COMPETITION CONCEPT

Polish Tourism Organisation (Polska Organizacja Turystyczna - POT) acknowledged the tourism-related potential of the Polish countryside by conducting the second edition of competition “There is no place like the countryside - 12 good practices of rural tourism”. The project is intended to select the most intriguing places and highlights connected with this category of tourism.  

In a letter addressed to participants Minister of Sports and Tourism Witold Bańka emphasized that “With its tradition, highly diverse nature, cuisine, peacefulness and hospitable residents, the Polish countryside today constitutes an exceptionally attractive tourist product - fully modern but simultaneously inspired by regional spirit and culture. The diversity mentioned above translates into numerous options of developing and specializing rural tourism, as reflected in the offers submitted for the competition ‘There is no place like the countryside - 12 good practices of rural tourism”. Intriguing and unconventional proposals only confirm the enormous potential embedded in your creativity, broad horizons and a wide range of interests making it possible to innovatively apply natural, cultural and culinary heritage”.

Polish Tourism Organisation implements the project, including the competition itself and its promotion, thanks to funding obtained from the National Rural Network. Coordinated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the programme is aimed at boosting the competitive character of agriculture, sustainable management of natural resources, climate-related activities, as well as sustainable territorial development of rural areas.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Jan Krzysztof Ardanowski emphasized that “Polish countryside offers an all-round supreme experience. First and foremost, mention is due to cultural and ethnic diversity related to the various nations that for centuries lived next to Poles - Tatars, Jews, Germans, the Dutch, Russians, Lithuanians. All of this had a great impact on our regional cuisine or, to be specific, on flavours, aromas and cooking methods”. The Minister added that “In combination with natural production methods, a varied landscape and valuable culinary heritage the countryside is increasingly attractive as an area for the development of tourism and leisure”.

In addition to statuettes, the laureates received a free promotional package - assistance in marketing undertakings and a chance to cooperate with popular bloggers. The offer of venues distinguished in the competition will also be showcased in a publication in an edition of 10,000 copies distributed at, i.a. domestic trade shows and offices of regional and local tourism organizations.

President of POT Robert Andrzejczyk added that “As this is the second edition of project ‘There is no place like the countryside - 12 good practices of rural tourism” we are very happy to see the number of applications exceeding last year’s figures by 47%. The high level of competing venues should also be mentioned. All of this shows that the discussed project really is needed. My sincere congratulations to all winners; I hope that successive editions of the competition will help explore equally noteworthy places and simultaneously contribute to their promotion. We want Poles to be increasingly aware of the assets of domestic tourism and the impressive offer they will find in the countryside”.

Winners of last year’s edition were subsequently visited by numerous new guests and testify to how important and essential the competition is. They emphasise that the owners of venues in the Polish countryside mostly need effective promotion.  

“Thanks to competition ‘There is no place like the countryside” our farm became recognisable and stood out against other agritourist establishments. This effect was reinforced by POT’s promotional undertakings, such as a professional photo session, articles published in well-known online portals, as well as a post on a popular blog”, Ewa and Waldemar Nisiewicz, one of the laureates of the competition’s first edition, sum up.

SELECTION OF WINNERS

Candidates, owners of tourist establishments located in rural areas all over Poland, could compete in one of four categories: 

Farm leisure
Rural leisure
Complementary offer
Traditional cuisine of the Polish countryside
169 correctly submitted applications were evaluated by the competition jury composed of external experts and representatives of Polish Tourism Organisation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and Ministry of Sports and Tourism. They took into account the quality of tourist offer, its innovative character, availability, and relation to cultural and natural resources of the countryside.

COMPETITION WINNERS:

Category – Farm leisure

1st place - Folwark “Wrzosówka” Holiday Home, folwarkwrzosowka.pl

2nd place - Gospodarstwo Ekoagroturystyczne – Zagroda Edukacyjna “Kamez”, kamez.eu

3rd place - Siedlisko Leluja, facebook.com/SiedliskoLeluja

Category – Rural leisure

1st place - Agritourism farm “Pod Jabłonią”, podjablonia.pl

2nd place - Pod Tulipanem and Domek na Górce, zawady-oleckie.com

3rd place - Chatka Włóczykija, jamna.eu

Category – Complementary offer

1st place - Małopolska wieś z Tradycją (Traditional Małopolska countryside), mot.krakow.pl

2nd place - Agroturystyka Polana and Brzozowy Dworek, polana.info.pl

3rd place - Bieszczadzka szkoła rzemiosła (Bieszczady handicraft school), ginacezawody.pl

Category – Traditional cuisine of the Polish countryside

1st place - Dworek Tradycja, dworektradycja.pl

2nd place - Podlaski Szlak Kulinarny (Podlasie Culinary Trail), podlaskiszlakkulinarny.pl

3rd place - Smakiem Kaszubskiej Żurawiny (Flavours of Kashubian Cranberry), na-kaszuby.pl

COMPETITION WINNERS:

Category – Farm leisure - Folwark “Wrzosówka” Holiday Home

An intimate and magical place hidden amidst fields and forests, “Wrzosówka” boasts a panoramic view of the whole Karkonosze Mountains. The home enchants with its combination of modern design and rustic style, respect for tradition and rural architecture. A wide range of additional activities is available for guests: cooking workshops, making scented candles, herding a flock of sheep or body treatments in the outdoors.

Category – Rural leisure - Agritourism Farm Pod Jabłonią

The farm’s setting in Kazimierski Landscape Park inspires active leisure and makes it easy to take advantage of impressive natural assets and a specific microclimate. The hosts’ contribution consists of hospitality, tales about local history, providing access to a 5-ha apple orchard, as well as delicious homemade food based on local products.

Category – Complementary offer - Małopolska wieś z Tradycją (Traditional Małopolska countryside)

The initiative invites all guests to the Małopolska countryside, where they can discover most appealing folk traditions and customs cultivated in this part of Poland for centuries. Passionate about what they are doing, the exceptional and open hosts are experts on history and tradition of the local communities they help foster. In addition, they eagerly spend time with their guests, acquainting them with local historical monuments, folklore and customs.

Category – Traditional cuisine of the Polish countryside - Dworek Tradycja

The infinitely passionate owner collects old recipes from the region of Pomorze (Pomerania), bakes, cooks, picks herbs, mushrooms and wild fruits, makes jam and homemade liqueurs, cures meat, and documents all of these activities. In her kitchen vintage household appliances are still used, including makitras, bowls, jugs and mugs. Dworek Tradycja hosts cooking festivals and workshops keeping former traditions alive.

For the full list of semi-finalists and all details related to the competition see: nawsinajlepiej.polska.travel