Millions on the image of Polish cities

This year, biggest Polish cities will spend 115 million zloty (around 34 million euro) on promotion.
- Nine million tourists a year, this is an effect of the promotion strategy - praised Isabella Helbin, head of department of promotion in Cracow’s town hall. She also added that this was more than the number of tourists who visited Egypt. And this is not the only effect of the promotion strategy of the city. Other effects, such as increase in numbers of investors, students and even residents means that the city is growing.

The capital of Malopolska was a first town, which has prepared a strategy of promotion. Starting this year, another strategy has been already in force - until 2012 – we do not compete with other Polish cities, but with European cities, such as Barcelona or London. We need to chase the best - says Isabella Helbin. A strength of Cracow good name is huge today and hence we are doing our next step. – We are leaving behind an image campaign, now we are promoting cultural events – adds the head of promotion in Cracow.

Szczecin is an interesting example. After two years of preparation, last year, it starts to work on their brand. It lasted five months and cost less than half million zlotys. And the effects are already visible. A few years’ strategy of promotion has also Gdansk, Kielce, Lublin (recently more visible on billboards in capital), Bielsko-Biala, Dąbrowa Górnicza and Sosnowiec. - The contest for the logo promoting city is in progress. We will settle this contest at the end of June. We are expecting our advertising campaigns for the years 2009 - 2011 - said Gregory Dabrowski, head of the Department of Information and Promotion UM in Sosnowiec.

Szczecin, similarly to Cracow, used outside firms to create a strategy. – This is the biggest mistake when such strategy is being prepared by office workers - believes Isabella Helbin from Cracow. Paul Romaszkan, the director of the Office of Promotion in Wroclaw has different opinion on this subject. The capital of Lower Silesia has started to develop this strategy in late 2002 and 2003. - Both ways are good. In our city huge role play inhabitants – he added.