Good solutions for Krakow need to be based on dialog

Krakow attracts millions of tourists every year. To preserve the city’s authenticity, it is necessary to maintain the comfort of its residents and  general respect for historical heritage. The city authorities are obliged to make every effort to do this, but the wording of regulations and their final effect depends on  agreement among many communities.

Bearing in mind the number of people coming to Krakow, there is a question of how to address the way the visitors want to spend their time, which has an adverse effect on the wellbeing of local and neighborhood communities of Krakow. This problem is especially apparent at night, which is a time of rest.

Krakow is no exception. Other historical cities, such as Barcelona, Venice and Amsterdam, have faced and continue to face similar problems. At the same time, attributing all of the negative aspects of the night‑time economy exclusively to tourist traffic would be a step too far. The night‑time economy encompasses retail, culture and entertainment, transportation and accommodation. These services are used by visitors but, in many areas, equally by residents of Krakow, including those temporarily staying in the city to work or study, or traveling to Krakow from its immediate vicinity for some quality time, for instance during weekends. Data provided by the Municipal Addiction Prevention Center may provide interesting insight here. In 2023, in 755 out of 7,495 cases, detention at the Department for the Care of Intoxicated Persons resulted from police and Municipal Police action involving intoxicated foreigners. Based on the detailed information on their nationalities, we can conclude that more than half of them were in Krakow for purposes other than tourism.

New challenges

In the 21st century, traveling is no longer a privilege for many people. The vast majority of visitors in Krakow spend their time here in ways that are not problematic for the residents: sightseeing, shopping, and attending business and scientific conferences or cultural and sports events. In 2023, Krakow was visited by 12.18 million people, of which 0.9 million were foreigners, and as many as 11.28 million came from Poland. The estimated total number of visitors to Krakow was 45% higher compared to 2022, and 13.3% lower compared to 2019 – the last year before the pandemic.

Tourism also benefits the city in many ways economically. In 2019, the tourism sector employed an estimated 40,000 people, and contributed approximately 10% of the city's GDP. The estimated revenue of the tourism sector in Krakow (in terms of entities operating in the city and serving tourists) brought in a substantial sum of PLN 10.6 billion in 2023. This amount was 58% higher than in 2022. The tourism business plays an important role. In Krakow in 2019, almost 3% of the income of the city budget came from fees and taxes paid by entities operating in the meetings industry.

A new approach

The problems faced by Krakow and other historical cities require solutions at both local and national levels. They also require a different approach to tourism, perceived from the perspective of the quality of services rather than the number of tourists. Modern tourism has to be respectful towards the needs of all groups, including local residents.

This change is already underway. However, it cannot be successful without the cooperation of many communities: politicians, officials, residents, and entrepreneurs. In 2021, the City Council of Krakow adopted the “Sustainable Tourism Policy for Krakow in the Years 2021-2028.” It relies on cooperation between those groups and consideration of social needs at the economic and environmental level. Preserving the city's cultural heritage and historical landscape is the main consideration when implementing sustainable tourism in Krakow.

Alcohol consumption at night, work of the Municipal Police and City Helpers

An important change has already been achieved. The City Council of Krakow adopted a resolution restricting the retail sale of alcoholic beverages at night to address the issue of consumption of alcohol in public places. The regulations took effect as of 1 July 2023, and the restrictions apply between midnight and 5:30 a.m., throughout Krakow, except for eateries such as restaurants and bars. Similar restrictions on times at which alcoholic beverages can be sold have been successfully introduced in many European countries such as Ireland, Portugal, Sweden, Spain and Norway.

It is easy to observe the times and places at which the adverse effects of the night-time economy in Krakow are greatest. The Municipal Police take active measures to counter behavior such as disorderly conduct and violation of the night-time quiet rules, and act to protect the Old Town and Kazimierz cultural parks. In 2023, the Municipal Police attended almost 25,500 incidents in the Old Town. Most cases involved traffic – 14.5 thousand offenses, drinking alcohol in public – 6.6 thousand, indecent conduct – 1.2 thousand, breach of the peace and public order – 1.2 thousand, destruction of property – 939.

