No self-respecting conference would be complete without good swag (the other essential ingredient being good food - which I already mentioned here and here - oh and good speakers and sessions too, of course).

DIALOG 08 is certainly no exception. With such a great line-up of sponsors and exhibitors in our Solutions Hall, there’ll be give-aways galor and plenty of opportunities to grab some great freebies. Here are a few quick tips to make sure you don’t miss out on the best of what’s on offer!

• Microsoft will be adding a free copy of Microsoft Office 2007 to all of our DIALOG attendee bags and will be raffling off an Xbox (make sure you sign up at registration with your contact details to be included in the free draw).
• Drink tickets: There’ll be free drinks tickets provided with your conference badge and at dinner. However, ILOG employees (I’m assuming that includes me :-)) will have extras to give out at the cocktail reception and dinner. So you should definitely find yourself an ILOG friend!
• All conference attendees get a 10% discount at the spa. Enjoy a spa treatment in any one of the 14 private treatment rooms or relax in the steam room, Jacuzzi, meditation lounge, and lush gardens. Book your treatment through the hotel today.
• Most of our media sponsors will also be giving away free copies of their magazines and the keynotes that are authors will be signing books and giving away a few free copies. Ask for more information at registration.

Check back here for updates!

The DIALOG website has plenty of Palm Springs travel and local information, but here are some additional tips and tricks that might be of help.

If you’re flying direct into Palm Springs (PSP), expect to pay $25-$35 for a taxi cab or shuttle from the airport to the Westin Mission Hills Resort (or around $85 for a town car/limousine service). Journey time should be no more than about 20 minutes. Several alternative hotels are listed on the DIALOG travel page.

Note that, unlike some other Palm Springs hotels, the Westin Mission Hills Resort does not offer a courtesy shuttle service to/from the airport.

Recommended services include:

• Indian Wells Cab (760) 409-7437
• At Your Service Shuttle (760) 409-7437
• Town Car Service (760) 497-9784
• Other services are listed on the Palm Springs International Airport website
• If you would like a shuttle or car service, ensure you make arrangements in advance.

If you’re not flying into Palm Springs directly, it seems a good option is to fly into Ontario airport (ONT), which is approximately 75 miles from Palm Springs (about a 90 minute drive down I-10). Other choices include John Wayne (aka Orange County) airport (SNA), Burbank (BUR), and Long Beach (LGB). Avoid Los Angeles International (LAX) if at all possible because it’s further away than the others and is harder to get in and out of, due to security and traffic.

If you have any additional tips or suggestions (or questions) to share about travel to/from Palm Springs, or about getting around the city, please feel free to post a comment here.

Watch out for more conference survival tips, coming soon…