Hello Patrick,
My experience as a previous ICANN meeting host is that the vast majority of attendees have their trip paid for by their company, university, etc. They typically ask for the hotel "where the Board is staying", no matter the price. This has been my (less experienced) observation as well. Commercial interests such as registries and IP lawyers, along with governments, will spend whatever is necessary to be as close to the power as possible.
I think it is unrealistic to expect an individual to cash out 3 or 4000 dollars for a full week of meetings, if his only interest in the ICANN process is a to worry about his 12 dollars a year domain name. This is exactly why ALAC is needed.
I agree. (In the case of Delhi, it looks like the cost will be more like $6000). I am hoping that, if less expensive venues are chosen, the cost goes closer to $2K and thus becomes within the means of at least some regional ALSs. Reducing the cost also makes third-party sponsorship easier; the same fellowship funds can support more people if the venue is cheaper. And I am also thinking of the summit, and the need to do this in a financially responsible way. My attention has been drawn to a document that was done some time ago that echoes my sentiments (along with other recommendations): http://icannwiki.org/How_to_Improve_ICANN_Meetings Perhaps ALAC ought to consider being more assertive about making ICANN activites more accessible -- not just financially, but in all the ways described in this document. I'm told that Wendy was one of the architects of that document -- useful to know should ALAC want to take the issue of accessibility to the Board. - Evan