Conference on the Polish Tourist Voucher

Yesterday, i.e. on 21.06.2022, the editorial office of the Rzeczpospolita.pl portal organized a conference. During the meeting, the present and future of the Polish Tourist Voucher, which has been with us for almost two years, were discussed.

The meeting agenda included two debates:

1. "Did the tourist voucher save Polish tourism?" - a debate summarizing the experience of the voucher. Participants:

– Andrzej Gut-Mostowy, Deputy Minister of Sport and Tourism,
– Anna Salamończyk-Mochel, Vice President of the Polish Tourist Organisation,
– Piotr Dwurnik, director of Grand Hotel Kielce, Polish Hotel Industry Chamber of Commerce,
– Maciej Nykiel, president of the Nekera travel agency
– Krzysztof Mazinski, president of the BUT travel agency
– Barbara Tutak, president of the Warsaw Tourist Organization

Experiences to date have been presented. We have assessed the benefits and wondered how to promote the voucher to use the remaining amount to be spent?
According to WOT, this tool is used by many consumers and is used in Warsaw at a quite high level, although it has different values for different providers. The leaders in use are the ACCOR network member hotels.
Later in the meeting, Mr. Karol Walachowski from Krakow University of Economics presented “voucher” models functioning in other countries.

2. "What kind of voucher does Polish tourism need?" – this debate was held with the participation of:

– Andrzej Gut-Mostowy, Deputy Minister of Sport and Tourism,
– Anna Salamończyk-Mochel, Vice President of the Polish Tourist Organisation,
– Krzysztof Jedrocha, Vice-President of the Jan Pol tourist company, Vice-President of Symposium Cracoviense, Member of the IGHP Council
– Barbara Czerwinska, co-owner of the Czerwiński Travel travel agency, president of the Children's and Youth Tourism Department of the Polish Chamber of Tourism
– Dr. Daniel Puciato, Higher School of Banking in Wrocław
– Hanna Mojsiuk, president of the Northern Chamber of Commerce in Szczecin

During this discussion, it was agreed that the tourist voucher should remain with the tourism industry permanently. It was considered what model would be most beneficial for the tourism industry, what criteria it should meet. The dominant voices were about leaving the group of beneficiaries as defined in the current act. The issue of a voucher stimulating senior tourism to be considered.

There was also an option to index the value of the current voucher (due to galloping inflation) and to extend the time for using the voucher until at least the end of this year.

The voucher activation deadline is September 30, 2022.

Photos Tourism of the Republic of Poland and POT.