Unfortunately these are more stringent cancellation terms than typical IETF contracts because things have changed considerably since the pandemic. Hotels have suffered and are trying to ensure that their risk is minimised and relationships are maintained with clients. By moving out the cancellation dates and increasing penalties, the risk is moved away from the hotel and the client to the guest. This is not our choice, but that of the hotel and these are the best terms to which we could get the hotel to agree. If you have to cancel because of COVID or another emergency then please speak to the hotel and also let the Secretariat know so that they can try to intervene. On a general note, please be aware that every hotel/venue negotiation we are involved in currently is noticeably more protracted and complicated than pre-pandemic. We expect this difficulty to continue for at least another year, with the effects felt some years out as we are currently booking for 2024 and 2025. Jay > On 22 Aug 2022, at 21:19, John C Klensin <john-ietf@xxxxxxx> wrote: > > If true, this is quite astonishing. I cannot remember any > meeting for which the IETF has signed a hotel contract with that > long a cancellation period (with or without specific reasons > such as health issues). > > john > > > --On Monday, August 22, 2022 13:18 -0400 Michael StJohns > <mstjohns@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > >> Hi - >> >> The hotel has a 21 day cancellation period - that's pretty >> substantial especially since the 7 day cancellation rate may >> require payment of the entire rate for the entire period. >> Could you confirm that we can cancel in the event of Covid or >> similar health issues with no penalty please? > > -- Jay Daley IETF Executive Director exec-director@xxxxxxxx
