Tourism competition heats up in Poland; new technologies offer an edge

Poland's organized tourism sector is experiencing intensified competition, with the number of operating companies reaching 7,800 in early 2025, an increase of nearly 700 from the previous year. This growth, detailed in a report for the Ministry of Sport and Tourism, presents challenges in acquiring and retaining clients.

New technologies, particularly in data analytics and business process automation, are identified as key opportunities for companies to build a competitive advantage. While over six in 10 Polish tourism businesses report having a digital transformation plan, practical implementation often lags. Significant hurdles persist in adopting artificial intelligence and integrating data across systems.

The domestic and inbound tourism sectors lag behind international tour operators in digital adoption. Only 68 percent of their management expresses openness to digitalization, and 59 percent have a technological development strategy, compared to 82 percent and 67 percent, respectively, for outbound operators. These domestic-focused companies least frequently use AI, machine learning, and virtual reality solutions, including AI agents and chatbots for customer communication and transaction finalization.

Key barriers to advanced technology adoption include employee skill gaps and the costs associated with innovation. Data integration also poses a challenge, with systems scoring an average of 2.4 out of 5 for booking system integration and 3.1 for inter-departmental data sharing. Despite these issues, domestic and inbound operators show optimism about using customer data analytics, scoring 3.8 out of 5 for its potential in tailoring offers. However, experts note that effective data utilization hinges on prior system integration.

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