Adam Wawoczny is the Chairman of the Silesian Tourist Organisation, which the Silesian Voivodeship established to promote Polish Silesia as a tourist destination. It aims to off er Czech tourists historical, natural and technical wonders.
Silesia lies on both sides of the Polish-Czech border. What is the role of your organisation, and what is its focus?
The role of the Silesian Tourist Organisation is to promote the Silesian Voivodeship in the country and abroad as a region characterised by a very diverse natural landscape and a rich cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible. We focus on coordinating tourism marketing activities of regional brands, creating a tourist information system, and cooperating with the Polish Tourist Organisation in this area. We initiate and support many social and economic activities for tourism development. Recently, we have been placing great emphasis on developing new tourist offers and products through infrastructure (creating canoe routes, new cycling trails, equipping tourist routes with tourist- -friendly infrastructure such as rest areas and shelters, information boards, etc.).
What can Polish Silesia off er Czech tourists, and do you also focus on congress tourism?
We have four extremely diverse tourist products. For fans of winter sports or mountain trips, we have the Beskydy Mountains. Close to the border, there is also Těšín Silesia, which connects Poles and Czechs in an unprecedented way and is perfect for tourists travelling in a “slow” style. The Kraków-Częstochowa Upland (also known as the Polish Jurassic Highland or Polish Jura) is a unique landscape with mediaeval castles. It is a paradise for climbing enthusiasts. The Upper Oder’s newest tourist product is an excellent place for active tourists, especially cyclists and water sports enthusiasts, located right at the Polish-Czech border.
Katowice is home to the largest congress centre in Poland. For example, the city hosted the 24th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP24) in 2018, serving up to 20,000 people from 200 UN member states.
The Silesian Tourist Board is currently working on establishing the Silesian Voivodeship’s Regional Convention Bureau, which will promote the entire Silesian Voivodeship as an attractive destination for various meetings and business events.
The Oder River connects the two countries not only in terms of transport but also culturally. You are organising the Upper Oder Festival. How would you entice Czech guests to it?
“Hey crew!” (“Ahoj, posádko!” — original spelling) — this is the slogan of the 2nd edition of the Upper Oder Festival, which will take place from 24–26 June. The festival will offer plenty of attractions. For the little ones, we have prepared umerous animations, workshops and games. For the youth, there will be sports, laser shows and concerts. In addition, we will have family field games, culinary shows, and for the elderly, a Silesian feast. There are also events that bring all generations together, such as the 23rd year of the iconic allegorical vessels, the Regatta on the Rybnik lagoon or numerous boating trips. We cordially invite you and look forward to seeing you!
Thank you for the interview
