The tourism industry has experienced significant difficulties over the past two years, and although there were many hopes for this year, problems continue in many directions around the world.
For example, Europe was expecting a tourism boom this year as the Covid-19 pandemic slowly comes to an end. However, the war in Ukraine represents another obstacle to the industry’s recovery.
In this context, tourism in Poland is experiencing serious problems. Ukraine’s neighbor is losing a significant part of the market due to its proximity to the battlefield.
Tourists avoid Poland
Many foreign tourists have avoided traveling to Poland since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. “We are seeing a sharp decline in hotel bookings,” said Konrad Guldon of the Polish Tourism Organisation.
60% of foreign tourists’ bookings to stay in Poland were canceled after the start of the war. And for group trips, this figure reached 90%. “According to experts, the problems affect the entire country, regardless of the distance to the Ukrainian border.
“We constantly receive calls from potential guests from abroad asking how safe it is in Poland. We can also guarantee access to bunkers in the event of an attack. We are reassured that every municipality in Poland has evacuation plans in case of an attack,” says Agnieszka Maszner from the Polish Chamber of Hotels.
At the same time, rising energy prices and high inflation make it nearly impossible for Polish travel companies hit by the Covid-19 pandemic to offer great deals.
Bad May for the Baltic Coast
One of the most popular destinations in Poland is the Baltic Sea coast, which is crowded with tourists from Germany and Scandinavia every year. However, this year it is precisely these nationalities that are missing.
Experts in the region also confirm that there is a great deal of uncertainty about Poland’s security, which is also clear from the booking figures.
According to the data, the occupancy of tourist places in West Pomerania is approximately 40% during the week and 50-60% on weekends. And although the Easter holidays were above average, and the May weekend should also attract tourists, it’s hard to say what will happen next.
The start of the war in Ukraine disrupted the plans of tourism sector experts for a good holiday season. Bookings are on the rise, but mostly from domestic guests.
There are many questions about the upcoming high season. Experts fear that, despite the busy May weekend, the rest of the month looks rather poor.
In general, the situation is clearly not easy. After the Covid-19 pandemic, tourism in Poland is now facing the effects of the war in Ukraine, so it is in the interests of industry stakeholders to resolve the conflict as soon as possible.