Tourism Market Analysis – Data from Summer 2024

Where did the guests come from in summer 2024?

In summer 2024, the structure of guests visiting the Tatras underwent a clear change. Our research shows that as many as 43% of all visitors were residents of the Mazowieckie province, mainly from Warsaw and surroundings. The second largest group, about 21%, consisted of tourists from Silesia. The average age of the respondent was 38, which means we are dealing with a client in their prime, often traveling with a family in a 2+2 arrangement. These people are no longer just looking for a cheap place to sleep, but for specific value, for which they are ready to pay, provided the price is justified by facts. We see the whole picture: this is the group that reacts most strongly to the lack of parking spaces and traffic jams on the access roads to Kuźnice or Morskie Oko.

A surprise for many entrepreneurs may be the increase in the number of foreign tourists by 3.1 percentage points compared to 2023. They currently account for 14.3% of total guests. The most numerous group were citizens of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Arab countries. Czechs stayed in Podhale on average 1.5 days longer than Poles and spent 12% more on gastronomic offers. We verify facts: despite the increase in the number of guests from abroad, only 18% of service points in Zakopane prepared information materials in a language other than Polish and English. This shows a huge market gap that local companies ignore, losing real money every day of the season.

It is worth noting that one-day tourists, the so-called 'Krupówki strollers', accounted for 26% of traffic this year. This is 4% less than last year. This means that Zakopane is slowly regaining its character as a destination where people stay for 3-4 nights. For guesthouse owners, this is good news, but it requires a change in the approach to service. A staying guest catches errors in cleaning or lack of fresh bread at breakfast more quickly. Our data from August 2024 show that one error in service at the beginning of the stay results in a reduction of the final rating of the facility by an average of 1.5 stars in popular booking services.

Tourist's wallet – where did the money go?

The average tourist in 2024 left 342 zlotys per day in the region, not including accommodation costs. This amount is 28 zlotys higher than in the previous year. It might seem like a success, but after deducting inflation and operating costs, the real net profit for many companies fell by about 4%. No sugarcoating: turnover is growing, but less remains in the pocket. The largest part of the budget, as much as 46%, was consumed by food and drinks. Another 18% were expenses for transport and parking, which tourists identified as the most irritating cost element of their holidays in the Tatras.

Buying habits regarding souvenirs have also changed. In 2024, the average expenditure on gifts fell to the level of 32 zlotys per person. Tourists are less likely to buy plastic ice axes or magnets of unknown origin. They are looking for authenticity. Points offering real, certified regional products recorded a 19% increase in sales, while stalls with mass production saw an 11% drop. Hard data from the Tatras show that the customer is becoming aware and prefers to buy one more expensive but real product than several cheap trifles that clutter the luggage. This is a signal for retailers to clear out their warehouses.

An interesting statistic is the timing of payments. As many as 74% of transactions in the gastronomy sector took place after 5:00 PM. This is exactly when, after returning from the trails, wallets opened the widest. Premises that introduced the so-called 'happy hours' between 3:00 and 5:00 PM did not notice a significant increase in revenue. Tourists at that time were still in the mountains or on their way to the center. This is proof that copying strategies from large cities without analyzing the daily rhythm of a mountain resort is a mistake. We verify facts, and they say clearly: the offer must be adapted to the hour of descent from the trail, and not to standard office hours.

A guest in 2024 doesn't pay for the view if they get noise and cold food in the package. Concrete experience is what matters.

Why 19% of guests declare they won't return?

This is the most important and yet hardest conclusion to accept from our report. As many as 19% of the 1,247 surveyed people stated that next year they will choose a different holiday destination. The main reason, contrary to appearances, was not high prices. Only 22% of the resigning group pointed to high costs as a decisive factor. The real problem turned out to be noise, ubiquitous crowds, and a lack of aesthetics in public space. Guests looking for peace in the Tatras received a fairground atmosphere, which for many was unacceptable at current accommodation rates.