Positive effects were noted one year after the law came into effect. In the course of 12 months (July 2023 – June 2024), the number of cases in which police intervened related to alcohol consumption fell by 48.5% compared to the same period before the resolution took effect. There was also a noticeable decrease in the number of cases dealt with by the Municipal Police. The number of incidents reported decreased by 31.2%. At the same time, the number of offenses recorded by the Municipal Police decreased by 47.9%.

The city is also involved in awareness-raising activities on the Internet. The #RespectKrakow campaign draws tourists’ attention to the needs of local residents and the universally applicable rules, including night-time quiet, keeping the surroundings tidy, being dressed when in areas around the city, and not consuming alcohol in public. The animations and graphics primarily reached social media users and those using the most popular travel sites. The campaign is being continued during this holiday season. Graphics welcoming people to Krakow and reminding them of the basic principles of community life are also displayed at the Krakow-Balice airport, on BUS TV, at KKM vending machines, and at public transportation stops.

The Municipal Police can rely on support offered by the City Helpers, who follow the principles of awareness-raising and prevention. The City Helpers patrol the streets of Krakow from June to September, in the afternoon and evening (from 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm, and until 1:00 am on weekends). City Helpers not only deal with disorderly conduct in the city center, but also provide information to visitors and encourage them to explore Krakow's lesser-known attractions, such as the Krakow Fortress. They are also trained in first aid. From 2021, you can find City Helpers on the streets of the Old Town and Kazimierz during the holiday season.

Krakow to regulate short-term rentals

District I stands out in the city for its high concentration of accommodation in apartments and lodgings which are located in privately owned properties. These are uncategorized hotel facilities, ranging from apartments and lodgings to hostels. The Mayor of the City of Krakow keeps records of these facilities through the Tourism Department. The latest data (March 2024) show that Krakow has 35,000 places of accommodation of this kind, of which 63% are located in District I. Being aware of the scale of this, Krakow joined the City Destinations Alliance, which contributed to the adoption by the European Parliament of rules regulating short-term rentals. A prerequisite for taking effective action to regulate short-term tourist rentals is to transpose an EU directive into national law to identify hosts by means of an individual registration number. In turn, this will ensure more effective control of this type of rental, enabling for instance more efficient measures to combat the shadow economy and violation of basic safety standards in rented premises. Krakow, along with other Polish cities, has  repeatedly sought an appropriate amendment to national regulations from the Ministry of Sport and Tourism. Introducing such laws would give local authorities the power to take real action.

What’s ahead?

Jacek Jordan, the first Night Mayor of Krakow, began his work on 1 August. He will be responsible for developing the night‑time economy and cooperation between the parties involved: residents, tourists and local entrepreneurs. He can count on the support of the Commission for the Sustainable Night‑Time Economy, composed of representatives of the city council, neighborhood councils, entrepreneurs and informal groups of residents. Similar bodies have successfully been formed in other cities, such as Amsterdam, Toulouse, and London. However, this position should not be equated with the function of a “sheriff” or the Municipal Police. The task of the Night Mayor is to primarily focus on the biggest challenges of operating a city at night, and the consequent problems, such as noise. One of the most important tasks will be to develop a further action strategy based on research, analysis and monitoring the market. This will help to introduce principles and standards for the night‑time economy in the areas of business, culture and heritage, tourism, security and public order, city transportation, and public health. In practice, this means introducing solutions that will bring relief to residents and further safeguard Krakow's priceless heritage.

To this end, entrepreneurs who are a part of the night‑time economy sector have to actively engage with the city and its residents, otherwise a system of top-down orders and bans will be insufficient. There is a need for dialog. This is one of the tasks of the Commission for the Sustainable Night‑Time Economy and its chair, the Night Mayor.