When: October 9-12, 2006

Where: VIP Executive Arts Hotel, Lisbon, Portugal
The VIP Executive Arts Hotel is located on the former site of Expo 98, in the newly urbanized area around the Parque das Naes.

Cost: Past attendees get an advanced discount rate of $600 if they register by August 31, 2006; after that, rates will increase. The hotel is ~$95.00 per night (a deal compared to past Summits).

Website: http://www.vrsummit.com/

click here to view site

The 5th annual VR Summit will be held in Lisbon this year, a strategic choice given the picturesque setting, and one that European VR enthusiasts have been encouraging for several years as previous Summits were all held stateside.

Biela says that surveys indicated participants wanted the next Summit in Europe so he researched numerous cities looking for the ideal balance of atmosphere, setting, reasonable cost and ease of travel. He found that Lisbon best met these criteria.

“The Summit will offer the same quality education, networking and field trip participants have come to expect, and more, in the cultural and historic setting of Lisbon,” Biela wrote in his announcement. “Of note is our keynote speaker Helmut Dersch. We will have some new presenters this year and some requested from last year.”

The VR Summit coincides nicely with Photokina, which runs in Cologne, Germany from September 26 to October 1, 2006, leaving a week for some European sightseeing. If you plan on attending both events, email Dennis Biela as he’s setting up a group that will travel by train between the two cities with stops along the way for sightseeing and photography, with manufacturers providing tripods so you can shoot.

Related Articles:
- Laid Back Lisbon
Email Dennis Biela: dbiela[at]mac.com