2025 AAD Annual Meeting: Policies and cancellations
Policies and cancellations
Hotel guarantee, cancellation, and change policies
Hotel reservation guarantee policy
Reservations must be guaranteed with a credit card. The credit card expiration date must be March 2025, or later. Starting Friday, February 14, 2025, the card provided will be charged a one (1) night’s room and current sales tax deposit. This deposit is non-refundable.
Hotel reservation cancellation policy
From time of booking until Friday, February 14, 2025, 12 p.m. noon (CT)
A $100 per reservation cancellation fee will be processed to the credit card listed for your guarantee. This fee is applicable regardless of cancellation reason or method.
After Friday, February 14, 2025, 12 p.m. noon (CT)
One (1) night room & current sales tax per reservation cancellation fee will be processed to the credit card listed for your guarantee (see Hotel Reservation Guarantee Policy above). This fee is applicable regardless of cancellation reason or method.
On or after February 14, 2025, 12 p.m. noon (CT)
The hotel will charge a one (1) night's room and current sales tax deposit to the credit card provided for guarantee. This deposit will be applied to your hotel reservation charges and should appear on your final hotel reservation folio. You may contact the hotel directly for changes and cancellations beginning Monday, February 17, 2025, until check-in. Cancellation fees will apply regardless of cancellation reason or method.
Failure to show on day of anticipated arrival
Failure to check in on the scheduled date of arrival will result in a "no-show fee" of one (1) night’s room and current sales tax and cancellation of the reservation. If your travel plans are delayed, please be sure to notify the hotel directly to avoid this fee.
Early departure fee
In the event you wish to depart earlier than scheduled, the hotel may charge an "early departure fee". To avoid this fee, confirm your departure date with the hotel before or during check-in.
Hotel reservation changes
From the time of booking until Wednesday, February 12, 2025 at 12 p.m. noon (CT)
Changes can be made online by clicking the link provided in the Change section of your confirmation letter or the Already registered section of the registration website.
Between Friday, February 14, 2025 and Sunday, February 16, 2025
Reservations are being transmitted to the hotel. No changes or cancellations to hotel reservations will be accepted during this time.
Starting Monday, February 17, 2025, until check-in
Changes need to be made directly with the hotel. Arrival or departure date changes will be accepted until hotel check-in date and are based on hotel availability.
Note: Switching hotels after February 14, 2025, will result in the loss of the one (1) night room and current sales tax deposit.
Registration cancellation and change policies
Cancellation policy
Registrants who wish to cancel all of their general registration should send a notice of cancellation via email to aad@maritz.com.
Notices received prior to the cancel deadline of 12 p.m. noon (CT) on Tuesday, March 4, 2025 will be refunded minus the appropriate cancellation fees. A $100 cancel fee will be applied for all registration cancellations except for those registered as Medical Student and Guest, who will only be charged $25.
Those who submit their cancellation request after the deadline will not receive a refund. No exceptions will be made to this policy.
No shows are considered to have missed the Tuesday, March 4 deadline and are not eligible for a refund.
No refund will be issued for on-site registrations.
Category change requests will result in a $100 processing fee.
Name changes
Name changes are not allowed; registration is non-transferable. If you cannot attend the meeting, you must submit a cancellation request to aad@maritz.com; you may not change the name on your registration. Cancellation fees will apply.
Session changes or additions
Starting January 29, 2025 at 12 p.m. noon (CT) purchased session tickets become non-refundable, except in the event of a full meeting cancellation. New session tickets can still be purchased if available, but will not be mailed and will need to be picked up at the meeting.
Session tickets cannot be exchanged and are non-transferable.
Exhibitor policies
Please click here to review exhibitor registration and booth policies under exhibitor resources.
General meeting policies
Registration: Individuals must register and pay the appropriate fee(s) in order to attend any portion of the meeting. Violations of this policy will result in removal from the meeting.
Age limits: Infants and children under the age of 16 are not allowed into educational sessions or the Technical Exhibit Hall. This policy is due to the nature of some presentations and to ensure the safety of registrants’ children. In addition, children should not be left unattended at the meeting. Your support and compliance are appreciated. Violation of these policies could result in revocation of meeting registration and removal from the meeting.
Smoking/e-cigarettes/vaping devices: All AAD educational programs in meeting rooms and seated functions occurring during the meeting are smoke-free including E-cigarettes and vaping devices. Please also comply with the smoking policy of each individual facility.
Alcoholic beverages: The Academy’s official policy regarding the minimum age for alcohol consumption is the age applicable to the jurisdiction of the event venue.
Official language: The official language of the meeting is English.
Firearms: Firearms are not permitted in any portion of the official AAD meeting facilities.
Session admittance: Sessions that have no fee and do not require a ticket for admittance will be first-come, first-serve for eligible categories.
Photography release: From time to time, the Academy uses photographs and videos of meeting events in its promotional materials. Unless the permission is revoked in writing to the Academy, by virtue of their attendance, all meeting visitors agree to use their likeness in such materials.
