The Polish Tourism Organisation (POT) is supporting the World Athletics Relays Silesia21 event. This collaboration will enable Poland’s virtues as a tourist destination to be presented to the competing athletes as well as spectators from all over the world. The POT’s international offices are also engaged in the project.

The Polish Tourism Organisation has signed a cooperation agreement with the organisers of World Athletics Relays Silesia21. As a partner, the POT will be able to promote Poland’s virtues as a tourist destination among the event’s athletes and fans, who will be watching the contests on TV due to current pandemic restrictions. Materials produced by the POT will be featured on advertising boards and towers as well as in printed materials, and videos promoting Polish tourism will be shown on large screens in the arena.

“I’m very happy that the Polish Tourism Organisation has become a partner of World Athletics Relays Silesia21”, POT President Rafał Szlachta comments. “Sports events are an excellent opportunity for the host country to showcase its good points. I hope that what the fans see during this event will encourage them to visit Poland in future, once travelling is allowed. Poland is a country with a lot to offer tourists, especially those who enjoy active travel, including enthusiasts of cycling, hiking and aquatic sports”, he adds.

The event itself and the campaign will also be promoted in the countries of origin of the athletes taking part, through the social media channels of the POT’s international offices. The Polish Tourism Organisation together with the organisers of World Athletics Relays Silesia21 are making sure that such a major sporting event with strong media and promotional potential is used to the best advantage in marketing Poland’s tourism resources.

From the start of the year, the Polish Tourism Organisation has been involved in projects promoting Poland, sports, culture and business. We are happy to share our knowledge about Poland with the rest of the world, presenting the country’s potential, innovative character and tourist attractions, while also popularising universal sports values.

Sporting events, both local and international, are a magnet for fans and tourists. They play an increasing role in place branding, and all big events that get people to visit Poland have promotional potential. In its strategy, the Polish Tourism Organisation uses these tools to boost Poland’s tourism brand. World Athletics Relays Silesia21 is the latest such event, after the Euro 2012 European Football Championship, the World Games 2017 in Wrocław, the Volleyball World Championship, and successive editions of the Tour de Pologne bicycle race.

World Athletics Relays Silesia21 is a type of contest that has never been held in Poland. The organisers are Śląskie province and Stadion Śląski (Silesian Stadium). It is an event with a global reach, and part of the qualifiers for the Tokyo Olympics. The championship is taking place for the fifth time overall and the first time in Europe. The first three events were held in the Bahamas, the fourth in Japan. Due to the pandemic, World Athletics Relays Silesia21 is the first time that a World Athletics event is being held at an open stadium since October 2019, i.e. the World Athletics Championships in Qatar. It is also the only stadium event this season endorsed by the world federation.

There will be 650 athletes from 36 countries taking part. We wish all the athletes a great event, many achievements and all success.