy, USA, UK, Brasil, India, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, Cambodia.
For the latest information on visas, please check our Wiki.
Travel costs
Price reference by recent samples: Europe 600 € – 1000 €, US/Canada East coast 1000 € - 1300 €, US/Canada West coast 800 € - 1200 €, Cape Town 800 € - 1400 €, Tokyo 400 € - 600 €, Sydney 1000 € - 1400 €.
The organizers will also do their best to organize discounted group flights from Europe.
Update 25th August: negotiations for discounted flight tickets are now ended without any results. We were not able to provide accurate data about number and origin of the attendees to the air lines in order to raise their interest and get good quotations. Meanwhile the situation has changed significantly and that's the good news. Several airlines have regular offers now, that are at the level the organisers had planned to reach with the negotiations, means between 500 and 600 Euro. Price tips for the moment are Finnair (499), Air France (555), British Airways (575) and KLM (580). Lufthansa is quite expensive in the moment, but typically they have better offers about four weeks before traveling: take this advice at your own risk! For Air China prices, try their European call center at 00800 86 100 999.
Help with travel and accomodation
The organizers will offer financial assistance to significant contributors to the Community who would not be able to attend OOoCon in Beijing by their own means. The final extent of this programme will depend on the generosity of the conference sponsors, but premilinary plans are to offer free hotel accomodation in a conference hotel plus a 500 € travel subsidy.
