Tourism industry – how to strengthen the competitiveness of the sector

The tourism industry was one of the few sectors most affected by the pandemic restrictions. Smart and well-thought-out strategies, infrastructure development, innovative solutions and proper promotional activities can help strengthen the competitiveness of the tourism sector, and thus rebuild the tourism industry in Poland.

The tourism industry stands as a cornerstone of the Polish economy, yet it remains one of the sectors hardest hit by the pandemic. This is why all the various measures aimed at revitalising the tourism industry and enhancing its competitiveness are so crucial. Tourism is very susceptible to external influences, such as economic fluctuations, political events and conflicts around the world. The pandemic has compelled the industry to be more flexible and adapt to prevailing conditions. Both the European Travel Commission and the World Tourism Organisation have indicated that tourism is unlikely to return to pre-pandemic levels until 2024 at the earliest.

Unfortunately, the war beyond our eastern border is doing nothing to help the recovery process for the industry, and in the initial phase of the conflict, travel to Poland was severely hampered. Nevertheless, an optimistic outlook is warranted, buoyed by the latest data from Statistics Poland for the first quarter of this year. These figures show that 7 million tourists used tourist accommodation facilities. This is 18.1 per cent more than in the same period last year. This increase is mirrored in the number of nights booked, which rose by 12 per cent, to total 17.4 million nights.

However, what generates the most revenue for the tourism industry is inbound tourism, so the revival of this domain remains a central objective for the Polish Tourist Organisation this year. Campaigns related to historical monuments and UNESCO sites, the promotion of Eastern Poland’s regions and culinary tourism with the Michelin Guide are all going down well with tourists. This is evident in the most recent data, which show a remarkable 45 per cent increase in the number of foreign tourists visiting Poland annually since 2002. We are also delighted by all the awards and distinctions in prestigious lists of the best travel destinations and tourist attractions, such as Warsaw’s victory in the European Best Destination 2023. Such facts amplify the global interest in Poland.