The second key factor was the waiting time for services. The average travel time for a 5-kilometer section inside Zakopane at the peak of August was 28 minutes. Additionally, the average waiting time for lunch in popular restaurants was 42 minutes from the moment of entering the premises. For a tourist who came to relax, this is a repetition of daily stress in a large city. We see the whole picture: if logistics in the region do not improve, and restaurant owners do not invest in better work organization, the percentage of people resigning from returning will grow by about 3-5 percentage points per year.

Mention should also be made of the quality of service in smaller guesthouses. 47% of respondents who stayed in facilities outside the strict center complained about the low personal culture of staff or a lack of basic knowledge about the region. A tourist paying 450 zlotys per night expects the employee to help them plan a route or advise where to eat. We verify facts: facilities where the staff was able to provide concrete information about trails and weather had a 34% higher customer loyalty rate. Knowledge is becoming the new currency in tourism, and ignorance the shortest way to bankruptcy.

Gastronomy – hard data on the plate

In July 2024, our Tatra Business Insight team conducted a 'mystery customer' test in 34 restaurants. The average time to provide a menu is 9 minutes. Too long. We waited another 24 minutes for the first course. What's worse, in 12 premises, the food reached the table lukewarm, not hot. This immediately translates into online reviews. We noticed a correlation: every review mentioning a cold meal reduces the number of table reservations in that place by about 11% in the following week. No sugarcoating: a kitchen that doesn't control the temperature of dishes is throwing the owner's money in the trash.

Taste preferences are also interesting. Trout and lamb have gained popularity, winning over the classic pork chop by 34% in the number of orders in 'premium casual' type restaurants. Tourists want to eat locally, but modernly. However, only 15% of the premises were able to indicate the origin of their products. We verify facts: a restaurant that can tell a story about where the cheese or meat comes from achieves 18% higher suggestive selling. People buy a story, not just calories. If the waiter doesn't know which dairy the oscypek is from, they lose the chance to build a relationship with the customer and a higher bill.

We also noticed a problem with menus. Premises with more than 45 items in the menu had 22% higher food waste than those with a short, concrete offer. A guest in 2024 feels overwhelmed by too much choice. Shortening the menu to 15-20 proven items allows not only to raise quality but also to shorten the time of serving dishes by an average of 6 minutes. These are concrete data that translate into higher table rotation and higher profit at the end of the month. Less is more – this is the principle that saved the financial result of many smaller points this season.

Forecasts for Winter 2024/2025

Data from reservation systems as of October 15, 2024, show a drop in early bookings by 14% compared to last year. Tourists have changed strategy – they wait for snow and weather forecasts. The 'last minute' model currently dominates in 62% of inquiries about accommodation during the winter break. This is a huge challenge for the financial liquidity of guesthouses. We see the whole picture: business stability ends where an uncertain aura begins. Facilities that offer packages with included thermal bath tickets or ski passes have 27% higher occupancy in systems than those offering just accommodation.

The key to surviving the winter will be flexibility and packaging. Hard data from the Tatras suggest that a customer is more likely to pay 1,300 zlotys for a stay with specific extras than 1,100 zlotys for a room alone, for which they have to buy every attraction separately. Value added must be visible immediately. At Tatra Business Insight, we verified that changing the communication in offers to one that emphasizes specific time savings (e.g., 'skipass waiting in the room') increases inquiry conversion by 19%. Winter 2024/2025 will belong to those who stop waiting for the customer and start actively analyzing their needs.

Finally, it is worth mentioning the increasing importance of one-day tourism in winter. We expect that as much as 40% of the traffic on weekends will be people from Krakow and the surrounding area who come only for skiing or a walk. This is a group that doesn't need accommodation but needs efficient gastronomy and clean toilets. We verify facts: tourism-related infrastructure is still the weakest link in the region. Companies that focus on the quality of these basic services will take the lion's share of the market in the coming months. No sugarcoating – this will be a season of fighting for every zloty.

Winter 2024/2025 will not forgive a lack of flexibility. Those who give the tourist a concrete reason to move from home despite the lack of snow will win.