Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism industry in Poland

Abstract

The situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic has affected the entire economy of the country, especially the tourist services sector. In recent years, the tourism industry has been one of the most dynamically developing areas of the economy in Poland. This results from the increase in the wealth of Poles and the changes taking place in the structure of their consumption. Thanks to higher incomes, Poles are spending more on tourist trips, culture, recreation and gastronomy. The intensive development of the tourist services sector was disrupted by the COVID-19 virus pandemic. Fear of illness and administrative restrictions hindering movement contributed to the crisis in the tourism industry.

The aim of the article is to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the development of tourist services. To achieve the set goal, single-base and chain indices of dynamics were used. The level of gross value added and employment in the tourist services industry compared to other services was analysed. In addition, an analysis of expenditure on tourism, the number of tourist facilities and catering establishments was carried out. The analysis of changes taking place in the service sector in Poland covered the period 2015–2021 and was carried out based on data published by the Central Statistical Office.

The results of the study show that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the crisis in the tourism services sector. The industry related to accommodation and food services has been most affected. The dynamics of changes taking place in the tourism industry are relatively high. The largest changes among the analysed indicators took place in 2020. The situation in the tourism sector is gradually returning to normal, the revival in domestic and foreign trips has been noticeable since 2022. The crisis in the tourism industry caused by the coronavirus pandemic requires further research and action to limit its effects.