Developing Senior Tourism in Remote Regions (TOURAGE)

Podkarpackie Voivodeship (Region), which is a partner in TOURAGER Project, is a relatively young organization. Following administrative changes in Poland, self-governmental regions along with marshal’s offices were established in 1999. Marshal’s offices implement tasks of regional self-governments in respect of regional governance and management. Managing social and economical development of Polish regions belongs to their key competences as they support a number of sectors and individual initiatives, both in a short- and long-term perspective. That is the reason why a marshal’s office can be considered as the key regional player.

The most important competences of marshal’s office in respect of tourism refer to a wide variety of activities. On the one hand they refer to categorization of tourist objects and hotels, grant permissions to tourist guides and trip pilots and supervising tourist operators. Other sphere of actions regards cooperation with tourist organizations, creation of new products and regional tourist promotion. This scope of activities and tasks are extremely broad, the more that the tourist sector in one of the most dynamically developing areas of regional economy.

Owing to the establishment of Regional Tourist Offices in each Polish region, marshal’s offices have obtained strong and competent partners and allies, whose key task is regional tourist promotion. Regional Tourist Offices, which gather self-governments, tour operators, hotels and other tourist organizations and entities, took a part of marshal’s offices’ competences and tasks in respect of regional tourism development. Nevertheless, it does not change the fact that Polish marshal’s offices cooperate with all their regional tourist organizations and institutions. There are systematic meetings between marshal’s office representatives and tourist industry focused first of all on coordination of promotional activities on all levels, improvement and developing new tourist offer, working out solutions facilitating the functioning of the tourist sector.

Marshal’s Office of Podkarpackie Voivodeship also performs a role of the Managing Institution of the Regional Operational Programme (RPO), financed mostly by the European Regional Development Fund. RPO is the main source financing the development of Podkarpackie Region. It supports a broad variety of activities, mostly of investment character. They are addressed to self-governments of all levels, public institutions, universities, health sector and entrepreneurs. RPO is also the key source of financing tourist projects.

 

Senior tourism In Podkarpackie Region

Tourism industry is one of the most important sectors of the economy of Podkarpackie region. For several years its high potential in this respect has been increasingly supported by public funds aimed at investment and training activities. On the other hand, regional authorities have strengthened efforts focused on setting up a new regional tourist brand and the improvement of regional tourist offer.

The issue of tourism of elderly people increasingly appears in this context. Taking into account ageing Polish and other European societies, seniors represent growing group of potential customers of tourist offer. Not only single offers, but more and more numerous products and services are designed for this market segment. Bieszczadzkie Nordic Walking Centre, located around Myczkowieckie Lake, adjusted part of its routes particularly for the needs of elderly tourists. Growing number of tourist organizations, for example Rzeszow Branch of Polish Touring Association (PTTK) set up tourist and training initiatives addressed to people 55+ years old. Arboretum (botanic garden) in Bolestraszyce near Przemyśl created a special garden of senses, first of all for persons with visual and motion impairments. These initiatives, belonging to a set of Podkarpackie good practices presented in TOURAGE project, proved to be useful and increasingly popular.

In forthcoming months, activities of Podkarpackie Region as TOURAGE Project Partner, will focus on contracted expert’s search both in respect of incoming foreign senior tourism traffic and local seniors. The percentage of foreign tourists in our region slowly, but systematically increases. We want to see whether this process also regards senior tourists.

From the other side, there is the key question how needs of clients representing this age group, are met. It seems that more and more of tour operators, and tourist managers realize what is the importance of elderly clients and their needs for the market. At the same time we have no full knowledge how tourist sector meets these needs.

Our expert will also examine the tourist activity of seniors – region’s inhabitants. As above, we want to check out how their expectations and needs are met by providers of tourist services.

Podkarpackie region considers itself as the area enjoying the particular attention among lovers of natural and cultural tourism. In this context, region’s peripheral character can be perceived as advantage strengthening its endogenous potential in both fields of expert’s activity.