A downturn season?
This year only 12.4 million tourists will visit Poland. The figure is 5 million lower than in 2000, Rzeczpospolita Daily warns. Will West Pomerania see a poor tourist season?
How many buses with German tourists will arrive to Świnoujście this year? /mab/
According to the daily, the decreased number of foreign tourists vacationing in Poland is a result of recession in the countries that traditionally supply us with most visitors. Less visitors will come from crisis-impacted Germany. Even the decreasing exchange rate of Polish Zloty seems ineffective in this situation.
Concerns raised by the daily are confirmed by Zdzisław Bartoszewicz, the owner of Belweder Hotel in Świnoujście.
“We have noticed a significant impact of the crisis on the tourist industry. Poles are majority of our hotel guests. Additionally, we expect the number of guests from Germany to drop by some 20 percent this year. We hope that, following the deteriorating PLN exchange rate, more Poles will decide to spend their vacation in Poland”, Bartoszewicz says.
According to information provided to us by management of “Park Avangard” hotel in Świnoujście, the number of guests will drop rapidly this season.
“Over 85 percent of our guests are Poles. Also, quite a few Scandinavians and Germans come each year. Many people like vacation on the seashore. There is a significant group of guests who come for a few days. Lately, many potential visitors have called us asking about prices and conditions, but all of them are waiting for a good weather. “We have sold almost all rooms for two subsequent weekends “, says Marcin Sielicki, the manager of Park Avangard hotel.
The uncertainty has not made hotel owners decrease room prices. “We will not reduce prices; we hope people will come here upon a “last minute” decision, says Zdzisław Bartoszewicz from “Belweder” hotel in Świnoujście. “Do not expect lower prices, but we have included some extra attractions into our offer”, explains Karolina Lewandowska from the booking office of “Senator” hotel in Dźwirzyno, expecting guests from Poland, with German tourists accounting for a mere few percent in the peak of the season. “Our guests will have an opportunity to participate in various additional events during their stay in our hotel.”
Industry representatives point out that promotion and advertisement is vital for marking one's position in the marketplace.
„We pay special attention to promotion and take many new initiatives. For this purpose, we have created a special PR office”, says Lewandowska. “Among others, we have organized a training campus for Polish female volleyball team”.
With regard to new promotion initiatives, the manager of “Belweder” hotels says, “We participate in contests, try to reach inhabitants of southern Poland organizing a special contest with awards in Katowice.”
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