More and more tourists in Polish cities

Cracow is a tourist magnate. But Katowice has recorded the biggest increase of visitors.
Kraków, Gdańsk, Wrocław, Poznań are the most attractive cities, they have attracted masses of tourists for years. However, some cities, which were staying in the background so far, now start to take the leading place.
In only 5 years the number of visitors in Łódź grew by 60 percent. In 2006, 284 thousand people stopped there – says Krzysztof Łopaciński, the chairman of The Tourism Institute. Where such growth comes from? - Łodź has had an opinion of a not too interesting industrial centre.
We try to show that apparent disadvantages can be turned into advantages – stresses Kamila Szymczak, the manager of tourism department in The Office of Promotion, Tourism and Co-operation with Foreign Countries of the Łodź's municipality.
In the renovated Łódź prospers the industrial tourism. You can also admire about 200 villas and palaces, which once belonged to the factory owners. - We consequently remind that Łodź has always been a city of four cultures. And we have 40 different types of festivals in the year – specifies Szymczak.
But the biggest increase in the number of visitors was recorded in Katowice. In five years the number of people, who stopped in that city increased more than twice. In 2002 it was 88 thousand, in 2006 already 188 thousand. - The high place of Katowice is certainly a surprise.
Although I think, that this jump has more to do with business than tourism – states chairman Łopaciński.
Can Katowice attract tourists ? - We have some monuments, such as the unique working class district Nikiszowiec, but with traditional powers we cannot match – admits Jakub Jarząbek from The Office of Information and Promotion of Katowice City Council. That is why the city puts on organizing big events, mainly sport. - In the next year we are going to have the European cup in women's volleyball and men's European basketball championship. I also can't imagine that during the Euro 2012 at least two matches wouldn't be played at the Silesia Stadium in the nearby Chorzów. - plans Jarząbek.