Directions of Economic Transformation of the Wilkowice Commune in the Bielsko County, in the Śląskie Voivodeship (Poland)
Directions of Economic Transformation of the Wilkowice Commune in the Bielsko County, in the Śląskie Voivodeship (Poland)

Summary/Abstract: One of the new forms of rural development is the creation of economic activity zones in their area. They are one of the significant factors shaping the multifunctionality of rural communes. The purpose of this paper is the analysis of the functioning of such a zone in the Wilkowice commune (Poland) in the period 2006–2018. The development factors from the past of the Wilkowice were also presented in the article. The commune located picturesquely in the area of the Wilkowice Gate, on the slopes of the Silesian Beskids and the Little Beskids, developed due to its tourist attractiveness and spa traditions. In the conditions of market economy, the development of the tourist function was hindered. When looking for new drivers of the economy, the commune authorities begun work on establishing an economic zone located far from residential and tourist areas. A zone of approximately 15 hectares was designed, a 1,528-metre long road was constructed and equipped with necessary utilities, with an easy access to the S-1 motorway. Within the zone, 15 new industrial plants started to operate in the years 2011–2018, and more are under construction. Economic effects resulting from the operations of the plants in the zone, which employs approximately 2,000 people, constitute the basis for further constant and sustainable development of the commune, indirectly influencing the intensification of tourism through the modernisation of infrastructure, the creation of new places to stay and the organisation of tourist events. The commune is a good example of multifunctional development based on the coexistence of tourism and industry.

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