New report "Tourism in Warsaw"

The tourism economy has achieved a record contribution to Warsaw's GDP. Warsaw is recording dynamic growth in this sector, which is confirmed by the latest report published by the Warsaw Tourism Office. According to estimates, as much as PLN 34 billion of the city's GDP came from activities related to transport, accommodation, gastronomy and entertainment.

The Warsaw Tourism Office has published the annual edition of the “Tourism in Warsaw” report. The latest edition summarizes the results of research that assess the economic importance of tourism for Warsaw. According to estimates made by experts, in 2023, typical tourism sectors, such as accommodation, catering, tour operators, but also sectors related to tourism, such as cultural, recreational, trade and transport activities, generated a total of PLN 34 billion, which is 7.3% of Warsaw's GDP.

In the last year before the Covid-19 pandemic, which limited tourist traffic for almost three years, the contribution to GDP was PLN 20.1 billion, which at that time was 6.4% of the city's GDP. The increase in the share of the tourist economy compared to 2019 is the result of the development of several industries, mainly catering and land transport, which serve not only incoming tourism, but primarily residents.

Jobs in tourism

The development of tourism is often indicated as a way to create jobs. Compared to 2019, the number of people working in the tourism industry increased from 89 to 92 thousand. There were also significant changes in the structure. The number of employees increased significantly in the transport industry or in the organization of fairs and exhibitions, while it decreased in accommodation and catering and in the activities of organizers and agents of tourism. The reason may be the effects of the pandemic, but also cost optimization and replacing some employees in these industries with technological solutions or outsourcing.

– The growing importance of tourism for Warsaw’s economy is very good news. First of all, it confirms that the city’s tourist attractiveness, which was confirmed by the European Best Destination title awarded to Warsaw in 2023, translates into concrete profits – says Paweł Moras, director of the Warsaw Tourism Office. - According to estimates, tourists and one-day visitors who came to Warsaw in 2023 spent a total of over PLN 12 billion. The largest number – apart from Poles – were tourists from Great Britain and Germany. The important role of business travelers, whose spending per person is the highest, was also confirmed – Paweł Moras adds.

More information on tourist traffic in Warsaw, accommodation, catering and the meetings industry can be found in the report "Tourism in Warsaw", which is available for download at Reports and Research – Go To Warsaw.