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After
much speculation
about the fate of DomainSponsor's
long running DomainFest
conference, the company announced this
afternoon that the show will return
to Los Angeles March 31-April 3,
2014. The upcoming conference will
have a different name, a different
location and different dates than it had last
year, but the name and
location will still be very familiar
to veteran DomainFest attendees. After
changing its name to Webfest Global
in 2013 (an effort to broaden the show's
focus beyond domains) |
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DomainSponsor
has decided to revert to the better known
DomainFest brand that attracted attendees
to its first Hollywood show in 2007.
Domainfest is also going back to
the same Hollywood hotel where it ran
through 2009 - known as the Renaissance
Hotel then but since remodeled and renamed
the Loews Hollywood Hotel. The
venue is located at Hollywood & Highland
in the heart of Tinseltown, where it is
part of the complex that features the Dolby
Theater where the annual Academy
Awards (Oscars) are handed out.
For the past four years, the conference
has been held across town at the
oceanfront Fairmont Miramar Hotel
in Santa Monica.
A
scene from the 2009 DomainFest conference
- the last one held in Hollywood.
The show will return there in 2014.
The
name and venue changes will not be the
only things different about DomainFest
this year. In the past the show had been
held in the late January-early February
time frame. When no conference had
been announced for that window this year,
a new conference, NamesCon,
emerged to fill the void on the show
calendar and they staged a very successful
event in Las Vegas last
week with close to 600
attendees on hand.
Now
that Domainfest has settled on its new
time frame in late March/early April, it
is sandwiched between NamesCon and the T.R.A.F.F.I.C.
Las Vegas conference coming up
at the Bellagio Hotel May 28-31,
2014. The question now will be whether
or not industry sponsors and attendees
have room in their budgets to support
three major shows in the same region that
are spaced just two months apart (the 49th
ICANN meeting will also be held
immediately in front of DomainFest,
running March 23-27, 2014 in Singapore).
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Debra
Domeyer
Oversee.net CEO |
DomainFest
organizers obviously think the
answer is yes and the well run show
has certainly drawn well in its
previous runs in both Hollywood and
Santa Monica. In February 2013 more than 600 domain name investors, registrars, hosting companies, startups, advertising providers and online marketing companies from 25 countries attended the conference.
Debra
Domeyer, CEO of DomainSponsor's
parent, Oversee.net,
said, ”We are bringing DomainFest back to Hollywood and
its roots. With a tradition of networking, learning, and getting deals done, we’re delighted to be back. Our goal is to once again deliver a great conference with excellent speakers, rich content, and fun entertainment.”
A
DomainFest press release said "Domain owners, new gTLD Name Providers, Domain Registrars, Online Marketers, Affiliates and Startups attending DomainFest |
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can expect an agenda packed with unique learning and networking opportunities. Industry leaders will offer insights and real-world experiences that can help improve business performance and results." |
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Dwayne
Walker, Oversee.net's Senior Vice President of Advertising and Domain
Services, added, "Once again, we are bringing together the brightest and most informed experts, attendees and investors from the Domain, Online Advertising and Online Marketing industries to explore new business opportunities, network and enjoy memorable evening entertainment.”
An early bird registration fee of
$695, which includes all sessions, meals and evening parties, is
available now and will end Feb. 14,
2014. On Feb. 15, 2014, the regular pre-conference rate of
$995 applies. This year, a special
one-day pass will also be available for the first day of the conference. Priced at
$295, it is expected to
attract a broad range of participants involved in the Southern California technology
scene.
DomainFest has
also arranged for discounted hotel room rates at the Loews Hollywood
hotel (reservation details are on
the Domainfest.com site). |
Dwayne
Walker
Sr. VP, Advertising & Domain
Services
Oversee.net |
You
can view the preliminary three-track
agenda for DomainFest here.
The DomainFest team will provide updates, information and more via its
Twitter handle @domainfest. DomainFest, DomainSponsor and conference attendees will
also be tweeting before and during the conference using Twitter hashtag
#DomainFest. |
