Krakow Fortress – Tourism Product of the Year 2023

The aim of the programme and the Tourism Product of the Year symbol is to identify places in Poland that are worth visiting, as well as interesting projects and tourism products. The Tourism award was created to identify services and products from the tourism industry that represent the highest standards and guarantee top level experiences for visitors. It also aims to convey and reinforce positive messages related to cultural activities, both to the local community and tourists.

The winners of the Programme are selected following an analysis of the applications sent by the participants by a specially appointed jury. Awards are given in two categories: Tourism Service of the Year and Tourism Product of the Year, and have been awarded for seven years. So far five companies have been awarded, with Krakow being the only local authority to receive the prize. Applications from several entities are still under consideration for the awards, with scores of applications having been rejected.

Winners of the Programme meet during the Polish Tourism Congress, at which the Final Gala is also held, which this year will be on 1 December 2023 in Krynica.

The idea of rewarding the best products and services originated several years ago during the Polish Tourism Congress in Świdnica.

The competition programme is organised by the ForumBiznesu.pl website, which has its own press edition of Forum Biznesu in “Dziennik Gazeta Prawna”. The portal contains up-to-date news on topics from areas such as business, law, politics, or CSR. Forum Biznesu also organises nationwide competition programmes for companies and institutions, among others: Highest Quality International, Innovation of the Year, Leaders of Social Responsibility (e.g. Credible Local Government category), Friendly Municipality, Good Brand – Quality, Trust, Reputation, Tourism Product/Tourism Service of the Year.

“Krakow Fortress” is one of the city’s most interesting tourism products, with an aim of bringing tourists and residents closer to the ancient heritage of Krakow’s defensive architecture. This heritage includes, among others: the Wawel Castle, the defensive walls with St. Florian’s Gate and the Barbican, as well as more than a hundred buildings of the 19th-century Krakow Fortress, located in various parts of the city and outside its administrative borders.

These sites have grown into the fabric of the city over time and have been adapted for new purposes, with the surrounding greenery used for recreational activities. Some of the buildings became the property of the Municipality of Krakow.

The “Krakow Fortress” tourism product, which binds together the sites and their hosts with the aim of jointly presenting the city’s defensive architectural heritage, is open for visitors and generates increased interest among residents and tourists. It offers the opportunity to see both the buildings themselves and the entire defence complex. Thanks to the large number of hosts of the heritage of Krakow Fortress, guided or individual tours are available on a daily basis or on specific days, as are information boards, memorial chambers, exhibit artefacts, and, from time to time, dedicated meetings, lectures or walks.