Secure Your ICW Event Request
The official dates for DDW 2025 are Saturday, May 3–Tuesday, May 6. DDW Administration controls all meeting space.
In Conjunction With (ICWs) are events with up to 150 attendees and are not planned not sponsored by DDW or any of its sponsoring societies. These events are arranged by industry supporters, third-party planners, educational institutions or other non-profit organizations during DDW. Companies not meeting these criteria are not allowed to host ancillary meetings within a 10-mile radius of the San Diego Convention Center.
Application and Deadlines
The deadline for requests for space at no cost will close on Jan. 15, 2025. Any application received Jan. 16 through Feb. 27 will be subject to an application fee per meeting submission and assigned beginning March 1, based on available space at participating DDW hotels.
All requests for space must be submitted using the form below. Please read the guidelines in their entirety before submitting your ICW application.
Rules and Guidelines
- All requests for space must be submitted using the online form; one form per meeting or event.
- To be eligible to host ICW events at official DDW hotels, local restaurants, or other venues within a 10-mile radius of the convention center, you must submit this form, and the event must be approved by DDW Administration.
- Since the event would be in conjunction with DDW, across DDW’s dates, in the host city location, and solicits DDW attendees, it must follow the ICW event protocol.
- Space is not available at the convention center.
- Space is not available at each society’s Headquarter Hotel.
- All charges for the event are the responsibility of the function sponsor.
- Events that include formal presentations, equipment demonstrations, procedural instructions or continuing medical education (CME) are defined by DDW Administration as educational and therefore are considered a Satellite Symposium.
- Priority will be given to those companies exhibiting at DDW, their third-party contractors and certain non-profit groups requesting meeting space.
- DDW Administration strictly forbids outboarding:
- Outboarding is the practice of a non-exhibiting company or person who sets up an exhibit, display or other off-site event to encourage attendees to leave the exhibition show floor to view products or spend time outside the Exhibit Hall. A few examples of outboarding are hospitality suites in hotels or nearby restaurants in which products are displayed or marketing materials are distributed, or any situation where a company or person displays or discusses the sale of items by a non-exhibiting company. The only legitimate place to conduct business during the DDW event is within a contracted exhibit space on the show floor.
- If your function is over 25 people, will include DDW attendees, educational programming, scientific presentations and/or product demonstrations, it cannot be held during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (DDW scientific session hours).
- A confirmation email will be sent to the Book-It Key Contact listed on the submission unless otherwise noted by the client.
- A copy will be provided to the hotel, so they can finalize the details of the event directly with the company contact.
- Changes to requests (e.g., date, time, number of attendees, etc.) must be made directly with the hotel.
- Marketing materials and invitations must follow DDW’s logo and usage guidelines.
To maintain the integrity of the meeting for all attendees and industry supporters, the below guidelines should be adhered to or the enforcement policy will be enacted.
- Reported violations will be addressed with the exhibits manager or other personnel with managerial responsibility, and DDW will require that the affiliate function be shut down.
- Violations of any of the guidelines will result in the loss of priority points for the supporting company.
Meeting Type | Description | Educational Programming | Product Demonstrations | Time Restrictions | CME Offered |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hospitality/Social Events | Receptions, meet-and-greet functions and dinners. These events are always by invitation only and not open to all DDW attendees. | NO | NO | After 5:30 p.m. | NO |
Staff/Company Meetings | Meetings held by industry supporters and attendees and are internal EMPLOYEES only. | NO | NO | Unrestricted | NO |
Committee Meetings | Meetings held by task forces, boards of universities or non-profit organizations. Limited to the members of the committee only. | NO | NO | Unrestricted with attendance numbers 25 and under. Over 25 people before 8:30 a.m. and after 5:30 p.m. | NO |
Focus Groups | Meetings that target a specific group of attendees to obtain specific data. These events are always by invitation only and not open to all DDW attendees. | NO | NO | Unrestricted with attendance numbers 25 and under. Over 25 people before 8:30 a.m. and after 5:30 p.m. | NO |
Investigator Meetings | Meetings that give investigators, prospective investigators and industry representatives a chance to network and focus on institutional review board or regulatory agency approval protocol, and must review or conduct results of a specific study, current clinical trial or product. These events are always by invitation only and not open to all DDW attendees. | NO | NO | Unrestricted with attendance numbers 25 and under. Over 25 people before 8:30 a.m. and after 5:30 p.m. | NO |
Satellite Symposia | Events that are strictly educational that may or may not offer CME credit. | YES | YES | Before 7:45 a.m. and after 6 p.m. | YES |
Below are the hotels that have available space for ICWs and their distance from the San Diego Convention Center.
Hotel | Walking Distance from Convention Center | Driving Distance from Convention Center |
---|---|---|
Alma Downtown, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel | 1 mile | 1 mile |
Andaz San Diego | 1 mile | 1 mile |
Carte Downtown, Curio Collection by Hilton | 3 miles | 4 miles |
Courtyard by Marriott Downtown | 1 mile | 1 mile |
Courtyard Gaslamp/Convention Center | 1 mile | 1 mile |
Doubletree Downtown | 1 mile | 2 miles |
Embassy Suites San Diego Bay | 1 mile | 1 mile |
Four Points Downtown Little Italy | 1 mile | 2 mile |
Hard Rock | < 1 mile | < 1 mile |
Hampton Inn Downtown | 1 mile | 2 miles |
Hilton Garden Inn Downtown/Bayside | 3 miles | 2 miles |
Hilton Gaslamp Quarter | 1 mile | 1 mile |
Holiday Inn Bayside | 5 miles | 5 miles |
Holiday Inn Express Downtown | 1 mile | 2 miles |
Homewood Suites Downtown/Bayside | 2 miles | 2 miles |
Hotel Republic, Autograph Collection | 1 mile | 2 miles |
Margaritaville Hotel Gaslamp Quarter | < 1 mile | < 1 mile |
Moxy Downtown/Gaslamp Quarter | 1 mile | 1 mile |
Palihotel San Diego | 1 mile | 2 miles |
Pendry San Diego Hotel | < 1 mile | 1 mile |
Porto Vista Hotel | 2 miles | 2 miles |
Residence Inn Downtown/Gaslamp Quarter | < 1 mile | 1 mile |
San Diego Marriott Gaslamp Quarter | < 1 mile | < 1 mile |
Sheraton Hotel and Marina | 3 miles | 4 miles |
Springhill Suites Downtown/Bayfront | 1 mile | 2 miles |
THE US GRANT, a Luxury Collection Hotel | 1 mile | 1 mile |
Westgate Hotel | 1 mile | 1 mile |
Westin San Diego Gaslamp Quarter | 1 mile | 1 mile |
Westin San Diego | 1 mile | 1 mile |
Wyndham San Diego Bayside | 1 mile | 2 miles |
Related Opportunities
Product Theater
Product Theaters are turnkey, 45-minute marketing presentations about your company’s products or services.
Satellite Symposia
Industry supporters can host educational programs before or after DDW scientific sessions, often offering CME to participants.
Book Your Space
Exceed business goals by exposing your company to key decision makers in GI. The Exhibit Hall will be open May 4-6, 2025.