World leaders, business tycoons, economists, celebrities, journalists, activists, and critics aren’t the only ones hard at work at Davos for the World Economic Forum this week. The annual event is also a sort of gathering for sex workers who fly to the picturesque Swiss resort town, especially for the occasion.
Demand for escort services soars during the event, and sex work is legal in Switzerland. German publication Bild on Tuesday reported that an escort service manager in Aargau, about 100 miles away from the WEF venue, had already received 11 bookings and 25 inquiries, and expects many more to come during the week.
As the world’s most influential leaders talk about “addressing the current energy and food crises,” as well as the problem of skyrocketing inflation, delegates who avail escort services can expect to dole out €700 ($760) for an hour and €2,300 ($2,500) for the entire night, plus travel expenses and tip, according to “Liana,” a sex worker interviewed by Bild.
The sex workers also dress for the occasion according to Liana — in this case, business formal — to blend in with the forum’s 2,700 attendees. Some of them have been booked to stay with delegates at the ski resort, while others stay in nearby hotels.
Speaking of blending in, an undercover investigation by The Times in 2020 uncovered that at least 100 sex workers flocked to Davos at that year’s event. They also found that the Moscow-controlled Russian sovereign wealth fund paid lingerie “to work as hostesses at a party attended by billionaires and royalty.” There were also instances of reported abuse, including one involving a worker who claimed that her handler forced her to sleep with someone much older than she had expected.
The numbers may be much higher this year, and the parties wilder — but at least, no one’s uncovering drugs … yet, which are still illegal in Switzerland.
Critics point out the contradiction between the delegates’ extravagant ways (many of them attending on government funding) and the actual goals of the annual forum.
Over 3000 hookers have reportedly flown into Davos in the last 48 hours.
Looks like our tax dollars are “hard” at work.
— Aubrey Huff (@aubrey_huff) January 18, 2023