Overnight Stay in Poland - An Interview

Transcription

1 PROJECT COMPETE..! NARODOWY RAPORT 2011 NATIONAL REPORT POLAND IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF THE NEEDS OF STRATEGIC COMPETENCE MANAGEMENT IN TOURISM SECTOR (HORECA) Analysis has been completed within the project European Model of Strategic Competencies Management in Tourism Sector under Lifelong Learning Programme. Krakow, May 2011 Nowe Motywacje sp. z o.o. 1

2 1. Overall economic situation in Poland In 2010, the annual growth rate of prices of consumer goods and services in Poland amounted to 2.6%. In recent months, however, there has been a significant rise in inflation above 2.5%, reaching 3.1% in December 2010 In the third quarter of 2010, real GDP grew by 4.2% y/y compared with 3.5% y/y in the second quarter. In the fourth quarter of 2010, real GDP grew by 4.3% y/y. Despite the considerable acceleration of economic growth, 2010 saw a further increase of the public finance deficit, which rose to approximately 7.9% of GDP. The amount of public debt also increased in to around 53.5% of GDP. The job market has observed a further increase in employment, as indicated by both the number of employees in the third quarter, as well as data on employment in the business sector in the fourth quarter of 2010 and January At the same time, a significant increase in the number of people actively seeking employment will result in higher unemployment statistics. The unemployment rate in March 2011 stood at 13.1% compared with 13.2% in February. Job centers had million people registered as unemployed thousand fewer than in February. A slight drop in unemployment occured, as expected by experts. Average monthly gross wage in the national economy in the first quarter of 2009 amounted to 3, PLN and 2, PLN in the accommodation and catering industry, wherein the average wage in the public sector was 2, PLN compared with 2, PLN in the private sector. The fourth quarter of 2010 has seen a notable increase in wage growth in the economy. In the business sector the average gross salary in March 2011 amounted to 3, PLN. According to the data provided by the Central Statistical Office it grew by 4% compared with March 2010 and by 6.2% in February Tourism sector in Poland (focus on HoReCa) Tourism in Poland is an industry looked upon with more and more hope for its future role in the economy. Total revenues in 2010 amounted to U.S. $ 10.4 billion, out of which 5.2 billion (ie 50.3%) came from tourists and the remainder from one-day visitors. A distinctive feature of Polish tourism is that a significant portion of the total amount of expenditures every year are purchases made in order to sell the asset later on. In 2009 theese purchases amounted to U.S. $ million, wherin million are purchases by tourists. The tourism economy and the accommodation and catering sector employed 114,900 people, out of which 6,900 worked in the private sector and 108,000 worked in the private sector (which constitutes 87% of the total). In July 2010, there were 7,206 registered collective accommodation facilities, including 3,223 hotels and 3,983 other objects hotels constituted the largest group among hotel facilities, as in previous years. The next largest group were other hotel facilities. This group includes hostels, motels, guesthouses, others not attributed to any category, as well as facilities providing hotel services (such as daily cleaning, bed-making) - e.g. guest houses or inns. In 2010 the total of such facilities stood at 1011 facilities. Among the remaining groups of facilities holiday resorts were the biggest group with 1154 facilities. In total 214 more collective accommodation facilities were accounted for compared with

3 Data collected on the use of accommodation in 2010 shows that 20.5 million tourists have taken advantage of the collective accommodation facilities, 20.2% of which were foreign tourists. Compared to the corresponding period of 2009 the market saw a 5.7% increase in the number of tourists in total and a 7.1% increase in the number of foreign tourists. The number of tourists staying at collective tourist accommodation in 2009 and

4 Collective tourist accommodation facilities 2009 in thousands 2010 in thousands % Change Total 19, , Hotels 10, , Motels Bed and Breakfasts Other hotel facilities 1, , Dormitories Hostels Youth hostels School youth hostels Resorts 1, , Youth camps Training and recreation centers 1, , Houses for creative work Tourist cottages Campsites Campersites Health resorts Other unclassified * 1, , Most of the tourists million spent the night in hotels, and only 6.1 million chose other facilities, i.e. bed and breakfasts, hostels, campsites, etc. More than half of all tourists stayed in hotels (11.7 million), a 10.3% increase compared with 2009 (10.6 million). The same was true among foreign tourists, who overwhelmingly chose the hotel facilities. 3.7 million tourists chose hotels and 0.5 million preferred other collective accommodation facilities. The so-called "other hotel facilities" (e.g. inns, villas, castles) rose in popularity, hosting over 1.9 million visitors, 13.5% more than in Out of all the other objects most tourists stayed in resorts (1.5 million people) and centers for training and recreation (1.2 million people). Data for 2010 and 2009 shows a comparable similar interest in overnight stays at spa facilities, which hosted around 0.6 million visitors each year. From January to the end of December 2010 hotel facilities (i.e. hotels, motels, guesthouses and others) rented out 16.6 million rooms, out of which over 5.2 million were rented to foreign tourists. Most of them, up to 13.5 million were hotel rooms (including 4.7 million rented to tourists). In total hotels, motels, guesthouses and other hotel facilities had a collective occupancy of 39.1% in The highest occupancy rate in hotels was observed in Mazowieckie (52.0%), Zachodniopomorskie (42.8%) and Malopolskie (42.1%) and lowest in Lubelskie (31.8%). In 2010 as in 2009 the highest occupancy rate in hotel facilities was recorded in September (47.3%) and the lowest in January (29.7%). Compared to the previous year, occupancy in hotels remained almost at the same level (39.2% in 2009). During the period from January to December 2010, the utilization rate of accommodation in all tourist establishments amounted to 34.3% which is 35.7% less than in The best performance was recorded by spa facilities with a 73.1% occupancy rate. The lowest use of these objects was observed in January 2010 (47.0%), which was 37.5 percentage points less compared to August, when the utilization of beds in spa facilities was as high as 4

