With its mix of sophisticated convention infrastructure, historic charm and consistently excellent value for money, Poland is attracting ever more international association events

A golden Quality-to-Price Ratio

“Poland’s placing in the top 20 in the world as a host of international meetings is not only a confirmation of its infrastructure, technical capabilities and the professionalism of our suppliers. Association planners set the bar high for cities competing for the privilege of hosting events and are looking for something more: that unique cultural experience, the authenticity of a place, its cultural and culinary traditions, local creativity. Polish host cities, so diverse in their character, attract with their extraordinary hospitality and vital locality, as well as the openness of the local community. We are also proud to implement sustainable tourism in all its aspects”

Paula Fanderowska, Chair of the Board of Polish Conference & Congress Association

 

“Poland with its rich history, vibrant culture and modern infrastructure has emerged as a thriving hub for the meetings industry in Europe. Our bureau celebrated its 20^th anniversary last year and we have witnessed a great transformation and professionalisation of the Polish meetings industry in the last two decades. A pool of skilled meetings industry professionals is available to create tailored experiences while Poland's strengths are further enhanced by its leading universities and research institutes, particularly in technology, biochemistry and medicine. The favourable quality-to-price ratio is also a significant advantage.”

Aneta Ksiazek, head of the Poland Convention Bureau at Polish Tourism Organisation:

A culture of hospitality

Hospitality is ingrained in Polish culture, and nowhere is this better illustrated than in Poland’s Congress Ambassadors Programme, which must be one of the largest anywhere in the world. Demonstrating the breadth and excellence of its knowledge sectors, the scheme offers the distinguished services of more than 300 Ambassadors representing academia, science, economics, industry and culture.

 

With Local Ambassador Clubs in Krakow, Warsaw, Wroclaw and Poznan, this year will see the opening of new ones in Lodz and Katowice. Accessing expert assistance and high quality speakers in various knowledge sectors has never been easier.

ICE Krakow. Credit: Polish Tourism Organization

Where to meet? Quality guaranteed 

In order to ensure the high quality of services provided to international association events, the Poland CVB has an accredited Polish Tourism Organisation Recommendation Programme, where partners and suppliers are monitored and awarded. They include convention bureaux, professional congress organisers, and incentive travel companies.

 

Poland offers event planners an impressive range of convention venues throughout the country. Here are some of the finest:

 

• ICE Krakow Congress Center - a multi-functional, state-of-the art congress centre situated in the heart of the city with views of Wawel Royal Castle
  
   
• European Solidarity Center (ESC) - situated in the famous Gdansk Shipyard
  
   
• Poznan International Congress Center and Fairs is host to many large and prestigious events
  
   
• The Centennial Hall in Wroclaw opened in 1913 as an event venue and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site
  
   
• EXPO Warsaw is a large, innovative venue that can accommodate up to 13,000; the Hilton Warsaw City also offers extensive conference facilities
  
   
• SPODEK is a landmark building in Katowice that opened in 1971 and plays host to many large music, sporting and conference events 
  
   
• EC1 Lodz – City of Culture is an exciting renovation of a post-industrial building and played host to the12th Annual Advisory Forum on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe in September
   

 

Focus on Krakow

“Poland, as a meeting place, has a bright future ahead of it. It is a beautiful and fascinating country. The help you provide to Ukraine also deserves admiration, which is not unnoticed in the world. I hope that the ICCA Congress in Krakow has contributed to the popularity of Poland as a MICE destination and that we inspired our delegates to return.”

Senthil Gopinath, CEO, ICCA

 

Loved by visitors for its history and character, its modern hotel infrastructure and sophisticated venues have helped make Krakow Poland’s number one city for meetings.

The TAURON Arena Krakow, the EXPO Krakow International Trade Fair and Congress Centre, the CKF_13 Fabryczna Conference Centre and the ICE Krakow Congress Centre can all accommodate many thousands of participants.

 

And it was the ICE Krakow Congress Centre that welcomed the 61st ICCA Congress in 2022.

 

“This is an event that the largest cities in the world compete for. We are the first city in Poland to successfully organise an ICCA Congress and thanks to this truly significant event, Krakow is entering the premier league of the meetings industry."

Małgorzata Przygórska-Skowron, head of the Krakow Convention Bureau

 

Memorable occasions and forthcoming events

From medieval castles and palaces to revitalised industrial event spaces, there is a huge choice of memorable places in which to host a welcome reception, gala dinner or networking event in every city. The Wilanow Royal Palace in Warsaw provides a magnificent backdrop while Wieliczka, near Krakow, is a former Salt Mine and UNESCO World Heritage Site that is an utterly extraordinary venue for an unforgettable event. There are many others.

• Warsaw – World Allergy Organization Congress (WAC) and 16th World Congress of Semiotics in 2024 
• Wroclaw – The European Multicolloquium of Parasitology (EMOP) Conference 2024 and the Stochastic Processes and Applications (SPA) Conference 2025 
• Gdansk – Velo-city 2025 the World Cycling Summit

 

Looking for inspiration for your next meeting or event? Contact the Poland Convention Bureau or click here.