Tourism to Contribute $45.62 Billion to Polish Economy

Poland’s Travel & Tourism sector is on track for a milestone year, with 2025 projections showing a return to pre-pandemic strength in GDP contribution and domestic visitor spending, according to new data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

According to the latest Economic Impact Research (EIR), this year travel & tourism is expected to contribute $45.62 billion to Poland’s economy, representing 4.4% of national GDP, still 7.5% below the 2019 peak.

The sector is projected to support 901,100 jobs, which surpasses 2019 employment levels, the WTTC said.

Domestic visitor spending is forecast to reach $12.38 billion, exceeding 2019 levels by 10.8%, a clear sign of strong local travel demand.

However, international visitor spending is expected to remain 2.8% below 2019 levels, reaching $21.20 billion. This highlights an ongoing need to accelerate inbound recovery and competitiveness in attracting international travellers.

WTTC President & CEO Julia Simpson said that Poland’s travel & tourism sector has been showing promising signs of long-term growth. With economic contribution and domestic travel both set to break records this year, the foundations are clearly in place.

“To fully unlock the sector’s potential, continued investment in connectivity, infrastructure, and destination marketing will be key to driving inbound growth and maximising tourism’s economic impact,” she added.

A Look Ahead to 2035

By 2035, WTTC forecasts the Poland’s travel & tourism sector could contribute $61.16 billion to the GDP, accounting for 4.8% of Poland’s economy.

Employment is expected to reach surpass 987,300 jobs, reflecting the creation of more than 86,000 new roles over the next decade.

Domestic visitor spending is projected to climb to $15.9 billion, while international spending could grow to $29.74 billion, narrowing the gap with historic peaks and unlocking new economic value.

Coming to the European Union, the EU Travel & Tourism sector contributed almost $2.1 trillion to the region’s GDP, representing more than 10% of the Bloc’s economy, and above 2019 levels by almost 6%. The sector’s employment grew by 4.7%, year-on-year, to 24.6 million jobs, accounting for one in nine jobs across the region.

By the end of 2025, WTTC forecasts that the EU Travel & Tourism sector will reach almost $2.22 trillion, representing 10.5% of the EU economy. Employment linked to the sector is estimated to total 25.7 million people, or 12% of the regional total, WTTC said.