World Economic Forum Davos 2027: Access, Accommodation and Parallel Evenings

Five days in January. An Alpine resort of eleven thousand inhabitants suddenly welcoming over three thousand delegates, two thousand five hundred journalists, sixty heads of state or government, hundreds of CEOs of the world’s largest companies. The World Economic Forum is expected to hold its annual meeting in Davos in January 2027; the exact dates remain subject to confirmation by the organiser — Europe’s fourth highest resort, transformed for one week into the capital of global political economy. For those participating, the WEF is a moment of unique intensity. For those wishing to be present without the official invitation, it is a logistical and strategic challenge requiring meticulous preparation. For our clients who split their year between Saint-Barthélemy and the Mediterranean, and who wish to integrate a business dimension to their calendar, the WEF Davos is one of the three or four world rendezvous to know — alongside Sun Valley in July or Bilderberg.

The World Economic Forum 2027: the week that gathers the world

The World Economic Forum, founded in 1971 by Klaus Schwab, has held its annual meeting in Davos since 1974. Twenty-five years later, it has become the most mediatised rendezvous of the political and economic planet. The 2027 Forum, taking place from Tuesday 19 to Friday 23 January, should gather as each year approximately three thousand official delegates (CEOs of major companies, leaders of international institutions, ministers, heads of state), two thousand five hundred accredited journalists, and as many guests at side events.

The official programme deploys at the Davos Congress Centre, with two hundred main sessions over five days. Climate, geopolitics, artificial intelligence, financial markets, energy transitions: themes sweep all questions interesting global decision-makers. But what makes the WEF is not the Congress Centre sessions — it is the conversations taking place elsewhere. Private lunches organised in chalets rented for the week, evenings of large companies (Salesforce, McKinsey, BCG, Accenture, Bain all organise their emblematic parties), encounters in hotel bars, improvised elevators turned discussion places.

For our clients interested in the WEF, two profiles exist. Official delegates, invited by the WEF itself or by their company, who participate in sessions and Forum parties. And parallel visitors — investors, family offices, executives wishing to benefit from the unique concentration to meet interlocutors otherwise found across ten different capitals. This second category represents in reality as many people as the first — and requires equally elaborate logistics.

Davos during the WEF: the transformed town

Davos in winter, outside WEF, is a calm ski resort: slopes, forests, frozen lake, family hotels. During Forum week, the town metamorphoses. Main roads are closed and controlled by Swiss army, Samedan airport in the Engadin receives two to three hundred private jet arrivals per day, Davos heliport welcomes over fifteen thousand rotations during the week. Promenade boutique windows are transformed into company pop-ups (Nasdaq Center, Bain Lounge, Open AI House, Saudi House, India Lounge).

This transformation is total. Hotels usually frequented by skiers become bases for entire delegations — Belvédère for BCG, Davos Schweizerhof for Asian delegations, Steigenberger Belvédère for the WEF itself, Hotel Seehof for official Switzerland, Inter-Continental Davos for technology delegations. Centre restaurants no longer serve except by long reservation. Bars become informal salons where the year’s negotiations sketch out.

For those wishing to live Davos during WEF without officially participating in the Forum, understanding this geography is essential. The Promenade — Davos main two-kilometre street — concentrates eighty percent of parallel activities. The approaches to the Congress Centre are very controlled and accessible only with official badge. The chalets and hotels of the Promenade transform into meeting venues entered by invitation, recommendation, or audacity — depending on configurations.

“At Davos during the WEF, one meets in five days what one would seek all year. The Forum’s density is what makes it so singular.” — Maison Silaïa

Accessing the Forum: badges, levels, side events

Access to the official Forum is extremely controlled. Understanding badge hierarchy and parallel routes is the key to a successful week.

Official WEF badges

Five access levels structure the official Forum. The white badge is reserved for strategic partners of the Forum (one hundred large global companies financing the WEF) — unlimited access to the Congress Centre, all main sessions, gala dinners. The orange badge concerns industry partners (more modest paying companies) — limited access to certain sessions. The pink badge is for Young Global Leaders and other WEF communities — intermediate access. The blue badge is for accredited journalists. The grey badge is reserved for staff and moderators.

Forum invitation builds. For a company, becoming strategic or industry partner supposes annual contribution (about six hundred thousand to one million five hundred thousand Swiss francs for strategic partners), a deep commitment that has no sense if attending only once. Individual occasional invitations are rare and pass through WEF communities.

Side events

The essence of the WEF, paradoxically, plays out outside the Congress Centre. Major companies organise their private parties in chalets and hotels rented for the week. Salesforce Lounge, McKinsey Hotel, Bain’s Magic Mountain Resort, Bilderberg Suite: as many invitation-only parties where one finds official delegates in more relaxed mode, parallel visitors, specialised journalists. It is in these parties that strategic conversations truly form.

For our clients wishing to attend these parties without official badge, the invitation builds upstream — via existing relationships with organisers (associates at McKinsey or BCG, partners at Bain, communications teams of present companies), or via carefully prepared introductions in the weeks preceding.

