Google's Elite "Camp" Conference Returns To Sicily

The secretive conference known as The Camp, which debuted last year, is being held again at a luxurious golf resort in Sicily.

The most exclusive conference in tech is back for a second year.

Google is returning to Sicily this summer to host The Camp, a gathering of power players from technology and finance, which had its debut last year, BuzzFeed News has learned.

While Google hosts some conferences through its Ideas arm, this one stands apart. With its elite guest list and luxurious setting, the Camp is more akin to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the rarefied gathering of business and government titans held each winter in a snowy ski resort town.

It's also shrouded in secrecy. The only publicly available indication of its existence is the landing page of a password-protected website. Google's press team did not respond to a request for comment.

Still, BuzzFeed News was able to gather some information from a source who received an invitation. As it was last year, the Camp is being held at the Verdura Resort, an opulent enclave of golf courses and Mediterranean indulgences on Sicily's southwestern coast. It runs from July 26th to 30th.

Omid Kordestani, Google's chief business officer, is overseeing the event, our source said.

A Sicilian blogger, Tony Siino, tipped us off to this year's Camp.

In addition to high-powered networking and high-minded discussion, guests will be able to avail themselves of the resort's offerings. These include three golf courses, four restaurants, five bars, six clay tennis courts, and a 4,000 square-meter spa, according to the resort's website.

Booking a Grand Suite for July costs around $1,500 a night. Adding benefits and meals runs the daily tab up to about $2,000.

With invitations having been sent out only recently, BuzzFeed News couldn't nail down a guest list for this year's conference. Last year, the guests included Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein, the venture capitalist John Doerr and tech titans like Elon Musk, Travis Kalanick, and Evan Spiegel.

Asked about the event, Anna Malvezzi, a spokesperson for the Verdura resort, said in an email, "So far we are not able to disclose any news or information."

Are you planning on going to The Camp? Drop us a line.

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