Here’s my opinion on all of this.
1. Amsterdam is very expensive so you will need to take this into consideration. It’s pretty much $5 for a small glass of coke. The hotel is quite outrageous for what you get. I had a shit internet connection the whole time I was there last time and I was paying a stupid amount for the internet.
2. Coming in from New Zealand or Australia is a long flight. I can see the hesitation. I honestly dont know if I would be willing to fly that far. The fursthest I would go for a conference is 10 hours or so. I’ve flown to australia and south africa from canada and i know how painful long flights are.
3. Last time Amsterdam was quite cold. This was the reason I was not planning on going back. But being in Early May this time it should not be too bad.
On a positive note:
1. You might be able to get the conference pass for free.
2. The networking is valuable.
3. You can negotiate with affiliate managers for better commissions and this should eventually pay for your trip depending on how much volume you can bring in.
4. It’s fun to meet up with people you’ve been chatting with over the internet.