Poland's PM Tusk wants 100% of tourist fee to go to municipalities

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has proposed a significant adjustment to a planned tourist fee, stating that 100% of the revenue should be returned to municipalities. Tusk's announcement came during a press conference in Krakow, where he indicated that this change would be made during parliamentary deliberations.

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It seems that the tourist fee should not finance tourism itself, but should compensate for everything the city spends in connection with tourism.

"It seems that the tourist fee should not finance tourism itself, but should compensate for everything the city spends in connection with tourism," Tusk explained, agreeing with a suggestion from Monika Piątkowska, a candidate for Krakow's mayor. This proposal contrasts with the initial bill submitted by PSL-TD lawmakers, which allocated 80% of the revenue to municipalities, with the remaining 18% going to the Polish Tourism Organization and 2% to collection agents.

The tourism industry has reacted with concern to the Prime Minister's announcement. The European Association of Tourism Entrepreneurs published a statement highlighting their extensive involvement in discussions over the past months. They participated in parliamentary committee meetings, consultations, and gatherings with industry representatives, local governments, and tourism organizations. The industry had proceeded under the assumption that they were contributing to a solution that would significantly benefit Polish tourism.

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From many months, a discussion about the tourist fee has been ongoing in Poland. There were meetings of parliamentary committees and subcommittees, conferences, social consultations, meetings with representatives of the industry, local governments, and tourism organizations.

Industry representatives pointed to a June 17, 2026, presentation by the Ministry of Sport and Tourism, which outlined a tourist and compensation fee intended to create a stable funding source for local tourism development and promotion. The initial concept supported by the ministry also proposed that 80% of the revenue would go to municipalities, with the remainder supporting Poland's promotion and including a provision for collection agent remuneration. The industry feels blindsided by Tusk's latest statement, which suggests a complete shift in revenue allocation.

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Yet today, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that he has 'preliminarily agreed' with the Minister of Finance Andrzej Domański that 100 percent of the planned fee...