Travel & Tourism in Poland Set to Surpass Economic Records

International

Poland’s Travel & Tourism sector is poised for a record-breaking year in 2025, with economic indicators pointing to a full recovery and even growth beyond pre-pandemic levels.

New research from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) reveals a surge in domestic travel and a strong GDP contribution from the sector.

Key Projections for 2025

GDP Contribution: The sector is expected to contribute PLN 165.5 billion to Poland’s economy—4.4% of the national GDP—exceeding the previous 2019 high by 5.9%.

Employment: The industry is projected to support 901,100 jobs, surpassing pre-pandemic employment levels.

Domestic Visitor Spending: Anticipated to reach PLN 44.9 billion, 10.8% above 2019 figures, reflecting strong demand within the Polish market.

International Visitor Spending: Expected to total PLN 76.9 billion, still 2.8% below 2019, underlining the need for ongoing efforts to boost inbound travel.

2024 in Review

Last year, the Travel & Tourism sector contributed PLN 144.5 billion to Poland’s GDP—4% of the national economy—still 7.5% below 2019. Employment climbed to 884,400 jobs, 2.7% above pre-pandemic levels.

Domestic visitor spending rose to PLN 42.8 billion, up 5.6% from 2019. However, international spending stood at PLN 63.1 billion, 20.1% below 2019, despite a year-on-year upward trend.

"Poland’s Travel & Tourism sector is showing promising signs of long-term growth," said Julia Simpson, President & CEO of WTTC.

“With domestic travel and economic contribution both set to break records, the foundations are strong. Continued investment in infrastructure, connectivity, and marketing will be key to unlocking the sector’s full potential.”

Vision for 2035

Looking ahead, WTTC forecasts that by 2035, Poland’s Travel & Tourism sector could:

Contribute PLN 221.8 billion to GDP (4.8% of the economy)

Support over 987,300 jobs, creating 86,000+ new positions

Generate PLN 57.7 billion in domestic visitor spending

See international spending grow to PLN 107.9 billion, narrowing the current gap

The Bigger EU Picture

In 2024, the EU Travel & Tourism sector contributed nearly €1.8 trillion to regional GDP—more than 10% of the EU economy, and 6% above 2019. Employment rose to 24.6 million jobs, or one in every nine positions.

For 2025, the WTTC forecasts:

€1.9 trillion in economic contribution (10.5% of GDP)

25.7 million jobs, making up 12% of total EU employment

For detailed data and the latest Environmental & Social Research (ESR), visit:

???? WTTC Research Hub

Image Credit: Tourexpi with Adobe Express