At the ceremonial gala opening the International Travel Show TT Warsaw President of the Polish Tourism Organisation (Polska Organizacja Turystyczna – POT) Robert Andrzejczyk presented the organisers with a special statuette. The award went to TT Warsaw in recognition of 25 years of work devoted to the development of tourism and the promotion of Poland. Minister of Sport and Tourism Witold Bańka, vice-ministers, members of Parliament, ambassadors, and numerous representatives of the tourism industry also attended the gala.

The 25^th edition of TT Warsaw was inaugurated at the Palace of Culture and Science on Thursday. Ministers, members of Parliament, ambassadors, and representatives of numerous tourism industry entities in Poland were present at the ceremony. One of the first speeches was given by Minister Witold Bańka, who accentuated that tourism remains an extremely important domain of the Polish economy, adding that the sector is capable of continual development due to such meetings as tourism fairs and shows.   

“I would like to congratulate on 25 years of a splendid past and work. TT Warsaw is a European and global brand. Fairs are an excellent tool for building business relations and promoting the country”, declared Minister Witold Bańka. He went on to express his pleasure that events of this type enhance the potential of Polish economy. “We are facing successive challenges to promote Poland both at home and abroad even more vigorously and effectively. I am counting on the fact that the meetings industry will be solidified and the role played by events of this kind will become even larger, so that TT Warsaw will continue to develop and serve the tourism industry”, explained Minister Witold Bańka.

In the course of the ceremony President of the Polish Tourism Organisation Robert Andrzejczyk presented a special award for the event’s organiser, MT Targi, and accentuated that POT has been cooperating with TT Warsaw for years. The speaker added that this year the national tourism organisation became a partner country of the event. “As the show’s partner country we promote, i.a. POT certificates as well as winners of the EDEN competition”, declared Andrzejczyk, additionally mentioning that the POT stand offers visitors assorted attractions, including the possibility of using visual reality (VR) appliances, which are becoming a ”sign of the future”.  

The ceremonial inauguration of the anniversary edition of TT Warsaw became an occasion for presenting prizes and diplomas to persons and organisations cooperating with the event from the very beginning. The organisers also presented distinctions to partner countries, i.e. the Czech Republic, France, Italy, Morocco, Poland, Romania, Spain, and Turkey.   

Former presidents of the Polish Tourism Organisation and the Polish Chamber of Tourism received prizes. Orlando Travel won the “Crystal Globe”.