Davos has turned into an Art Basel party scene — and longtime attendees aren’t thrilled: ‘I liked it when there was less visibility’

NY Post ^ | 1/22/26 | Lydia Moynihan

[Libloather]

Longtime attendees are complaining that this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos felt more like Art Basel in Miami and less like an elite conference, with thousands descending on the tiny Swiss mountain town to chase parties rather than conduct diplomacy or business.

The annual event wraps up Friday. While keynotes and fireside chats still made headlines— and still drew big names such as Donald Trump and Elon Musk — attendees complain that it’s been overrun and devolved into a social scene that falls somewhere between St. Barth’s at New Year’s and Snow Polo in St. Moritz.

“There is so much security and traffic and I’m starving the whole time,” one attendee, who has gone for more than ten years, told me.

Many of the dinners and events were still quite exclusive — everyone I spoke with was either dying to get an invite or thrilled to be included in events hosted by the likes of Jamie Dimon and Jane Fraser — but the sheer number of events has changed the dynamic.

Much of the shift has been driven by Big Tech’s lavish spending.

**SNIP**

For the most part, only World Economic Forum members can attend the conference. An annual membership typically begins at $75,000 with so-called “strategic partners” paying more than $700,000 for the pleasure.

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Conspiracy; History; Local News
KEYWORDS: basel; davos; party; visibility

[Libloather]

Become familiar with the hookers. They know stuff.

[End Times Sentinel]

If someone could tell me what or who Art Basel is, it might be a jumping off point to figure out what St. Barts and Snow Polo was. Why isn’t my social calendar filled with these capers?

[Jonty30]

It’s basically a high end art show in Basel, Switzerland.
You get to see works of art before anybody else does and, presumably get first dibs on those works.

[Antihero101607]

I have my extreme doubts that their decadence and plotting were any less in days gone by. Still eating Kobe beef, still banging high class hookers, still plotting to bend the word to their will. The only difference is the James Bond villain freak show wasn’t visible to the world.

[Kid Shelleen]

To paraphrase a great American philosopher; No one will go there any more because it’s too crowded.

[BradyLS]

Floats like another lie…
…Reads like The Bee!

[Iron Munro]

[Sirius Lee]

Art Basel ?

Why, just check out this volumetric stucco panel...

[HYPOCRACY]

Lol. Their little Dr. Evil convention has been invaded by hippies, IT dorks, and snow bunnies.

[misterdarcey]

Consider that what he’s really saying is... we want less attention to what we’re doing.

[only1percent]

Art Basel at least has art. All Davos has is conventional wisdom.

[Mashood]

Cockroaches thrive with less visibility.