I’m writing another blog post just after the conclusion of the 10th THINK MICE Mashup Meetings at the historic Bellotto Hotel in Warsaw. A year ago, I attended the Mashup at the NYX Hotel Warsaw, and I thought it was worth summarizing the past 12 months briefly.
Poland Convention Bureau
In October of last year, I began working at the Poland Convention Bureau POT (read more about it here The next step – joining the Poland Convention Bureau at the Polish Tourism Organisation). Our team has set ambitious goals for itself, including:
- organizing and co-organizing events,
- promoting Poland on international markets,
- providing support to the Polish MICE industry,
- another edition of the Congress Ambassadors Program and a special gala dinner
- a recommendation program for Polish convention bureaus, professional congress organisers (PCO), and incentive travel companies (ITC),
- creating the Meetings and Events Industry Report in Poland (2022 data, publication in October 2023),
and intensifying online activities – just to name a few. There are also new projects, such as the #EventprofsLab – Content Creators Laboratory for event professionals. Ahead of us, there’s the Spotlight on Poland event, IMEX America, and IBTM World, as well as the “Poland. More than you expected” marketing campaign dedicated to the MICE industry.
The MICE industry in Poland
All of this is happening during a crucial time for the Polish meetings industry. The beginning of last year surprised us with the conflict in Ukraine. Concerns about tourism, especially planned events, initially proved to be valid. Cancellations of visits and some meetings were a fact. Fortunately, we managed to maintain and successfully organize important conferences such as UFI in Poznan and the 61st ICCA Congress in Krakow. Poland’s openness and unwavering support for Ukraine couldn’t go unnoticed by the global media. President Biden’s two visits to Poland, Rzeszow’s key role in supporting our neighbour, information about investments, relationships…
YouTube exploded with videos about Poland
Numerous YouTube videos express a fascination with Poland. Many materials are being created about our country, its role, and the changes that have taken place over the past 30 years. They speak of us as a place worth visiting, thanks to our history, culture, hospitality, safety, good prices, and food. The message is mostly very positive, reaching millions of views. Content is created on channels focusing on economics and geopolitics, such as
Econ – The Rise of the Polish Economy – Economy of Poland …
… the Caspian Report – Poland is a powerhouse in the making …
… and Brirish TLDR News – Is Poland Becoming a Major European Superpower?
Especially the British are surprised that if economic trends don’t change, Poland’s GDP per capita will be higher than in the UK by the end of the decade. Although it’s hard to believe, at least statistically, Poles will be living at a higher level than the British.
Silicon Valley in Poland
It’s also worth noting the developing sector of new technologies, which is attracting investors and specialists from various fields, including the IT industry. The geopolitical situation and changes in the supply chain from Asia are leading to a series of investments. Some of the recently realized and announced ones include:
- Microsoft
- NVIDIA
- Dell
- and more
In June, there was much talk about the largest foreign investment in the history of Poland: Intel will build a new semiconductor integration and testing facility near Wroclaw for $4.6 billion (Poland currently has about 3,000 startups and over 100 incubators and accelerators for these businesses). All of this significantly changes the image of our country.
We also have the opportunity to become an attractive destination for organizing new technology-related events, such as conferences, congresses, corporate events, hackathons, and e-sports events (including the already famous Intel Extreme Masters ESL Katowice). We have unique venues, and one such gem in Europe is the Kinguin Esports Performance Center in Warsaw.
If you’re still not convinced of the positive changes, I recommend watching two videos by Dominik Andrzejczuk:
“Why I left California for Warsaw, Poland”
and “Poland will be a technological powerhouse.”
POLAND. More than you expected
Or is this too optimistic a perspective? After years of living abroad, my perspective is somewhat different… Thanks to conversations with foreigners who see more than we do on the spot. Despite challenging times, Poland is sending signals that it’s a country worth considering for doing business and, consequently, for attracting tourists and organizing events whose participants can personally experience the transformation process of our country. It’s a universal and inspiring story. It’s simply “Poland. More than you expected.”
Read also:
