The Self-Funding Guide to Tableau Conference – 2024

This is an update of last years post about funding your trip to Tableau Conference. If you consider self-funding or even want to bring the cost down for your company so they are more likely to fund your trip, you might find some valuable tips in here.

#Data24 is over and from what I have heard, most people enjoyed the changes Tableau made to the conference. Up high on that list of changes was the move to San Diego. While there were a lot of unknowns for everybody who hasn’t been there before (turns out hotels during the week in Las Vegas are much cheaper than in San Diego) having the conference in San Diego next year again means we can plan ahead and save some money if we need to self-fund to attend.

Like the 3 years before, I self-funded my trip again this year and learned from a few mistakes I – and others – made. So, this is the updated version of last years’ post.

If you had asked me before 2018 – or even now for most other conferences – I would have told you that I’d only go if my company pays for it, so why do I keep self-funding a week abroad to attend a tech-conference?

It’s because I’m quite certain that I wouldn’t be where I am right now, if I didn’t go to TC in previous years. My intention with this post is not to persuade you to spend a bunch of money on a trip to San Diego next year, it is rather to explain to you the value that I believe anybody can get out of it and – if this is something you’d consider – to give you some tips on how you can minimise the impact on your wallet. I also asked some community members across countries, roles and experiences to explain why they self-funded their trips to TC.

One disclaimer I want to bring up though: This is about money and work; while all the advise and tips I give here are generic in nature, it always depends on your circumstances if you can afford an expense like that or have the appropriate conversations at work. The value you get out of the conference will also heavily depend on your personal desire to learn, “just going there” will likely not be worth the investment.

With that out of the way, let’s get into it:

Start early, (maybe) don’t pay

The cheapest way to get to TC is to get your company to pay for it. I was never lucky enough to have this pleasure but that doesn’t mean I didn’t try! In previous years I remember having that discussion around June for TC in May the year after. At the time it wasn’t even confirmed that there would be a conference.

I didn’t expect anything, I just wanted to make sure that my request will not be coming as a surprise later on. It was also a topic that I brought up very early after I got a new boss in December of the same year. Make sure you can articulate the value the company can get out of it, think about upcoming or existing projects where you need new skills, Tableau Doctor sessions to solve problems, maybe you work in a distributed team, and this is your chance to meet in person. Are clients of yours going? And can you raise your company’s profile for example by speaking? (More on that in a bit) Offer to present back to the wider team what you have learned or how new features could be used in your workplace. Have a chat to attendees from previous years to help you come up with justifications. A great resource is this post from Christopher Laubenthal, who attended his first TC this year and got a lot of value out of it – without being involved with the community at all!

Obviously, this never worked out for me.

If you get a signal that your company won’t pay, is there a middle ground? Do you need to take time off or is there the possibility to consider it work time so at least you don’t lose income? Is there a personal development budget that you could tap into? Can you combine it with an overdue work trip so they may pay for your flights? In my experience, bosses tend to be supportive for conference attendance in general and the limiting factor is the budget; so, giving them creative options to make it work makes their life easier.

If that doesn’t work and you will have to pay yourself, at least make sure that you…

Get the cheapest tickets!

Like most conferences, it is much cheaper to buy tickets early. TC tickets have always been fully refundable until a month or so before the event, so I buy tickets as soon as they are released, without knowing whether I go or not. This helps to lock in the cheapest price at (nearly) no risk. For those of you not in the US, there is a small risk of losing some money because of exchange rates; it’s usually not a lot and in the best case you could even gain some, so I’d consider that minimal.

It’s usually also worth to ask for discounts get in touch with your Tableau Account Executive. If they say “No!”, ask around. I wouldn’t take the first “No!” for an answer if I could save up to $1,500. Reach out to other Tableau contacts if you have them, get in touch with your local user group or reach out to Visionaries or Ambassadors online. This year there were a bunch of discount codes going around so you should definitely not pay the full price! Tableau is also known to throw in some free tickets for large customers, maybe that is an option for you.

The cheapest tickets to conference cost nothing, so apply to speak! If you are accepted as a speaker, you get a free ticket (or a refund if you bought one already) AND get the chance to speak. Apart from the free ticket, this brings additional benefits; you will learn A LOT by presenting at the conference (if that doesn’t count as “personal development”, what does?), it builds the profile of you and potentially your company if you represent them on a stage in front of hundreds of people, it also opens further opportunities for networking and learning from others. A lot of reasons for your company to reconsider their decision to not pay for the trip…

You also don’t commit to attending when applying as a speaker, so apply first and then use it as leverage for your company to send you. And if you don’t know what to talk about, start a scratchpad now and scribble down ideas throughout the year. That will make it much easier to come up with one or maybe multiple topics for a talk when applications open.

Flights and hotels

These are not very different to any other trip you’d book but still a few aspects to consider:

You might be tempted to save money by taking the cheapest flight or the cheapest hotel. Consider those decisions and the impact they might have. Budget airlines are often late or cancel flights and taking an international trip with a 12-hour layover somewhere is a huge waste of time. You might find cheaper AirBnB’s and hotels a bit out of town but how much are you going to spend on transport to get to the conference? Not even to mention the ability to just get back to the room to rest for a bit or have a shower before the evening activities.

My AirBnB at my first conference in New Orleans was a 30min walk from the conference centre (which I didn’t really consider before); I was very happy to discover that they had cheap rental bikes all throughout the city!

Check Google maps for walking times and consider your walking speed. This year I was at the outskirts of the CBD and it took me a 10min walk to get to the Conference.

If you do decide to go with a hotel, don’t just rely on the prices Tableau offers as part of the package. Check the hotel websites or booking.com independently for prices, sometimes they are cheaper. Do you have airline miles or does your work offer any kind of discount on air fares or hotels? That can make a big difference.

Also, like the conference tickets, book your hotel as early as possible. I booked mine previously as early as August for an April conference. Through websites like booking.com these rooms are fully refundable until a day before your stay; again – no risk!

And consider flight AND hotel prices. It might be worth it to fly a day earlier or later if there is a big difference in airfare or room rates. And keep an eye out for airline sales. Most airlines have regular sales, so wait for one of those and book your ticket then.

Consider additional expenses

The conference is typically fully catered throughout the day, the details vary but you usually have meals, snacks and drinks throughout the day, and the “Data Night Out” on day two. Outside of this there are other events for Partners, Customers, Community members and sometimes parties organised by other vendors. It often pays off to keep an eye on Twitter for any announcements and talk to your local Tableau people to make sure you are invited to any events that you might be eligible for. There are usually receptions or dinners for people from overseas and many Tableau AEs will take their customers for dinner. So even if you are the only one from your company, get in touch with them! It’s often a great opportunity for networking.

The bottom line is that you can probably survive most of the time without spending a lot on food and drinks but that obviously depends on how social you are, how much you eat and drink and how long you want to stay out for. Set yourself a (realistic) budget and make sure you know where you are in relation to it. Go over it if you think it’s worth it but at least be aware of how much you spend.

Other ways to make it work

Be creative to make sure you can afford the trip. Maybe already start putting x$ a week aside so by the time the next conference comes around you have ~50x$ saved. Can you get your partner or family to join you before or after the conference for vacation? That doesn’t make the conference cheaper but if you consolidate it with the family vacation, you only pay for flights once.

I also have seen people online trying to find others to room share with. Personally, I prefer to have some space for myself but if you can find somebody you are comfortable to share a place with, that can shave literally hundreds of dollars of your bill.

Depending on where you live, you might be able to set yourself up as a contractor/business which allows you to claim the whole trip as a business expense and essentially get the equivalent of the taxes you paid back. Maybe the people you go out with at night could be potential clients? Then that’s a business development activity that’s also claimable! Jokes aside, this is an actual possibility but what is allowed and how strict the rules are depends heavily on the place you live. So, I’d recommend asking somebody who knows their way around the legal stuff first, to not end up with hefty fines because you claimed something you were not supposed to.

If you cannot set yourself up as a contractor, some countries might allow people to claim personal development expenses, as long as they are directly related to their everyday job (Australia is the only one I know of so far…but who knows). Again, something to investigate yourself and ideally ask a tax person to see if there is an option for you to do the same.

So how much does it actually cost?

I live in Auckland, New Zealand; you can find my breakdown for this year below. In previous years I spent up to 4,000 USD on one of the first trips and gradually brought it down to about 2,000 USD. On top of that I usually do some activities on the days before and after the conference, so I’d spend money on car rentals, tours, lunches and dinners, drinks, etc. I make sure that I don’t go overboard but I don’t keep close track of the expenses myself. I’d estimate about 500$ per trip on discretionary spending.

In addition to those savings, this year I started freelancing, which meant that I can deduct flights and hotel as a business expense. In New Zealand that means an effective saving of about 40%. The one thing to keep in mind is that I still pay the full price and just end up paying less tax throughout the year. It’s the same in the end but I still need to have the full amount available and it doesn’t feel like I have saved anything.

I though this year I actually break down my own cost because all things considered it ended up quite cheap.

ExpenseFull CostMy cost
Conference Ticket$1,650$0
Flights$1,400$1,100
Hotel (Sat-Fri)$1,920$730
Total$4,850$1,830
Discretionary (Food, Drinks, Uber,
Souvenirs, Tours, Tips)
$600
Grand Total$2,430

This is already a ~60% discount to the total cost of the conference (excluding discretionary spending). This is also considering that I stayed a day longer and did a tour of Old Town (about $170US) and that I made a costly mistake in my hotel booking that I didn’t realise until a few weeks before the event (about $150US). Which means that I could have organised the trip for about 2,000 USD, travelling from New Zealand. With the last call pricing this year at $1,750, it’s understandable for companies and individuals to consider it not affordable to attend.