Photography: Conference attendees may take photographs during oral or poster presentations provided that the photographs are strictly for personal, non-commercial use and are not to be published in any form. Attendees are prohibited from using flash photography or otherwise distracting the presenters or members of the audience.
Misuse of name badges: Under no circumstances is an attendee with an individual name badge permitted to give the badge to another individual who is or is not a paid attendee at the meeting. Fraudulently allowing an individual to gain access to educational sessions, social events, and/or exhibits by using another’s credentials is grounds for immediate removal of all parties from the meeting.
Lost & found items: The AAD is not responsible for items lost during the convention, nor is the AAD responsible for returning found items to attendees.
No handcarts, trolleys, or rolling bags/luggage in the exhibit hall: Please be aware that, for security and safety reasons, no handcarts, trolleys, or rolling bags/luggage are allowed in the Exhibit Hall during show hours. Attendees found on the exhibit floor with these items will be asked to leave the Exhibit Hall. Bags may be stored at the coat/baggage check at the applicable rates.
Under certain circumstances, AAD reserves the right to conduct searches of any large bags entering the meeting space.
View a PDF of conduct expectations at AAD/A meetings and other AAD/A activities.
Registrant data: The Academy is committed to maintaining your confidence and trust, and accordingly, maintains the following privacy policy to protect your membership and/or personal data derived from your use of the Academy meeting registration and housing site and mobile app. The Academy does not rent or otherwise disseminate member or meeting registrant information, including but not limited to email addresses or phone and fax numbers, to other organizations.
Your name, address, phone number (if provided), and email address (if you did not opt out during the registration process), are stored in the QR code on your conference badge. If you allow an exhibitor to scan your badge, you will be releasing your information to that exhibitor. You should consider your name badge QR code as an electronic business card that enables you to easily provide your information to an exhibitor if you choose to do so.
Upon request, the Academy may provide the names and postal mailing addresses of registrants to other not-for-profit organizations whose missions are consistent with the mission of the Academy for a one-time only use. Each mailing is subject to Academy approval.
Confirmed exhibitors with a completed contract will have the opportunity to rent a registrants mailing list containing registrants’ names and addresses. Exhibiting companies affiliated with the meeting who are holding an Industry Expert Session, or an Industry Non-CME (INC) Program, will be provided one mailing list containing the names and addresses of meeting registrants. These companies must sign and agree that the provided listing is for a one-time only use. Each mailing is subject to Academy approval.
The Academy reserves the right to utilize registrants’ data (name, address, and email) for e-mail/marketing communications regarding all Academy-affiliated programs.
Additionally, please review the overall AAD Privacy Policy.
Suitcasing & Outboarding
AAD Suitcasing and Outboarding Policy
“Suitcasing” and “Outboarding” are unethical, parasitic business practices in which non-exhibitor and non-sponsor meeting registrants attempt to gain access to conference attendees either by soliciting business in the convention center or by hosting unauthorized off-site events during AAD Meetings.
AAD exhibitors and sponsors are valued partners in the success of our meetings & conventions. In an effort to protect our partners and their investments in attending the AAD Meetings, AAD Policy strictly prohibits suitcasing and outboarding at AAD Meetings.
What is Suitcasing and Outboarding?
“Suitcasing” refers to those non-exhibitor meeting registrants who attend conferences as a registrant, but solicit business in the exhibit hall, session rooms, the lobby area, and other conference spaces. Examples of this include, but not limited to, the distribution of samples, flyers, and other materials to attendees, as well as conducting surveys of any kind.
“Outboarding” refers to non-participating companies or non-exhibitor meeting registrants that organize unauthorized meetings and events or set up exhibits/demonstration rooms, during AAD, at offsite locations such as hotel hospitality suites or restaurants and invite AAD attendees.
Examples may include but are not limited to:
A non-exhibitor invites attendees to leave the AAD Meeting to visit a demonstration/hospitality room or unsponsored party at the host hotel or nearby venue.
A non-exhibitor sends out alerts to potential customers explaining that while their company will not be exhibiting/sponsoring this year, their representatives will be attending the meeting and will be arranging meetings either within the convention center or at an off-site venue or offers show discounts or special pricing.
A non-exhibitor creates a webpage with the conference logo and solicits meetings with attendees.
A non-exhibitor piggybacks on the activities of a third party such as a vendor or partner who is exhibiting.
Reporting/Enforcement
Please report any suspected suitcasing/outboarding activity to AAD Management. AAD will investigate all occurrences. Individuals/Companies that violate this policy may be subject to revocation of registration credentials and suspension of future exhibit or registration privileges.
By completing your registration, you agree to the meeting policies and deadline dates provided on the AAD website and the online registration system.
Fraud warning
Several companies unaffiliated with the AAD or Maritz Global Events (MGE), have been posing as the official registration and housing provider for the 2025 Annual Meeting. These companies may contact you directly to offer registration and/or housing for the Annual Meeting through websites designed to deceive visitors by posing as an AAD website.
Do not give your credit card information or make any reservations with any website other than our legitimate registration and housing partner, Maritz Global Events. In partnership with MGE, group room packages will be managed by FHT Global.