About the initiative

To meet the expectations of the tourism industry in Krakow, now going through a serious crisis after more than two years of the pandemic and the situation east of the Polish border, an initiative was launched to create the Krakow Tourism Alliance. This Alliance has the effective means to jointly implement projects that will improve the condition of the tourism market in Krakow. Its main objective is the efficient implementation by Krakow of the recommendations in the “Sustainable Tourism Policy for Krakow in the Years 2021-2028”.

The Krakow Tourism Alliance operates under the Law on Associations, taking into account the special situation described in Article 4(2) of the Act on the Polish Tourism Organization. The Alliance fits in perfectly with the Polish tourism management system, which also includes the Polish Tourism Organization, the Regional Tourism Organizations and Local Tourism Organizations.

The Krakow Tourism Alliance operates as a partnership structure, with Krakow as one of its members. Importantly, the Alliance can be joined by local government authorities, cultural institutions, business entities, industry associations such as the Krakow Chamber of Tourism, the Polish Chamber of Tourism Lesser Poland Office, or the Gremium Lesser Poland Hotel Association, and of course individuals. All of the tourism market players can therefore form this tourism organization in Krakow, and nearly twenty key representatives of the local tourism market have now provisionally said that they will join it.

It is worth noting that the association is financed by membership fees. Also, it may rely on external sources of funding, e.g., grants or EU funds, to implement projects developed in the course of the operationalization of the “Sustainable Tourism Policy for Krakow in the Years 2021-2028”. The Alliance operates through its bodies, and performs its statutory tasks within the budget, roadmaps adopted by the Alliance Board, General Assembly, the Management Board, and the Audit Committee.

This subject matter came up during meetings such as in the series “Direction: a city for everyone. Tourism Policy for Krakow in the Years 2021-2028”. Participants put forward valid arguments for establishing the Krakow Tourism Alliance. It was emphasized that as a partnership structure it could serve as a platform for the implementation of projects referred to in the “Sustainable Tourism Policy for Krakow in the Years 2021-2028”. Polish cities were used as an example of more efficient tourism management and how such an alliance can operate flexibly.

During the meetings, arguments were also raised for increasing the scale and scope of activities by organizing fund-raising for the ongoing projects. Following a joint debate on the topic, a draft resolution was drawn up by members of the Promotion and Tourism Committee of Krakow, establishing a tourism organization in Krakow.

Sustainability of tourism in Krakow

There is no non-governmental institutional representation of tourism in Krakow in which the municipal authority plays a part. The establishment of the Krakow Tourism Alliance addresses the need for greater measures to develop tourism in the city. Large cities and metropolises are now beginning to play a greater role in the Polish tourism management system, and they should be given the tools to achieve the strategic objectives of local government. In Krakow’s case, these objectives are laid down in the “Sustainable Tourism Policy for Krakow in the Years 2021-2028”.

The establishment of the Krakow Tourism Alliance will also help to gain revenue from the tourism/visitor’s fee, which the Ministry of Sports and Tourism is taking measures to introduce. The Krakow Tourism Alliance will also increase the chances of obtaining external funds for tourism. This shows that Krakow is taking measures to be ready for the introduction of these regulations.