Magic Mountain Resort and other mythic places

Magic Mountain Resort, operated by Bain during the WEF, has become one of the week’s mythic places. Discussion sessions, networking, intimate parties in a warmer atmosphere than the Congress Centre. Belvedere Hotel concentrates BCG sessions. Davos Schweizerhof welcomes Asian delegations. For clients integrating these ecosystems, these places become bases more precious than the Forum itself.

Accommodation in Davos: the organised scarcity

The most critical subject for anyone wishing to come to Davos during the WEF is accommodation. The resort counts about eight thousand hotel beds and a few hundred private chalets and apartments. During the WEF, the whole is reserved — often eighteen to twenty-four months ahead — by participating companies or organisations.

Emblematic hotels

The Steigenberger Belvédère, historic hotel on the Promenade, is traditionally entirely reserved by the WEF itself. Davos Schweizerhof, Inter-Continental Davos, AlpenGold Davos, Sunstar Park are the other references. All close from the previous spring for WEF weeks. Rates during this period reach four to ten times those of classic high season — a standard room at one to one thousand five hundred Swiss francs per night, a suite at three thousand to six thousand francs.

Private chalets and apartments

Davos and surroundings (Klosters at ten kilometres) private chalets constitute the alternative for delegations wishing to host. Six to twelve bedrooms, modular salons for sessions and dinners, private chef, complete house team. Rates for the WEF week reach one hundred to three hundred thousand Swiss francs — ten to twenty times classic rental. The best chalets book from the previous summer.

The Klosters and Engadin alternative

For those not finding accommodation in Davos itself, fallback solutions exist. Klosters, ten kilometres and fifteen minutes (without traffic), offers hotels and chalets not saturated by the WEF. Helicopter or car rotations to Davos are organised by certain hotels. Saint-Moritz, an hour and a half by road or twenty minutes by helicopter, offers an even more comfortable alternative but with heavier transfer logistics. For our clients, we systematically propose two or three options per desired configurations.

Logistics: helicopter, chauffeur, private jets

A week in Davos during the WEF is lived in motion. Logistics is one of the most complex dimensions — and where organisation quality makes the most difference.

Arrival in Davos: the options

Three main options. First, private jet to Samedan (Engadin) or Zurich, then helicopter to Davos heliport (twenty minutes from Samedan, fifty minutes from Zurich). The most efficient formula, used by most heads of state and CEOs. Second, private jet to Zurich then chauffeur to Davos (two and a half hours by road outside traffic, three to four hours during WEF week). Third, train arrival from Zurich (Glacier Express line with stop in Davos), formula many British or European delegates favour for comfort and tradition.

Movements during the week

Movements within Davos during the WEF are a challenge. Main roads closed, dense traffic, controlled Congress Centre accesses. Dedicated chauffeur car remains the main solution, but supposes drop-offs at distance from final venues then a few minutes’ walk. For longer movements (between Davos and Klosters, or to Saint-Moritz), helicopter becomes pertinent. Ski-shuttle between the two stations sometimes becomes the fastest solution.

Connected services

Hairdressing, make-up, fitness, massages: during WEF week, these services are saturated. For our clients wishing to maintain their routine, we coordinate at-home providers — hairdressers and make-up artists from Engadin or Zurich, osteopath, sports coach. This wellness dimension is essential to sustain a five-day intense week. Our composition of bespoke experiences integrates these services for high-density weeks.

“A well-prepared Davos week holds in four elements: accommodation decided a year ahead, helicopter logistics, an invitation agenda built upstream, and a local team adjusting everything in real time.” — Maison Silaïa

Preparing your visit: the Maison Silaïa method

A Davos visit during the WEF prepares nine to twelve months ahead. Our method organises in five steps.

Strategic brief in April-May

For January 2027 WEF, the ideal discussion begins April-May 2026. What is the visit objective (official WEF presence, parallel visitor, accompanying a delegation, observation for possible future adhesion)? How many people in the group? Which priority introductions (by sector, geography, specific issue)? The brief determines the strategy.

Securing accommodation and logistics in June-August

Address book activation to identify hotel and chalet availability. Reservation of fallback solutions if Davos itself is not accessible. Transfer organisation (private jet, helicopter, chauffeur). Registration with service providers (hairdressing, fitness, private dining) before saturation.

Building the invitation calendar in September-November

Mapping pertinent side events per brief, identifying contacts for each necessary introduction, preparing correspondence with organisers of targeted events (Salesforce Lounge, Magic Mountain Resort, major company parties). Soliciting invitations per each organisation’s protocols.

Coordination in December-January

Six weeks before WEF, last complete briefing. Confirmation of all invitations, transfer validation, last adjustment of daily agenda (session hours, lunches, dinners). Briefing of chauffeur and local coordinator who will be present in Davos.

Presence and real-time adjustments

During the five WEF days, a coordinator present in Davos remains reachable. Programme adjustment in real time per emerging opportunities (added party, appointment taken the day before for the next, improvised Davos exit for lunch in Klosters), contingency management, permanent logistical support.

Frequently asked questions