5 84.5%. The hotel facilities occupancy rate was 31.9%, which is less than in non-hotel accommodation facilities (36.9%). In 2009, the hotel facilities occupancy rate was 32.2% and 39.3% in remaining objects. Over the past year 55.8 million overnight stays were recorded, including nearly 10.1 million by foreign tourists. The highest numbers of visitors in collective accommodation establishments were recorded in the following regions: Zachodniopomorskie (9.4 million), Malopolskie (8.0 million) and Pomorskie (5.7 million). Hotel facilities provided 27.1 million overnights compared with 28.7 million provided by remaining establishments. Most overnight stays were in hotels (21.2 million), holiday resorts (8.4 million), spa facilities (7.7 million), other hotel facilities (4.4 million) and training and recreation centers (4.1 million). The largest number of overnight stays provided for foreign tourists was recorded in hotels million, representing 70.6% of all accommodation provided for this tourist group in collective accommodation establishments in that period. Number of overnight stays by regions in 2010 As in 2009, the vast majority (82%) of foreign tourists visiting Poland in 2010 chose accommodation in hotels. This applies for example to visitors from Israel and Japan (96%), Greece and USA (93%), United Kingdom (91%), 5

6 Switzerland and Italy (90%), and Luxembourg (89%). The smallest number of foreign tourists was recorded at typically summer holiday establishments. This is due to the fact that a significant proportion of foreign tourists arriving in Polish were here on business. In 2009 the proportions of basic tourism areas were as follows: - business (3.2 million visitors in 2009, down by 400 thousand); - typical holiday tourism (2.9 million, 500 thousand less than in 2008); - visiting relatives and friends (2.15 million250 thousand less than in 2008); - shopping (0.95 million in 2009, 350 thousand more than in 2008); - transit with an overnight stay in Poland (0,9 million in 2009 year, 500 thousand less than in 2008). According to the latest CSO data throughout 2010 years the number of foreigners in the accommodation facilities increased by 6.3%, while the number of overnight stays by 3.7%. According to revised forecasts of the Institute of Tourism, the total number of tourist arrivals will bounce back from a drop to 13 million in 2008 and to 11.9 million in 2009, will slowly grow to around 13.6 million between 2012 and The key factors in the development of the HoReCa market are: Increasing salaries, Changing consumer habits, resulting from a faster way of life of the Poles, which is related to the lack of time and willingness to prepare meals at home, Increasing number of singles, Increased consumer optimism, Low saturation of the market, An increasing number of facilities in attractive locations, Fewer problems with finding staff - the companies are hoping for Poles to come back from emigration, Development of tourism, The development of catering facilities in Poland in connection with the organization of Euro 2012 New opportunities to spend time away from home - shopping malls as a new opportunity to use restaurant facilities, as well as the general trend of spending more time in the so-called third place between home and work. In a survey PMR Research asked respondents about factors that could help in the future development of companies in the food service market. It turns out that most companies are counting on the growing wealth of society, resulting in more people being able to afford to eat out. One in five companies is counting on their own marketing activities, and one in six on loyalty to their brand. A relatively high percentage of companies (14%) expect that a merger with another company or a private investment will contribute to the development of their franchise. This means that a number of companies have a positive attitude towards cooperation with an outside investor. The most 6

