The Council of the Polish Tourism Organisation met in Toruń at the first session held this year. The chief topic of the debates was a plan of promoting Poland and Polish tourism, which the Organisation intends to realize in 2018. Additional information concerned selected domestic promotion campaigns.  

President of the Polish Tourism Organisation (Polska Organizacja Turystyczna – POT) Robert Andrzejczyk presented a plan of its activity in 2018. The structure of next year’s expenditure associated with the promotion of Poland and Polish tourism envisages conferring 88% of the POT marketing budget for activity on European and non-European markets, including more than two-thirds in countries where the Organisation has its international centres. Expenses pertaining to the promotion of domestic tourism were fixed at the level of 12%, while 3% of the marketing budget will be spent on promoting the meetings industry.   

President Robert Andrzejczyk confirmed that the essence of promotion abroad will continue involving city, culture, and active tourism, with emphasis placed on water sports, biking, and health tourism.

An increase of specified-user subsidies for the promotion of national tourism in 2018 by 23% to the level of 49.5 million PLN will comprise an essential change. Additional funds will make it possible to intensify efforts pursued within the range of our continent and to expand them so as to encompass new Asian countries: South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, and India. The choice of those destinations is connected with the growing flight network of the national carrier Polish Airlines LOT.

Jacek Janowski, Director of the Department of Tourist Products and Regional Cooperation of the Polish Tourism Organisation, informed members of the Council about progress made in the implementation of the “Poland See More – Weekend at Half Price” project. The campaign was favourably received by involved tourism entrepreneurs and became popular among Polish tourists. More than 110,000 people benefited from an autumn weekend of lower prices for tourism-related services (6-8 October 2017). The spring edition of “Poland See More – Weekend at Half Price” will take place on 9-11 March.  

Janowski also summed up 15 editions of the Best Tourist Product competition held by POT. In doing so he accentuated the increase of this year’s funds from the POT marketing budget intended for the promotion of tourist products granted the Polish Tourism Organisation Certificate.

While staying in Toruń, members of the POT Council toured the Living Museum of Gingerbread, which ever since the Golden Certificate presentation gala achieved the status of a tourist symbol and landmark of the historical town. The next planned session of the Council of the Polish Tourism Organisation will be held in Poznań on 8-9 February.