Suitcasing & Outboarding Policy

TECHSPO is serious about protecting the investment of our Sponsors and Exhibitors and ensuring their success at our Events and a level playing field. As such, TECHSPO maintains a Suitcasing and Outboarding policy covering all of our Conferences and Exhibitions. In order to provide a distraction-free environment for our Sponsors, Exhibitors, Attendees and Employees, we do not allow solicitation at our events by attendees or unauthorized parties without the express written permission of TECHSPO. Accordingly, we ask that all participants at TECHSPO Events to refrain from using attendee lists or similar information for solicitation purposes without the express permission of Event Management.

“Suitcasing” and “Outboarding” are parasitic, unethical business practices in which attendees conduct, transact or promote business at the conference and do not have exhibit or sponsorship.

“Suitcasing” refers to non-sponsoring/non-exhibiting companies or individuals who go to conferences as an attendee and solicit business in the tradeshow aisles, session rooms, or hotel lobbies and common areas.

“Outboarding” refers to non-sponsoring/non-exhibiting companies or individuals that host meetings, events, or demos, etc. outside of the exhibition hall, such as in hospitality suites, restaurants, or public places in close proximity to the conference, and encourage conference attendees to leave the conference to attend their events. Bottomline is, if you want to hold an event, it must be approved by TECHSPO.

Attendees who engage in Suitcasing or Outboarding gain an unfair competitive advantage over our Sponsors / Exhibitors who have dedicated money and resources to fairly participate in the Event. These actions diminish the size and diffuse the quality of the audience available to exhibitors and sponsors.

It is TECHSPO’s Event Management’s objective to do everything legally possible to protect our Exhibitors from suitcasing and outboarding. We want our Exhibitors to know that TECHSPO is tough on suitcasers, and that we are vigilant in our efforts to stop them in order to prevent Exhibitor unhappiness and show erosion.

This no solicitation and suitcasing policy includes, but is not limited to the following unauthorized activities.

Prohibited Activities:

• Unauthorized receptions & parties (including off-site events)
• Unauthorized exhibits, mobile exhibits & hospitality suites
• Unauthorized membership recruitment activities
• Unauthorized promotion of non- TECHSPO events
• Unauthorized employment recruiting
• Unwelcome advances toward event participants or the TECHSPO staff
• Unauthorized on-site distribution (on tables, counters, booths etc.) of printed or electronic materials including literature, signs, flyers, invitations, tickets, forms, etc. (except business cards)
• Approaching people on the show floor and soliciting them

Basically, if anyone does not have an Exhibitor badge or consent from TECHSPO they cannot solicit you or anyone else at the show or any of its Events.

TECHSPO has a zero-tolerance policy regarding suitcasing and outboarding. Any person and/or organization found to be violating this policy will be asked to leave immediately (with no refund) and will be charged the single-booth rate, which must be paid prior to registering as an attendee, exhibitor, or sponsor at any future TECHSPO Event.

Egregious and/or multiple violations of this policy may result in disqualification from future events at the discretion of TECHSPO.

Please report any violations regarding suitcasing or outboarding you may observe to Event Management or Staff. Event Management will investigate the complaint and determine the appropriate course of action.