Polish Chamber of Tourism is the largest organisation founded by the tourism industry and operating all over the country. Our accomplishments during over 25 years of activity had strong impact on the way this business runs nowadays. The Chamber's role became extremely important after Poland joined the European Union. Since May 2004 the Chamber is the full-fledged member of ECTAA.
Being supported by Poland's largest tour operators and travel agencies, we not only act actively for the sake of further tourism industry development, but also take good care of the already existing business. The organisation's structure, based on local representative offices situated in the main tourist locations like Białystok, Bydgoszcz, Katowice, Łódź, Olsztyn, Poznań, Gdańsk, Warszawa, Kraków, Szczecin and Wrocław, is of vital importance. The Chamber has c.a. 500 members with about 1000 offices spread through the country and representing ca. 70% of floating capital in Polish tourism.
The daily activities are managed by the Board, elected during the Members General Assembly in 2016 for 4 years term of office. The substantial issues are discussed in nine commissions, gathering experts recommended by the Chamber members.
The Chamber's activities cover a wide range of interests. The basic actions focus on fulfilling the statutory aims, representing our members and the tourism business. Among other issues there are: the development of the tourism industry, its competitiveness on foreign markets, access to new technologies and setting business standards among our members.
These aims are being fulfilled through several activities. Among them one can find the Chamber's cooperation with many governmental institutions, linked with the tourism industry like the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Finance, the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Sports and Tourism Ministry, Border Guards as well as the Polish Chamber of Commerce, where the Polish Chamber of Tourism is an active member.
PIT also focuses on building the awareness of the importance of tourism business among the members of Parliament Commissions and forming strong cooperation with Polish Tourism Organization, Tourism, Hotel and Gastronomic Organization Board, Board of Regional Chambers of Tourism (where PIT is a presiding member since 2006) as well as Regional Chambers of Tourism, like Kraków Chamber of Tourism, Wielkopolska Chamber of Tourism, Śląsk Chamber of Tourism, Dolny Śląsk Chamber of Tourism, Zachodnie Pomorze Chamber of Tourism, Beskidy Chamber of Tourism, Warsaw Chamber of Tourism, Regional Chamber of Tourism “Europe Green Lungs” as well as with many tourism organizations like ZPKT, PFCC, PTSM, PTTK, PZH.
Polish Chamber of Tourism presents the view, both on local and international forums, that tourism is an important economy sector and should be treated as vital for the national budgets. For years PIT has been fighting for adapting the Polish law regulations to the European policies. It concerns especially issues related directly to the tourism services. The Chamber is very much involved in this process.
The Tourism Services Act, enacted by Polish Parliament in the form PIT was opting for, was the most important law regulation for both service suppliers and consumers. Currently the Chamber is looking for the ways to update the regulation to the revised Travel Package Directive.
Polish Chamber of Tourism actions are taken to protect Polish travel agencies against the competition of foreign tour operators, entering the local market. Extremely important are all the issues mentioned in the Strategy of Tourism Sector Development in the years 2014-2020, the promotion of Poland both in the country and worldwide, the plan of tourism infrastructure expansion, challenges for Polish travel agencies in the face of new technologies and market globalization, the Polish tourism law regulations adaptation to the European Union standards, the national tax policy for tourism services suppliers, the transport policy for IATA agents and coach carriers, and last but not least, the growth of tourism services for children and youth.
The Chamber members and the organisation itself cooperates with international associations, like The United Federation of Travel Agent’s Associations (UFTAA), The European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Associations (ECTAA), The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), German Association of Travel Agencies (DRV), as well as with IHA, IRU, IATA, SPATA and other local travel agencies associations.
Our actions on international forums make a difference and have positive results for the industry both in Poland and in other countries of European Union.
The Chamber actively contributes to the promotion of Poland, inbound tourism and the products offered by its members.
Polish Chamber of Tourism representatives take active part in local and regional tourism organization boards, working on campaigns to promote their regions. PIT and MT Targi Polska organize for years now a contest “Weekend dla mieszczucha” (Weekend for the city dweller), supporting the new touristic products and less known tourist attractions and regions in Poland.
The participation of PIT members, on preferential basis, in the most important travel fairs in Poland and worldwide is equally important. One of them gives a chance to promote the best tourism services suppliers – there is a prize of Crystal Globe presented to the best fair play company with Polish capital. Polish Chamber of Tourism supports many promotional activities, both local and international, like e.g. International Tourism Fair TT Warsaw Tour & Travel, LATO Fair in Warsaw, Gdańsk Free Time Festival, International Tourism Fair in Poznań, GLOBalnie in Katowice and others.
There are also study tours organized by the Polish Chamber of Tourism, in order to support the business exchange and promote local attractions. Tours organized to such countries like Tunisia, Italy, Thailand, Israel, USA, Switzerland, Russia, brought measurable results.
Every two years the General Assembly of Polish Chamber of Tourism is organized outside of Poland. Up till now they took place in Austria, Tunisia, Portugal, Majorca, Cadiz, Albania, Egypt and Israel (April 2014). Presentations, workshops and infrastructure sightseeing offered during these events help not only in to start new business relations but also support further development of trade contacts and give new opportunities to develop tourism services in areas touched by high unemployment rate.
Polish Chamber of Tourism activities and most important issues for the industry are presented in all available media: newspapers, radio, TV, press conferences, interviews as well as in the form of a newsletter distributed to all Chamber members. They inform also about the most important changes taking place in the tourism sector of economy.
There is the Certificate of Membership issued annually for every member of the Chamber since 1995. The Certificate bears the patent protected PIT logo and is handed over to each member. The document has been recognized by customers as the sign of reliability, professionalism and proper provision of services.
