The pandemic had already forced organisers to postpone the event from its usual January slot to a potential early summer date.
But hoteliers in Davos, the alpine resort that has hosted the global conference for the past 50 years, have now received a letter casting doubt on whether WEF 2021 will take place there at all next year. The Südostschweiz newspaper broke the story which was confirmed to the news agency Keystone-SDA.
A WEF spokesman told swissinfo.ch that it was not “communicating on this topic for the time being, because no decision has yet been made.” He added that additional information would be made available in the coming weeks.
According to Swiss public radio broadcaster SRF, potential replacement locations for the event could include the Bürgenstock resort in central Switzerland, or Lugano in southern canton Ticino.
In June, WEF said it would slim down its annual event, which attracts thousands of politicians, business people and civil society leaders every year. The plan was to stage it in Davos from January 26-29, but with fewer participants and a virtual link to 400 cities worldwide.
But in August WEF said it could not hold the meeting in Davos in January because of Covid-19 fears. It suggested a potential postponement to early summer 2021 but added that a final decision could not be made until “we are assured that all conditions are fulfilled to guarantee the health and safety of our participants and the hosting community.”
The potential loss of the event for businesses in Davos would be significant.
WEF says its flagship event contributes tens of millions of francs each year to both Davos and the Swiss economy as a whole. Many hotels and restaurants rely on the annual influx of wealthy participants for a large slice of their income.
Popular Stories
More
Multinational companies
Azeri fossil-fuel cash cow brings controversy to Switzerland
Swiss price watchdog slams excessive prices for generic medicines
This content was published on
The cheapest generic medicines available in Switzerland are more than twice as expensive as in other countries, according to a study by the Swiss price watchdog.
Nature should not figure in net zero calculations: academic study
This content was published on
The natural removal of CO2 from the atmosphere by forests or oceans should not be included in the net-zero balance of climate protection measures, argue researchers.
This content was published on
None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.
This content was published on
Nestlé's new CEO Laurent Freixe, has presented plans for the future of the world's largest food company, after his first few weeks in office.
Swiss foreign minister calls on Moscow to end Ukraine war
This content was published on
It's high time Moscow ended its war against Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis tells the UN Security Council.
This content was published on
The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.
Study reveals food culture differences between Switzerland and neighbours
This content was published on
Three-quarters of Swiss people consider eating to be a pleasurable, social activity, a new survey reveals. Healthy eating, however, plays a much less important role, it found.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
World Economic Forum postponed due to Covid-19
This content was published on
Next year’s World Economic Forum (WEF) has been postponed from its traditional January slot as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
WEF unveils dual physical and virtual Davos summit in 2021
This content was published on
The World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos will take place in January with fewer physical participants – but with a new “virtual” connection.
Davos aims to coax elite out of isolation in January
This content was published on
The World Economic Forum has vowed to hold its annual meeting in Davos next January, despite the current difficulties for globetrotting events.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.