Why isn't the virtual option significantly more less expensive than in person, considering the additional meals, swag, etc. offered in person?
That's a good question.
You may not be aware, but many (if not most) of the meals for in-person attendees are actually sponsored by exhibitors. That’s why meals are held in the exhibit halls—to drive foot traffic to the booths. Because of this, the cost of meals is likely a smaller portion of the conference registration fee than you might think.
On the other hand, providing virtual access comes with additional tech-related expenses. Each room requires additional tech equipment (cameras, microphones, computers, etc.), as well as additional staffing, such as virtual moderators for every session and tech support for troubleshooting. There are also costs for virtual platforms, networking tools, and interactive features like virtual cafes to facilitate engagement.
And, of course, virtual attendees receive the same content, speaker expertise, and CEU opportunities as in-person attendees. Virtual attendees still get the conference swag bag shipped to them as well.
While virtual attendance may seem like it should cost a lot less, the investment in technology and staff support and the fact that many of the meals are sponsored by exhibitors seems to even it out quite a bit.
(In-person attendees also have additional travel, lodging, and meals costs beyond those provided by the conference. For those looking to be budget-conscious while still accessing the same education, the virtual option will still help with that.)
Disclaimer: Not an official response. I’m not an AAPC staff member, and I can't speak on behalf of conference staff. Just sharing personal observations as someone who has attended Healthcon and has also had some behind-the-scenes exposure to the effort and tech it takes to keep things running for both virtual and in-person attendees.