So the future of GITA is not about conferences but education. From a letter posted on Directions Magazine:

GITA is transitioning to a new business model that will be less dependent on conferences and physical events, and one that will offer individuals and organizations new and different ways to participate and gain benefit from participation in the wider geospatial community.

We’ll have to see if this new mission gets companies and people to move and let the GITA train continue.