Holiday money for families and seniors. The sports ministry announces a tourist check

The Ministry of Sports plans to introduce a tourist check in four voivodeships located on Poland's eastern border in the fall, said Deputy Minister of Sport Ireneusz Raś. He added that he hopes that such a tool will be launched throughout Poland within two years.

Deputy Minister of Sport and Tourism Ireneusz Raś announced on Thursday that the ministry plans to cover the so-called tourist check to regions of Poland that, due to the ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine, “are perceived as dangerous destinations”. He pointed out that The tourist check will cover four regions: Warmian-Masurian and Podlaskie, as well as the Lublin and Podkarpackie voivodeships.

Raś reminded that two of these four regions, i.e. the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship and the Podlaskie Voivodeship, introduced tourist vouchers. – We want to transfer these experiences. Investigate how it will work, he added. The deputy minister pointed out that The tourist check is intended to cover this year's fall tourist season. He also emphasized that it is to be “more pro-economic and pro-investment” than a tourist voucher.

– We have PLN 10 million for this purpose – added Raś. He explained that the tourist check would be valid during “low” tourist seasons. It would also be linked to specific goals such as education, e.g. school trips, supporting seniors' recreation, or supporting family tourism. It would be used by Polish citizens.

– At the beginning of March, in each of these four regions, we will meet with Magdalena Krucz (president of the Polish Tourist Organization – PAP) and the voivodeship marshals, and we will want to discuss the details of this tool – added the deputy minister.

He noted that the ministry wants to sign an agreement with marshals who will “contribute” to the tourist check on a – as the deputy minister put it – “fifty-fifty”.

– We give, the marshal gives the same amount and we launch this program based on the Regional Tourist Organizations that are to host this program. If we manage to do it in four regions, I believe that ultimately (…) it should be implemented every year in each region with Regional Tourist Organizations – said Raś, adding that he hoped that after legislative changes “we will be able to plan this tool throughout Poland within two years.”

The deputy minister also informed about another project that the Ministry of Dispute and Tourism is working on. He added that it is related to the slogan “from farm to table”.

– We are working to connect entrepreneurs producing agricultural products in Poland with the broadly understood HoReCa industry (hotels, restaurants, catering – PAP). I am counting on entrepreneurs providing hotel services. I hope that it will start functioning in the second half of the year, said Raś. He noted that delivery mechanisms for agricultural products for this industry still need to be developed. (PAP)

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