So much about the cost, but where is the value?

As I said before, I don’t think I would have had roles in the past (including the pay) without attending Tableau Conference – in that regard my investment definitely paid itself off. That is not to say that I got a job offered because I went there but rather that me attending conferences helped me connect to people, be inspired and get more involved with the community. This – in turn – raised my skill, experience and profile, which helped getting into the position I am in right now.

There is – obviously – no guarantee and the value you get out of the conference heavily depends on how you approach it. If you consider going, I would strongly recommend getting in touch with the community! Join the local user group, participate in community projects, be active on social media and just get in touch with people (including me and the people below if you want!). Your conference experience will be vastly different if you manage to get connected to the community. That includes everything from sightseeing activities, over lunches, dinners and drinks with very social groups to getting on the spot recommendations what to do, where to go and potential invitations to events you didn’t know about. Not even to mention the network of people you build who are happy to help you in the future!

If this is not your cup of tea, that’s fine as well. Make a list for yourself of the things you want to achieve and learn during the conference and chose session based on that. At the same time, don’t be too strict with yourself and feel free to diverge from that plan if you see something more interesting.

Also, talk to people! It’s more likely than not that you’ll find an interesting person that you can have a genuine discussion about the tool, your work or your problems.

Other voices

I tried to get a diverse group of people to talk about their experience self-funding their TC trip as well. To cover different countries, experiences and tenure in the community. Below are their responses. Feel free to get in touch with any of us if you have specific questions or want to have a chat or advise on attending TC24!


Cathy Bledsoe

Why did you decide to self fund your trip to TC24?

The connections I’ve made in the Tableau Community are worth so much more than the money I’ve spent. I leave inspired to think about my work differently, and with connections that will help me throughout the year. This is the one time of the year that I get to see Community members and friends from around the world in person. I’ve never regretted going.

What benefits can you directly or indirectly attribute to going to TC?

When I get stuck on a problem, I have a group of people who have never failed to help me fix it. And I wouldn’t know any of them if not for the conference.

Cathy on LinkedIn

Lives in Kansas City, MO, USA

Self funded 4 of 7 TC trips

Spend about 2800$ on the trip

Do you have additional tips to self fund?

If you can get a 2-bed, 2-bath Air BnB and share it with someone, that’s usually much cheaper than a hotel room. Also, while the meals provided aren’t anything special, they ARE free, so don’t sleep through breakfast!

If somebody asked you if they should self fund a trip, what would you tell them?

If you have the means to self-fund, it’s definitely worth it. I don’t think I’d say that about any other conference I’ve been to. The more you push yourself to meet new people and make connections, the more you’ll get out of it.


Elisa Davis

Elisa on LinkedIn

Lives in Nevada, USA

Self funded 2 of 4 TC trips

Spend about 2800$ on the trip

Why did you decide to self fund your trip to TC24?

I knew that it wasn’t “my year” to be sent by the company (budget permits half the team to attend, we alternate years), but it’s ok to use work time and self-fund. I thought it was fairly likely that I would have the chance to present so I didn’t want to miss the conference. It was also important to me to cheer my friend Jessica at Iron Viz.

What benefits can you directly or indirectly attribute to going to TC?

My first full time job doing dataviz is directly attributable to a conversation I had at my first self-funded TC. So was joining the leadership team of Back to Viz Basics. Being able to accept the Community Leadership Vizzie in person was a life changing moment for me in terms of confidence and self-esteem. Making friends around the world with some of the most talented people in this field has been an extra bonus!

Do you have additional tips to self fund?

Decide early and commit for the best deals. Book an airbnb or hotel as soon as the dates are announced, use the earliest early bird registration code or best discount you can find. Find an affinity group (women in dataviz, moms who viz, a local TUG) if you are open to sharing a room/space and ask around for other self-funders to split the cost with. Monitor flights from your location to the conference and book the cheapest good flight you see.

If somebody asked you if they should self fund a trip, what would you tell them?

It depends on your goals. If your primary goal is the content, no. The best talks are also on salesforce plus or re-run at TUGs before and after conference. But, if you’re going for the relationships and networking, absolutely. And if you’re going for inspiration, motivation, to make friends and connect with a community of nerdy creative professionals, it’s absolutely worth it. If you do decide to self fund, make the most of it by getting to know people ahead of time through completing community challenges and engaging with other people’s public work so you’re meeting face-to-face for the first time, but not necessarily just starting to make connections.


Jen Shepherd

Why did you decide to self fund your trip to TC24?

