Mariska Kesteloo, founder of Word of MICE, recently interviewed Aneta Ksiazek, chief specialist at the Poland Convention Bureau of the Polish Tourism Organisation, who is also a passionate MPI member of many years.
Sitting in the lovely Polonia Palace hotel in the center of Warsaw, Aneta Ksiazek and I talk about the current situation but moreover focus on the image of Poland that has developed over the past months.
The first thing she asks me is do I see anything different—have I noticed anything particular in the daily life of the people in Poland. No, I have to admit, I haven’t seen anything different. Life goes on as usual. I don’t see anyone lying on the street, I don’t see ques, and in the hotel I see different nationalities and a meeting of Abbott is announced on the screen. Just an ordinary day in a business hotel in the center of Warsaw.
Perception
“It’s a pity that the people from different countries suddenly receive a different image because there’s a war in the Ukraine, but there’s no war in Poland,” Ksiazek says. “This might be confusing, but we do have a huge country, one of the biggest countries in Europe. And yes, we do support and host the majority of the refugees in the first place. And many of the refugees go to families and friends here in the country but also a part uses Poland as their first stop and then move on to different countries all over the globe, from Canada to Australia.
“Next, you hear more Ukrainian language on the street but foreigners will not hear the difference in the language. At least I don’t hear the difference. We don’t see them as refugees, we host them as our guests.”
“It’s a pity that the people from different countries suddenly receive a different image because there’s a war in the Ukraine, but there’s no war in Poland.”
History
“Perhaps some of you are not aware but Ukraine was [once] part of our country,” Ksiazek says. “For centuries, Poland was one of Europe’s most powerful states. Mostly it was as the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Most of today’s Ukraine, Belarus and the Baltic states were part of it. Therefore we welcome our guests with open arms. And a lot of people are related or connected with Ukraine, either by family or business. The majority of the actions are done on a private initiative. The Polish government is doing everything it can to provide security for both the nation and the tourists. We are hoping the horrible situation in Ukraine will not discourage tourists from visiting Poland this year. Generally, Poland is a very safe country to travel to.”European Union
Poland stands in solidarity with the Ukrainian people. We are aware of the geographical proximity and close ties with Ukraine, but we are in NATO and EU structures and we act as a community,” Ksiazek says. “We host international events and tourists. Aside from the military and humanitarian assistance Poland was providing to Ukraine, it would also seek to bolster its neighbor’s energy security. Together we’re stronger!
“Of course, when we first received the news it kept us awake the first two weeks. We were shocked—but not only the Polish people here in the country, all over the world. But we were not scared that it would approach us in Poland, as we are part of the European Union and NATO.”
The impact
“The facts are that due to the war, Central & Eastern European destinations with borders to Russia and Belarus are declared toxic for MICE business,” Ksiazek says. “This is especially bad for the Baltic States. Therefore, there is an urgent need for more communication of information—especially from Eastern European countries—transparent communication about the situation on the ground and in the cities of these countries.
“Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki emphasized that Poland is prepared for long-term engagement in the aid provided to Ukraine and its nationals. However, due to the immense costs related to the scale of this aid, we need assistance from international institutions. We also need support from other countries to be able to respond to this challenge.
“We are hoping the horrible situation in Ukraine will not discourage tourists from visiting Poland this year. Generally, Poland is a very safe country to travel to.”
“The impact is huge, on different levels. The biggest impact that we see is that overseas markets have canceled their events, conferences and meetings. And still until today, they are scared. Which is a pity just like you said and see, life goes on as usual. But also we had cancellations from the European market—this is recovering but is still very slow. And the most strange thing is that many people want to donate food, money or clothes. But the best way is to book your event, meeting or conference in the country, and not to postpone.
“Of course you might ask, is it really ethical to book an event now as a few hundred kilometers away there’s a war? Yes, because if we as a country don’t earn any money we can’t support our guests as much as possible. It’s as simple as it is. And with the rising prices and deflation the support by our own industry is crucial.”
When we meet, we change the world
Information
“How far is it from Warsaw to the war zone in Ukraine? It’s the same distance to Paris as to Mariupol in the Ukraine,” Ksiazek says. “Therefore communication is key.“Communication is key. And if you as an event professional have questions, seek out the local convention bureau. We are happy to answer your questions and to give you the support we can.”
