The halfway point of the City Helpers project is behind us

City Helpers take care of city centre operations for the third time. The Market Square and Kazimierz are bustling with activity almost 24/7. The paths of residents and tourists intersect here, and the City Helpers are there to ensure their comfort. Their task is to spot inappropriate behaviour in the historic city centre, as well as provide information and promote local cultural events.

City Helpers first appeared on the streets of Krakow in 2021, and their work was positively received by tourists, residents, businesses and diplomatic missions. This year, from 16 June to 31 August, City Helpers are working for the third time to promote sustainable tourism in the city, making sure that Krakow is a welcoming place for all.

City Helpers project in numbers

During their work, city helpers use a special app to monitor the project. In more than a month of work, 7,454 activities were registered, of which 4,645 times various types of information were provided – on tourism, culture, current events and attractions in the city, public transportation. Parks and swimming areas were also the subject of inquiries during heatwaves. There have been 1,782 interventions regarding Cultural Parks, while primary stumbling blocks include door-to-door trading, loud music from premises, inadequate outdoor lighting of premises and advertising.

As many as 478 people were provided with various types of assistance, such as that related to injuries. We can't help but mention interventions related to disturbances such as noise and consumption of alcohol in public places – 480 of them. Sometimes it was also necessary to cooperate with the Municipal Police of the City of Krakow - in 69 cases City Helpers had to contact the municipal guards by calling a special hotline.

News in the City Helpers project

This year’s project was modified based on the experience gained in previous years. With residents in mind, City Helpers’ working hours have been extended – on weekdays they are available in the Old Town and Kazimierz areas until 9 pm, and on weekends until 1 am. This allows for better management of the night economy, which works especially well during the holiday months when tourist traffic in the city increases.

The content and design of the flyers used by City Helpers has also been renewed. Visitors are welcomed to Krakow, a welcoming and safe city, which this year celebrates the 45th anniversary of its inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Visitors are invited to discover places off the beaten track, taste Krakow's cuisine and explore the richness of Krakow's heritage. At the same time, they are asked to respect universal rules – to respect the curfew, keep order, not consume alcohol in public, but also to use scooters and bicycles sensibly and behave in an environmentally friendly manner.
This year, the City Helpers can be recognised by their distinctive orange and blue outfits, referring to the Respect Kraków initiative, of which the City Helpers project is a part.

Extensive cooperation

The City’s Helpers are trained in first aid, and in the case of an emergency can provide assistance with a mobile AED lifesaving device. The training and equipment of the City Helpers team was taken care of by the “Ratuj Życie” [“Save Life”] Foundation, which also provided a defibrillator located in a mobile cargo bike loaned by the Public Transportation Authority. City Helpers speak fluent English, but thanks to a partnership with Vasco, a Krakow-based company, each of the patrols has been equipped with a Vasco V4 electronic translator to communicate in 76 languages. Translators support city assistants in working with non-English-speaking visitors from around the world, most often helping them communicate in Italian, Spanish, Hebrew and Ukrainian.

City Helpers ambassadors of the Respect Krakow programme

The City Helpers project is part of the Respect Krakow programme, which is based on cooperation and mutual respect for the needs of tourism market stakeholders – especially tourists, residents and entrepreneurs. The main idea of the programme is to point out to tourists that Krakow is not only an attractive tourist destination, but also home to thousands of residents who want their needs to be respected as well. Visitors to the city can familiarise themselves with the Respect Krakow concept upon arrival at Krakow airport, where messages aimed at arriving passengers are displayed in the baggage claim hall. Respect Krakow graphics can also be seen on city media: digital citylights, Krakow City Card machines, and posters encouraging people to observe the curfew. In addition, an information campaign is being conducted online from 1 June to 15 September, aimed at tourists planning to visit Krakow and foreign visitors who are already in the city. The City Helpers project is implemented by the City of Krakow and the operator of the activities is the Krakow Cultural Forum.