I’m a contractor; there is no other option if I want to attend.

What benefits can you directly or indirectly attribute to going to TC?

Direct: increases my knowledge of Tableau’s products and upcoming features, which helps me do my job better. Restores my energy about Tableau and my work as a data dashboard developer, providing extra motivation when I return home. Indirect: helps me get my name out as a Tableau developer for the future when I may be looking for new contracts or a new job.

Jen on Bluesky

Lives in Madison, WI, USA

Self funded 3 of 4 TC trips

Spend about 3000$ on the trip

Do you have additional tips to self fund?

Even with the official conference discounted room rates, it is expensive to stay close to the conference. But the extra amount to stay closer should be weighed against a) missing out on conference and after-hours activities, b) potential additional transportation costs, or c) the physical exertion after a long day of walking to a more remote lodging location. The people who stay closest to the actual conference seem to get the most out of it. If you have a personal business, you can deduct some of the conference costs as professional development expenses on your annual taxes in the United States. There’s usually a lot of food and beverage offered at conference activities, so you will likely be able to keep your out-of-pocket meals budget small if you take advantage of all the conference food and buy/bring a box of protein bars or similar.

If somebody asked you if they should self fund a trip, what would you tell them?

I probably wouldn’t self-fund as a new Tableau user, or if I was unable or unwilling to actively network and meet people in the community. I think self-funding is only worthwhile to those who are further along in their data viz career and put a lot into conference (meeting people, attending sessions, etc.) to get the most out of it. I’m very glad my first in-person conference was funded by an employer, so I was able to experience it and know what to expect before having to choose whether or not to self-fund.


Will Perkins

Will on X

Lives in Dallas, TX, USA

Self funded 1 of 4 TC trips

Spend about 2300$ on the trip

Why did you decide to self fund your trip to TC24?

My organization, not company, decided that TC wasn’t a part of the strategic needs for travel funding. I miss my friends and chosen family, so I wanted to get a chance to see everyone from all over the world in one spot.

What benefits can you directly or indirectly attribute to going to TC?

Building a stronger network of friends and colleagues around the world. Learning from others firsthand and sharing conversations that go beyond the virtual and social media level.

Do you have additional tips to self fund?

The actual out of pocket expense for Tableau Conference is not cheap. Make sure that you put aside about $4k USD at least for airplane, hotel, conference ticket, and food/beverages above and beyond what the conference provides. Saving in small buckets is really important. If you are single person, obviously your budget is your own. If you have a significant other, or someone who you share finances with, make sure you have that conversation of cost and expectations.

If somebody asked you if they should self fund a trip, what would you tell them?

This was the first year I broke my own rule of “don’t self fund if your company can afford it”. My company could absolutely afford it, but my immediate organization refused to citing relevance to broader initiatives. I had 2 priorities as to why I wanted to go this year and I achieved them. 1: see my friends from all over the world in one central location and 2: get face time with specific people and have a couple strategic conversations in person that I couldn’t have had otherwise. While I have a very US centric view with fewer barriers to go through (cheaper travel, no passport/visa needs, etc), the biggest tip is to make sure that the value you expect to get out of the event is more than the physical fiat capital you’re spending. Viewing it as an investment is the best way to view it. Are you looking for a new job? Prospecting for clients? Trying to increase your skills? Want to make more friends? Etc. Everyone is in one massive place.


Abdelaziz Mahjoub

Why did you decide to self fund your trip to TC24?

My company didn’t sponsor my trip to TC

Do you have additional tips to self fund?

Start saving and booking early as possible

If somebody asked you if they should self fund a trip, what would you tell them?

I learned a lot from your blog post of the previous year Alex, if there’s one additional tip it would be to reach out to your network, and you can ask to book your hotel room together instead of everyone booking individual hotel rooms.

Abdelaziz on LinkedIn

Lives in Cairo, Egypt

Self funded 1 of 1 TC trip


In Summary

Going to any conference is a pricy endeavor! If you ask anybody in the community, they will tell you that it’s worth it, but only if you actually put some effort in it to make the best of it. If you are smart about it (and are sometimes a bit lucky) you can bring the cost down significantly, however you will need to decide whether you think it will be worth it to you and your career to spend a few thousand dollars on the trip.

If you do have to save money next year, definitely get in touch, with your local user group, your Tableau contacts, myself or anybody else in the community. We might know about additional discounts or other ways to make it a bit cheaper. Also do it as early as possible! With those refund policies, there really is no risk to book things and in the absolute worst case just not go in the end.

With that, I hope you found a few useful tips to make the trip to San Diego happening next year. Thanks to the contributors above for answering some questions and adding some tips that I hadn’t thought of myself. If you have any questions or additional tips on how to self fund a trip to Tableau Conference, get in touch with me or anybody else in this article or put them in the comments below.


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