We all love the season of holidays and vacations, with many of us recently adopting travelling as a hobby. All the more reason to combine forces in these challenging times and join the “Postpone your travel, don’t cancel. Let’s support the tourism industry!” initiative. Our support is needed by the same people who each year help us create unforgettable memories on holidays. For more than a week now backed by Polish Tourism Organisation, the initiative received very positive feedback from the industry and tourists alike.

These are very difficult times for hotel operators, agritourism farms, carriers and guides that excel at taking good care for holiday travellers. The tourism industry is certainly among the sectors dealt a particularly devastating blow by the coronavirus pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2. Now, it is up to us to decide what its future will look like and if someone takes care of us during our next vacations. One more reason to join the #ZmienTerminNieOdwoluj (#PolandDontCancelPostpone) project intended to provide the tourism sector with tangible support.  

“If you have recently booked a trip, a stay or a table in a restaurant, please do not cancel. If you cannot travel now, contact the relevant company and ask about available rescheduling options. I guarantee that in the vast majority of cases the response will be very positive. This method guarantees that you will not lose your money and assures the tourism industry that clients will come back once the crisis is over”, said Andrzej Gut-Mostowy, Deputy Minister for Development.

The project was initiated by Piotr Sućko, CEO of the Fun Club travel agency, who admits that the concept’s reception among clients was unanimously positive: “Earlier phone and e-mail communication was marked by anxiety, a lack of understanding and anger on the side of tourists. The discussed undertaking is intended to make them aware of the situation in which the whole tourism industry found itself in and generate empathy. Thanks to the #ZmienTerminNieOdwoluj initiative we have successfully managed to convince many people to retract the cancellation they originally made”.

The campaign is also promoted abroad, with all International Offices of Polish Tourism Organisation involved in related actions. The units in question operate in most of Poland’s crucial inbound markets. The #PolandDontCancelPostpone hashtag is applied in global social media operations.

“The initiative was born of necessity. Well aware of the present-day situation, the tourism industry has adopted a flexible approach to postponing reservations due to sanitary restrictions and the cautious stance taken by guests. I guarantee that clients contacting carriers, hotels and tourist attractions can expect understanding and a willingness to reschedule”, added Robert Andrzejczyk, President of Polish Tourism Organisation.

Since its launch the project has involved numerous stakeholders, including Poland’s largest tour operator (Itaka), Chamber of Commerce of the Polish Hotel Industry, Harmony Polish Hotels, Kraków Chamber of Tourism, Events Industry Forum, Nocowanie.pl, PKS Polonus and Polish Hotel Holding.

“From our viewpoint as entrepreneurs, the ultimate goal is to avoid panic. Consequently, we wholeheartedly support the #ZmienTerminNieOdwoluj project, a one-of-a-kind concept that creates solutions for both tourists, ensuring them that they will not lose the already invested money, and the tourism industry, which will maintain financial liquidity until the crisis is over. I would like to ask all my industry colleagues to show solidarity in these difficult times and support this remarkable project!”, said Gheorghe Marian Cristescu, CEO, Polish Hotel Holding.