Poland's Tourism Marketers Caught in Grip of Uncertainty Over Nearby War

How does a destination tackle tourism messaging in major source markets when there’s a war raging next door? That’s the dilemma that the Poland Tourism Organization's marketers are now facing ahead of what is anticipated to be its biggest international tourist summer since the pandemic.

Prior to the pandemic, Poland was experiencing a steady increase in visitors, attributed to joining the European Union in 2004. A record 35.7 million overnight tourists visited Poland in 2019, most of whom traveled from the U.K., Germany, Ukraine and the U.S., according to the World Travel & Tourism Council.

Tourism officials agree it is too early to predict how the war will evolve and thus impact travel to Poland. But they’re closely monitoring the situation, while sharing a message of safety, continuing to promote for the summer and remaining cautious and ready to pivot — just as they did when the pandemic hit.

The Polis