Due to the situation in Ukraine, Poland has recently been frequently featured in global media. I believe that despite the ongoing war behind our eastern border we will manage, through a series of activities, to present Poland as a safe and still attractive destination for the MICE industry. Admittedly, the task is not easy in the face of the ongoing armed conflict in a neighbouring country.
UFI European Conference 2022 in Poznan
This is confirmed, among other things, by the large international events still taking place in Poland, such as the UFI European Conference 2022 in Poznan. The just-concluded conference (4-6 May 2022) in Poznan International Fair was attended by more than 150 delegates from over 25 countries. They were able to see first-hand the high professionalism of Polish eventprofs, but also that life is going on normally in Poland. UFI European Conference 2022 official wrap-up on Youtube
They have just become Poland`s best ambassadors in the MICE world. Check for yourself and see what has already been published in social media under the hashtag #ufieurope.
Quick & Sweet #UFIEurope @UFIlive Social Media Report. Mentions 149 (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook) SM Reach 420k, AVE 34.85k $. Created with @brand2 #eventprofs #poznan #socialmedia @GrupaMtp pic.twitter.com/ecmyGXnFC1
— Jaroslaw Marciuk ☕️ call me Jaro (@JaroslawMarciuk) May 9, 2022
New marketing activities
The world will be talking, reporting, and commenting. We will not stop the stream of information on this subject. A certain image of the country cannot be ignored. We must present our perspective and show the Polish reality.
Poland is now a huge aid zone, a safe haven not for hundreds of thousands but for millions of Ukrainian refugees.
After two difficult years of the pandemic, the tourism industry has not had time to catch up, and now we face another big challenge. Poland as a MICE destination needs to be proactive now, so still Polish cities are considered in the plans for the next big events in the next 2-3 years.
It is hard to imagine, but the war may last months, years … and we should find solutions for this. The TUgether Meetings and Events Industry Council has an answer to this and is preparing a nationwide action under the slogan WE MEET TO HELP, with hashtags such as #zoneHelp, #HELPzone #MeetingsforUkraine.
You have a tool of a change in your hands
Each of us has an impact on how Poland is perceived. Many of us use social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram. We have decision-makers and opinion leaders among our contacts. Reversing the image of Poland is possible not only through planned promotional campaigns but also by each of us.
Each of us has a powerful marketing tool at our disposal – a smartphone. It is enough (and as much as) to take photos, record short films, write a text – Poland is safe, show normal life in Poland as we see it every day. We can show a hotel full of guests or present what is going on during a conference or a congress. There are still many tourists on the streets of Polish cities and Polish restaurants are full of guests. Such images are not often seen in foreign media coverage of Poland.
Read also on my blog:
- Convention bureau on social media – the best case studies
- Krakow to host the 61st ICCA Congress 2022
- Eventprofs stand with Ukraine
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Krakow
Due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Krakow is very much affected by the changes in both mass and business tourism. However, there are marketing activities to reverse this trend. Some of the spontaneous actions in social media are videos published by:
Prof. Jacek Majchrowski – The Mayor of the City of Krakow
Prof. dr hab. n. med. Piotr Myśliwiec – the Ambassador of Polish Congresses
Promotes the 30th Anniversary Congress EAES 2022 organised at the ICE Krakow Congress Centre in early July 2022.
Szymon Gatlik – Kraków Food and Trave Guide tour leader
Kraków is safe, Kraków is ready. Come and visit my great city this spring!
New official promotional campaign
In addition, on 1 May, as part of the “Malopolska – a destination” project, the official campaign was launched with the slogan “Wide open…”, promoting Krakow and Malopolska in Germany and the UK.
Source: Experience Krakow Visit Malopolska
Source: Experience Krakow Visit Malopolska
Among many marketing activities, WideOpen videos have been published across the internet. Malopolska and Krakow are Wide Open for:
- amazing culture
- meetings
- wellness and relaxation
- delicious local food
- incredible adventures
All this, six months before the 61st ICCA Congress in Krakow in 2022, is of great value.
source: Experience Krakow Visit Malopolska
Wroclaw
In April I had the opportunity to visit Wrocław again thanks to the invitation of the Convention Bureau Wrocław. Despite the current situation and many new challenges, the hotel market in Wrocław is developing dynamically. Just a month ago the first hotel of the Wyndham chain in Poland opened just off the market square.
The second Q Hotel in the city is about to open – the four-star Q Hotel Plus Wroclaw Bielany with 3700 m2 of conference and event space. I also visited a hotel of the chain where I worked for 7 years. The view inside Novotel Centrum Wroclaw surprised me very positively, the lobby was full of guests from Poland and abroad, tourist groups, business groups, conferences and corporate events. Business as usual.
Lublin and Katowice
Lublin Region CVB big come back
A crisis is a shock, but also a breakthrough and a turning point. After several years of operation, the Lublin and Region Convention Bureau has unfortunately disappeared from the map of national convention bureaux. It’s a pity because more and more often organisers are looking for second and third choice destinations, and Lublin could be one of them. Fortunately, the Lublin CVB will continue to operate thanks to the Lublin Regional Tourist Organisation, and the continuity of activity and promotion of MICE destinations will be preserved.
New convention bureau in Silesia Region
On the other hand, work has been going on for several months now to establish a new congress and conference bureau in southern Poland. The Silesian Province has an attractive offer for planners of all kinds of meetings and events, and it may be a good time to create a strong unit responsible not only for promoting Katowice, but also the entire region.
Poland Convention Bureau
The Polish MICE industry also has high hopes for changes in connection with the election of a new PTO president. In April, it was announced that Rafał Szmytke had been elected again. The Poland Convention Bureau, which has been operating within Polish Tourism Office structures for 20 years, is intensifying its efforts to develop a new marketing message and is planning new activities in line with the changing situation.
Source: Poland Convention Bureau
Already at the end of May and the beginning of June at the IMEX fair in Frankfurt, it will be possible to see and find out how the international industry will assess the latest events in our part of Europe. Visit Polish stand G440 at #imex22.
