Tourist traffic in Krakow 2024 - what does the research say?
We already know the data on tourism in Krakow in the past year. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the results of the tourist traffic survey, which the Cracow City Hall prepared in cooperation with the Malopolska Tourist Organization.

The year 2024 was a period of marked tourism recovery for Krakow, with the process mainly affecting domestic tourism. During the year, 14.72 million people visited the city. It should be added that for the first time since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, residents of that country were also included in the statistics. Until now, due to the geopolitical situation, they were not included in the overall figures. Comparing the 2023 statement with the inclusion of Ukrainian citizens, an increase of nearly one million in the total number of visitors is evident. This number is made up of tourists, i.e. people staying overnight in the city, as well as one-day visitors, i.e. visitors without an overnight stay in Krakow.
The key factor behind the increase in the number of visitors was the increased interest in Krakow among Poles - their share of tourist traffic increased by 9.8%. In 2024, visitors came primarily from the Mazowieckie (17.7%), Silesian (17.1%) and Podkarpackie (11.1%) provinces. Nearly one in seven Poles (14.7%) visiting Krakow was a resident of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship.
For foreign visitors, the situation was more complex. The overall decline in the number of visitors is largely due to changes in the number of arrivals from Ukraine, while at the same time the number of visitors from other countries increased. Taking a closer look, we see that after including Ukrainian nationals in the statistics, the number of foreign visitors fell from 2.46 million in 2023 to 2.33 million in 2024. However, after excluding Ukrainians from the figure, there is a noticeable increase in visitors to Krakow from other countries. Here there was a jump from 900,000 to 1.13 million foreign visitors. Thus, it should be emphasized that the dynamics in the statistics of visitors from abroad is complex and requires a more careful analysis of the data.
We should add that among the visitors to Krakow, the majority were tourists, i.e. people staying overnight in the city. 7.95 million people decided to stay at least one night in the capital of Malopolska, of which 6.42 million were domestic tourists and 1.53 million were foreign tourists. Unlike day visitors, from the perspective of Kraków's economy, it is tourists (overnight visitors) who are particularly valuable, especially foreign tourists. They are the ones who drive the local tourism economy, primarily due to their longer stay, which translates into more money spent in the city.
Where do visitors come to Krakow from and for how long?
As mentioned above, in 2024 Krakow hosted 2.33 million foreign visitors. The largest group was made up of residents of the United Kingdom, who accounted for 20.6% of all non-Polish visitors. This was followed by visitors from Germany (9.1%), Italy (7.6%), the United States (6.7%) and France (4.8%), respectively. When it comes to the amount of spending during a stay in Krakow, tourists from Arab countries definitely dominate among foreign visitors. An Arab tourist spends as much as PLN 2,654 on average per person in Krakow. The other two countries from which visitors spent more than PLN 1,500 per person were the USA (PLN 1,850) and Sweden (PLN 1,715).
The most frequently chosen option for the length of stay in Krakow was 2-3 nights. Such a period was indicated by 37.7% of total visitors. One night in the city was spent by one in four tourists, while about 16% decided to stay in the city from four to seven nights. It is worth noting the potential of foreign visitors and the economic benefits behind it. A stay of 2-3 nights was chosen by nearly half of foreign tourists, while one in three stayed in Krakow from 4 to 7 nights.
Tourist spending
In 2024, among domestic visitors to Krakow, a marked decrease in average spending during their stay was noticeable: from PLN 669 to PLN 438 per person. In contrast to this trend, visitors from abroad appeared more willing to spend money in Krakow. Their average spending during their visit increased from PLN 1115 to PLN 1174 per person. In total, it is estimated that during their stay in Krakow, all visitors spent about PLN 9.05 billion.
In the context of the amount of visitors' spending, it is worth mentioning the marked decrease in the number of hotel accommodation bookings among all visitors. Almost 50% fewer people used this form of accommodation than a year earlier. What's more, those who did, however, opt for a hotel, last year most often chose lower-standard establishments: 2- and 3-star hotels. By comparison, in 2023, 3- and 4-star hotels dominated among visitors' preferences.
Purposes of tourists' visits
Widely perceived as the cultural capital of Poland, Krakow has for many years remained one of the most important tourist destinations in the country. The city invariably attracts visitors both for its unique architectural heritage and its exceptional historical character, creating a unique atmosphere. The most frequently indicated reasons for coming to Krakow were the need for relaxation and the desire to learn about its history and monuments - both among domestic and foreign visitors. In the case of visitors from other countries, visiting family and friends was also an important motive.
For years, the places of greatest interest to visitors have been the Market Square, Wawel Castle, the Old Town, Kazimierz, numerous Krakow museums and the Divine Mercy Sanctuary in Lagiewniki. Also included in the list of the ten most popular places are Krakow's Vistula boulevards and the Christmas Market, which has been praised by foreign media as one of the most beautiful in Europe. This confirms that Krakow delights not only with its cultural heritage, but also with an atmosphere that charms at any time of the year.
How do travelers rate their stay in Krakow?
Tourist surveys analyze not only the numbers, but also the subjective impressions of visitors to Krakow. Special attention is paid to assessing the quality of the city's tourist offer. This picture consists of about 30 different criteria every year. Thanks to them, we know that 2024 brought positive changes in the perception of Krakow. The average rating of the quality of tourism services given by domestic visitors rose from 4.26 to 4.41, and for foreign visitors from 4.19 to 4.38. This is a clear signal that Krakow is increasingly responsive to the needs of visitors, both from Poland and abroad. What were considered Kraków's greatest assets, and what should be improved? Visitors, both domestic and foreign, gave similar praise to Krakow for the ability to pay by card in many places, the atmosphere of the city, tourist attractions, and easy access and hospitality shown. The lowest marks were earned for the condition of and access to toilets, parking facilities and amenities, both for people with disabilities and families with children. In the context of foreign visitors' concerns about the war in Ukraine, it is worth mentioning the high rating given to Krakow by this group in the security category: it was as high as 4.53 (the maximum rating is 5).
Tourist traffic figures for 2024 indicate that Krakow's position as a strong brand in the domestic tourism market remains well-established, mainly due to a consistent focus on high quality services. This trend is confirmed by steadily increasing satisfaction rates among visitors, both from Poland and abroad.
To read the full survey results in the form of an infographic, please click here.