The data are clear. The number of foreign visitors browsing connections to Wroclaw Airport is on the rise. According to the statistics provided by Kayak.pl, the largest number of searches was disclosed in the UK, where the overall number of hits rose by 81% against the previous year. With a rise by 74%, Italian tourists come second in the hierarchy. With a growth of nearly 50%, travellers from Norway come third in the hierarchy, and they are followed by tourists from Greece, who have disclosed an increase by 37%.
The top ten also includes Belgium (12%) as well as Sweden and Spain (10%). Poland's neighbouring countires have failed to note any radical increase in this respect, which, according to experts from Kayak.pl, might suggests that their residents will choose cars or trains to travel to Wroclaw.
"Our study reveals that the title of the European Capital of Culture inspires a number of travellers to discover the beauty of both Wroclaw and other destinations in Poland, which is a great piece of news for the entire tourist industry in Poland," says Vera Pershina, Kayak Regional Director for Poland and Russia.
The growing interest in flights to Wroclaw can certainly be related to the city's diverse cultural offer, including architecture, film, literature, music, theatre, performance and visual arts. The events will be organised throughout the year to showcase both Polish and international artists. Wroclaw will play host to the European Film Award Gala; the prize is often referred to as the European Academy Award.
City guides can also feel a growing interest in Wroclaw. They cannot say precisely how many foreign visitors are arriving in Wroclaw to attend ECC events, but they are nonetheless able to confirm that tourist traffic is on the rise. "I have recently toured a large group of tourists from the Czech Republic, but I also know that there are so many Spanish and French visors that there aren't enough guides to serve them," explains one of the guides.
The air traffic statistics at Wroclaw Airport are difficult to interpret, but Airport President Dariusz Kuś reveals that the visibility of Wroclaw Airport among foreign visitors is on the increase.
"For a long time now, Wroclaw has been attracting foreign visitors. Visitors from Italy, the UK or Sweden are now increasingly likely to visit Lower Silesia as tourists. They come to see some of the sights and spend their leisure in Wroclaw. The attractions that draw tourists and increase Wroclaw's visibility, include: Wroclaw ZOO and Afrykarium as well as large events such as last year's European Men's Handball Championship or large cultural events organised as part of ECC 2016," recaps Dariusz Kuś.
