Swiss Mountain Town To Global Village: WEF 2025 In Numbers

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) Good weather and plenty of transport options helped lift spirits at this year's World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. From meeting rooms to sandwiches, here's what it took to host thousands in the small Swiss resort town.

Swissinfo's India specialist covers a wide range of issues from bilateral relations to Bollywood. He also knows a thing or two about Swiss watchmaking and is partial to the French-speaking part of Switzerland.

• More from this auth
• English Departme

• Русский ru Давосский Форум-2025 в цифрах Read more: Давосский Форум-2025 в цифра

According to Severin Podolak, head of event management and operations at WEF, it took 28 days to set up the infrastructure needed to welcome delegates from all around the world. Over 3,500 staff were on hand to provide food, security and assistance over the four days of the Annual Meeting that took place from January 20-24.

Podolack, who is also a member of the Executive Committee at WEF, gave SWI swissinfo an insight into what it takes to turn a small mountain town into a global village by providing the following numbers.

It was a good turnout at the annual meeting in Davos with over 2,800 registered participants from over 130 countries, the same as last year. The corporate C-suite was well represented with 1,600 business leaders rearing to network, including 900 top CEOs. Politicians of all stripes added to the programme with over 50 heads of state trying to drum up investment in their countries.

There were approximately 300 sessions in the official programme covering a variety of themes such as artificial intelligence, circular economy and geopolitical conflicts. About 200 of these were also livestreamed.

Press badges are hard to come by at WEF and this year was no exception. There are never enough to meet demand, but in 2025, 176 media companies managed to get their hands on at least one badge.

WEF had 28,043 sq metres of official venue space with most of the official sessions held at the Congress Centre, Kurpark and Ice Village venues. Some companies like HSBC, EY and Cognizant took over local shops to host their own side events.

Most attendees' goals at Davos involve networking and dealmaking WEF organisers made 117 meeting spaces and bilateral rooms available to participants. If they were full, WEF also had 23 lounges where attendees could arrange to meet up or relax between sessions.

Perhaps in an attempt to offset the scores of CEOs jetting in for the event, WEF offered attendees a 100% reimbursement on train fare within Europe (though they had to pay their own way within Switzerland). And yes, it includes travel by first class.

A temporary train station Kongresszentrum/Eisstadion was set up between Davos Dorf and Davos Platz stations on either ends of the town for those coming in by the Rhaetian Railway (RhB) train shuttle. About 22,000 passengers made use of this service.

There was also an hourly airport shuttle from Zurich airport to Davos and back. Once in Davos, there were four shuttle routes with 107 vehicles to help participants get to the conference venue from their hotels. In addition, 105 electric cars were available to transport VIPs (WEF calls them public figures).

For breakfast, participants were offered 2,300 cereal bars made in Davos. About 7,600 sandwiches (chicken, fish and vegetarian) helped quell hunger pangs at lunch. Those in need of a healthy snack could munch through 1.2 tonnes of Swiss apples while vending machines and coolers installed by Coke and Pepsi provided free fizz.

Whether a world leader or a security guard, everyone needs to pee at WEF. The 50 toilets (including two accessible ones for those with disabilities) are a great levelling ground. Your correspondent had the pleasure of answering nature's call next to Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis.

MENAFN25012025000210011054ID1109127911