The Polish Tourism Organisation is teaming up with the IMPACT'24 Congress for the first time. IMPACT'24 is the most prestigious economic and technological event in Central and Eastern Europe, set to draw approximately 6,000 participants from around the world to Poznan this year.

The goal of IMPACT'24 in Poznan is to facilitate the exchange of ideas, perspectives, and experiences among entrepreneurs, representatives from the world of academia, and public administration, as well as to acquaint them with innovative concepts and trends in the economy. The Congress will feature sessions, panel discussions, and roundtable meetings. For the first time, the Tourism track will be included alongside the Sports Marketing track, with the Polish Tourism Organisation providing expertise. This natural merger will expand the scope of the Tourism track, highlighting its significance as a crucial economic sector in our country.

One of the highlighted sessions is titled "Poland (Tourism) - More Than You expected".

The Polish Tourism Organisation plays a vital role in rebuilding Polish tourism (post-pandemic and amidst geopolitical events), initiating and actively participating in the implementation of major projects crucial for tourism and the economy.

The session "Poland (Tourism) - More Than You Think" will take place as part of the Tourism and Sport Marketing track on May 16th from 15:50 to 16:10.

The session's title echoes the theme of the Polish Tourism Organisation's campaign "Poland. More than you expected", aimed at promoting Poland's tourist offerings by surprising audiences with its diversity and richness of attractions, which might not immediately be associated with Poland.

Tourism is crucial due to its potential for economic growth and employment, as well as its social and environmental aspects. In our 25-minute panel (in English), we aim to highlight the impact of tourism on Poland's social and economic development, its complexity, and its multidimensionality. We will discuss the role of opinion leaders and ambassadors in promoting Poland, including the intellectual potential in attracting meetings and events. We'll emphasize the role of the Polish Tourism Organisation and its collaboration with the industry to position Poland in foreign markets (international cooperation, rankings, awards, and certifications, including ICCA, UIA, GDS Index, and Michelin).

It's worth noting that the Polish Tourism Organisation is an active member of two major international organizations conducting statistical research on organized and planned meetings - ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) since 2002 and UIA (Union of International Associations) since 2011. The ICCA and UIA reports serve as benchmarking tools for the congress and conference potential of business destinations, allowing the identification of competitive advantages and gaps when bidding to host specific events. Every year, the Poland Convention Bureau, along with its partners, reports events held in our country to ICCA and UIA following the associations' criteria. Thanks to our joint efforts, Poland is consistently ranked in the top 20 in both global rankings.

We will also discuss the attractiveness of our destination in terms of hotel occupancy and the development of the hotel base in Poland. We will not overlook the topic of sustainable development, taking into account its social, economic, and environmental dimensions. With such an approach, tourists can enjoy the tourist attractions in a way that avoids degradation, preserving them for future generations.

Moderated discussion: Polska (turystyka) - więcej niż myślisz. / Poland (tourism). More Than you expected. The panellists include:

• Piotr Borys - Secretary of State, Ministry of Sports and Tourism
• Rafal Szmytke – President of the Polish Tourism Organisation
  
• Paula Fanderowska – President of the Conference and Congress Association in Poland (SKKP), Kraków5020
  
• Pawel Lewtak - General Manager of the Polonia Palace Hotel in Warsaw and Vice President of EHMA – European Hotel Managers Association
  

The panel will be moderated by Sergiusz Ryczel - a sports journalist, presenter, commentator, master of ceremonies, narrator, and translator (Dobrze Gada). The panel's director is Aneta Ksiażek – head of the Poland Convention Bureau.

The Importance of Tourism for Poland's Economy

Next year, the Polish Tourism Organisation will celebrate its 25th anniversary. On May 1st, we celebrated the twentieth anniversary of Poland's accession to the European Union. Thanks to EU funds, many tourist locations and facilities have been renovated, and some have been built from scratch.

Twenty-five years mark a period of immense transformation and professionalization of our sector. Tourism in the national economy is becoming increasingly important. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 2019, was a record-breaking year in terms of many metrics and indicators of the tourism sector's development.

The estimated contribution of the tourism economy to GDP in 2019 was 6.2%. It's highly probable that in 2024, we'll be discussing the tourism economy's contribution to GDP at 5.2%, with a target of achieving 6% in Poland within the next few years.

It is estimated that the number of foreign tourist arrivals in Poland in 2023 was 19 million, which is 19% more than in 2022. Meanwhile, the number of domestic trips in 2022 was 52.2 million.

The Importance of the Meetings Industry

The meetings and events industry also plays a crucial role in the Polish economy, as confirmed by the latest results of the "Poland Events Impact 2023 – Economic Impact of the Meetings Industry on the Polish Economy" report.

The gross value added generated by the meetings industry exceeded 22.9 billion Polish złoty, making a significant contribution to the country's economic development.

The estimated contribution of the meetings industry to GDP is about 1%, and the total contribution of meetings and events to Poland's economy in 2023 exceeded 54.6 billion Polish złoty, highlighting the industry's impact on the country's overall development. The meetings industry contributed to creating 215,000 jobs, which is a significant part of the overall number of jobs in Poland's economy.

The number of participants in meetings and events exceeded 18 million, indicating considerable interest in such events among both Polish residents and foreign guests. The average duration of events was 1.7 days, indicating the dynamic and diverse nature of the events. These results place the meetings industry in the spotlight, emphasizing its significant role in revitalizing the economy and building Poland's strong position internationally.

Poland has recently become a preferred destination for many prestigious industry events. The involvement of Poznan in IMPACT'24 attests to the value of meetings and events. Hosting such an important congress not only enhances the city's international standing but also contributes to developing a diverse, strong, and modern economy in the capital of Greater Poland. A well-organized event not only delivers significant value and networking opportunities but also leaves a "positive impact" - a lasting beneficial footprint in the environment where it takes place.