WARSAW-Polish Baltic coast tourist numbers, particularly from abroad, are growing steadily, Cushman & Wakefield says in its Polish Seaside Hospitality Market report. The region is the most popular holiday destination, last year accounting for 42% of all holiday trips in the nation.

Rising demand for hotel rooms on the Polish coast is spurring constant development of new hotels and modernization of existing facilities. The 115 hotels now operating in seaside cities along the Polish coast represent 6.3% of total Polish hotel stock. Three-star hotels predominate with 46.4% of beds in 50 schemes, and there are now 23 four and five-star hotels in the most popular resorts with 32% of beds.

Tri-city, Międzyzdroje, Kołobrzeg and Ustka have the most mature hotel industry, while the central coast, from Sarbinowo to Dębki, is least developed. The market is characterized with relatively high occupancy levels and a range of additional services including spa & wellness, swimming pools and bowling alleys. C&W hospitality consultant Dorota Malinowska says a substantial increase in hotel accommodation combined with the improvement of the existing hotel stock - especially on the central coast - is needed for maximum benefit from the region’s tourism potential. But a crucial issue is development of transport infrastructure to make it quicker and easier to get there; this would ensure a steady increase in hotel occupancy levels.