TURYSTYKA JAKO FUNKCJA ROZWOJU MAŁYCH MIAST WOJEWÓDZTWA WARMIŃSKO-MAZURSKIEGO
THE ROLE OF TOURISM IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL CITIES IN THE WARMIŃSKO-MAZURSKIE VOIVODESHIP

Summary/Abstract: In the study, the authors discusses the tourist potential of small cities in the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship, including the current tendencies and potential for development in the future. Detailed analyses are carried out based on selected statistical tourism data for 38 small cities in the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship, and an assessment of six selected indicators of their attractiveness for tourists. For the study’s purposes, small cities were defined as those with a population not exceeding 20,000 residents. In order to refine the analysis, these cities were further divided into four groups: those with up to 5,000 residents, those with 5,000 to 10,000 residents, those with10,000 to 15,000 residents, and those with 15,000 to 20,000 residents. The study revealed that tourism has become the major impetus for development, job creation, and rising income in small cities in the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship for several reasons: the voivodeship’s exceptional natural environment and landscapes, its numerous historical sites, and the growing number of facilities offering dining, accommodation and recreational services. At the same time, when compared to their counterparts in other regions of Poland, these cities are highly competitive in terms of their socioeconomic development. The current state of the transportation network in the voivodeship, however, was shown to be a factor hindering the development of its small cities and diminishing their attractiveness in terms of tourism, and, as a result, negatively affecting their competitiveness.

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