PIT logo means good business quality and is protected by all the Chamber members to remain the sign of business reliability and a competitive product. Placed on business letterheads, in advertisements and brochures, it should be a useful tip for the customers on their right choice of a travel advisor.
Being supported by Poland's largest tour operators and travel agencies, we not only act actively for the sake of further tourism industry development, but also take good care of the already existing business. The organisation's structure, based on local representative offices situated in the main tourist locations like Białystok, Bydgoszcz, Katowice, Łódź, Olsztyn, Poznań, Gdańsk, Warszawa, Kraków, Szczecin and Wrocław, is of vital importance. The Chamber has c.a. 500 members with about 1000 offices spread through the country and representing ca. 70% of floating capital in Polish tourism.
The daily activities are managed by the Board, elected during the Members General Assembly in 2016 for 4 years term of office. The substantial issues are discussed in nine commissions, gathering experts recommended by the Chamber members.
The Chamber's activities cover a wide range of interests. The basic actions focus on fulfilling the statutory aims, representing our members and the tourism business. Among other issues there are: the development of the tourism industry, its competitiveness on foreign markets, access to new technologies and setting business standards among our members.
These aims are being fulfilled through several activities. Among them one can find the Chamber's cooperation with many governmental institutions, linked with the tourism industry like the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Finance, the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Sports and Tourism Ministry, Border Guards as well as the Polish Chamber of Commerce, where the Polish Chamber of Tourism is an active member.
PIT also focuses on building the awareness of the importance of tourism business among the members of Parliament Commissions and forming strong cooperation with Polish Tourism Organization, Tourism, Hotel and Gastronomic Organization Board, Board of Regional Chambers of Tourism (where PIT is a presiding member since 2006) as well as Regional Chambers of Tourism, like Kraków Chamber of Tourism, Wielkopolska Chamber of Tourism, Śląsk Chamber of Tourism, Dolny Śląsk Chamber of Tourism, Zachodnie Pomorze Chamber of Tourism, Beskidy Chamber of Tourism, Warsaw Chamber of Tourism, Regional Chamber of Tourism “Europe Green Lungs” as well as with many tourism organizations like ZPKT, PFCC, PTSM, PTTK, PZH.
Polish Chamber of Tourism presents the view, both on local and international forums, that tourism is an important economy sector and should be treated as vital for the national budgets. For years PIT has been fighting for adapting the Polish law regulations to the European policies. It concerns especially issues related directly to the tourism services. The Chamber is very much involved in this process.
The Tourism Services Act, enacted by Polish Parliament in the form PIT was opting for, was the most important law regulation for both service suppliers and consumers. Currently the Chamber is looking for the ways to update the regulation to the revised Travel Package Directive.
Polish Chamber of Tourism actions are taken to protect Polish travel agencies against the competition of foreign tour operators, entering the local market. Extremely important are all the issues mentioned in the Strategy of Tourism Sector Development in the years 2014-2020, the promotion of Poland both in the country and worldwide, the plan of tourism infrastructure expansion, challenges for Polish travel agencies in the face of new technologies and market globalization, the Polish tourism law regulations adaptation to the European Union standards, the national tax policy for tourism services suppliers, the transport policy for IATA agents and coach carriers, and last but not least, the growth of tourism services for children and youth.
The Chamber members and the organisation itself cooperates with international associations, like The United Federation of Travel Agent’s Associations (UFTAA), The European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Associations (ECTAA), The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), German Association of Travel Agencies (DRV), as well as with IHA, IRU, IATA, SPATA and other local travel agencies associations.
Our actions on international forums make a difference and have positive results for the industry both in Poland and in other countries of European Union.
The Chamber actively contributes to the promotion of Poland, inbound tourism and the products offered by its members.
Polish Chamber of Tourism representatives take active part in local and regional tourism organization boards, working on campaigns to promote their regions. PIT and MT Targi Polska organize for years now a contest “Weekend dla mieszczucha” (Weekend for the city dweller), supporting the new touristic products and less known tourist attractions and regions in Poland.
The participation of PIT members, on preferential basis, in the most important travel fairs in Poland and worldwide is equally important. One of them gives a chance to promote the best tourism services suppliers – there is a prize of Crystal Globe presented to the best fair play company with Polish capital. Polish Chamber of Tourism supports many promotional activities, both local and international, like e.g. International Tourism Fair TT Warsaw Tour & Travel, LATO Fair in Warsaw, Gdańsk Free Time Festival, International Tourism Fair in Poznań, GLOBalnie in Katowice and others.
There are also study tours organized by the Polish Chamber of Tourism, in order to support the business exchange and promote local attractions. Tours organized to such countries like Tunisia, Italy, Thailand, Israel, USA, Switzerland, Russia, brought measurable results.
Every two years the General Assembly of Polish Chamber of Tourism is organized outside of Poland. Up till now they took place in Austria, Tunisia, Portugal, Majorca, Cadiz, Albania, Egypt and Israel (April 2014). Presentations, workshops and infrastructure sightseeing offered during these events help not only in to start new business relations but also support further development of trade contacts and give new opportunities to develop tourism services in areas touched by high unemployment rate.
Polish Chamber of Tourism activities and most important issues for the industry are presented in all available media: newspapers, radio, TV, press conferences, interviews as well as in the form of a newsletter distributed to all Chamber members. They inform also about the most important changes taking place in the tourism sector of economy.
There is the Certificate of Membership issued annually for every member of the Chamber since 1995. The Certificate bears the patent protected PIT logo and is handed over to each member. The document has been recognized by customers as the sign of reliability, professionalism and proper provision of services.
PIT logo means good business quality and is protected by all the Chamber members to remain the sign of business reliability and a competitive product. Placed on business letterheads, in advertisements and brochures, it should be a useful tip for the customers on their right choice of a travel advisor.