7 vulnerable segment are regular restaurants and the anticipated economic slowdown could benefit pizzerias and fast food. The report also says that consumers with well-established habits will choose a cheaper offer, rather than completely giving up catering services. For food producers, this means that their presence in the HoReCa market should diversify and they should highlight their position, both in the casual dining and fast food chains. Characteristics of the tourism sector, broken down by region: 1. Dolnośląskie Dolnośląskie Voivodeship is situated in southwestern Poland; it is bordered by Germany in the westand by the Czech Republic in the south. Beautiful landscapes, mild climate, health and fitness qualities, architectural monuments and wonderful nature constitute the attractiveness of the region. The occurrence spring waters favors the development of health spa resorts located in the Valley at the foot of the Karkonosze Mountains. The proximity of the border with Germany and the Czech Republic means that the region is in the zone of influence of the highranking European cities: Berlin, Vienna and Prague. According to statistical data there are 720 tourist facilities awaiting visitors in Dolnośląskie, including 176 hotels and a total of 47 thousand beds. 2 million people visit the region every year. Every fourth visitor is a foreigner. 2. Kujawsko-pomorskie The region is located in the belt of the Great Valleys included in the lake districts: Wielkopolskie, Pomorskie and Mazurskie. There are great opportunities for hiking, canoeing and cycling. The most interesting scenic and cultural areas have more than one hundred of hiking trails with a total length of about 1.2 thousand kilometers and more than 300 kilometers of bike lanes. Kujawsko-pomorskie there are 307 tourist objects with a total of 24.7 thousand beds, according to figures from the CSO. Annually, they are host to 750 thousand people. Approximately 11 percent of them being foreigners. On average a visitor spends nearly four days in the region. 3. Lubelskie Lublin Voivodeship is situated in the central-eastern part of the country. It is the most easterly region in both Poland and European Union, from the east it borders with Belarus and Ukraine. Most recognizable landmarks in Lubelskie are Kazimierz Dolny on the Vistula River, Puławy, a popular resort in Nałęczów and the unique nature of Roztocze. The most valuable monument is the Chapel of the Holy Trinity located at the Lublin Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lubelskie offers 307 facilities, with a total of 18,997 beds. More than half (56%) of them are facilities operating yearround. According to the CSO, over 616 thousand tourists visit the region each year. Nearly 16% of its guests come from abroad - mostly from the Ukraine and Belarus. Spa facilities are especially popular. Large border crossings on the eastern border operate in the region: Dorohusk and Hrebenne (Ukraine) and Terespol (Belarus). 4. Lubuskie Land of Lubuskie is one of the most attractive areas in western Poland. Many forests, lakes, scenic parks and nature reserves and monuments attract a large number of tourists. According to the CSO at the peak of the tourist season there are 319 accommodation establishments at the disposal of visitors to the region, with a total of 22.7 thousand beds, including 11 thousand available year-round. Important factor in local tourism is the number of foreign tourists. Nearly a third of tourists staying in collective tourist accommodation facilities was from outside the country thousand tourists out of a total of a little less than 650 thousand. 7

8 5. Łódzkie Łódzkie is a region located in the center of Poland. It is full of places of unique cultural value. The regional capital Łódź - one of the biggest cities in the country, once a basin for Polish industrialists, today it is dubbed Polish Manchester because of the numerous historic industrial-residential units. Their climate has enchanted many filmmakers from around the world, David Lynch being just one of them. Other interesting places are Łowicz, Piotrków Trybunalski and the Palace in Nieborów. According to the CSO Łódzkie offers 219 hotel facilities and over 16 thousand beds. In 2007 collective accommodation facilities hosted 1.7 million overnight stays, 15% of which of foreign tourists. 6. Małopolskie Małopolska is one with the oldest parts of the country. Krakow is the capital of the region, a city that has long been considered the cultural capital of Poland. It is known for famous sights such as Wawel Castle, the renaissance Cloth Hall, and the market square, which is one of the largest and most beautiful in Europe. In addition to the Krakow, Małopolska is famous for the Tatra Mountains and Zakopane, which belong to one with most popular and most traditional tourist places in our country. CSO statistics provide proof of the region s popularity. In 2007, the number of people who have decided to spend the night in the region exceeded 2.8 million, out of which every third visitor was a foreigner. They had at their disposal 843 tourist facilities offering over 64 thousand beds. 7. Mazowieckie Mazowieckie is primarily lowlands, including mainly the Środkowopolska Plain. The Vistula river valley runs through the center of the plain. There are water recreation areas such as the lakes Gostyński and Zegrzyński. The largest forested areas are forests: Kampinoska, Kurpiowska, White, Mariańska and Kozienicka. Tourism is bolstered by good connections with European cities, the high level of hotel services and public transport and a wealth of historic buildings. Warsaw serves as the largest tourist center. Outside the city there are many interesting places to visit - Żelazowa Wola, Opinogóra, Warka, Pułtusk, Czarnolas, castles of the Piast dynasty period in Ciechanów, Czersk and Płock and museums in Radom and Sierpc. According to the CSO, accommodation consists of 320 facilities, including 178 hotels with a total of 36,000 beds awaiting visitors. Tourists often spend the night in hotels (85%) There is a large number of foreign tourists (more than 30%) especially Germans and Americans. 8. Opolskie Much of the Voivodeship is covered by forests, which constitute four national scenic parks and a number of protected areas and nature reserves. Opolskie is a region rich in monuments, buildings from different eras, ranging from Gothic castles, Baroque palaces, to the nineteenth century private mansions. Tourism is growing in the Opole region in both summer and winter but despite favorable conditions for tourism the region has a relatively small infrastructure. At the end of 2007 there were 7.9 thousand beds in 121 tourist sites. In 2007 hotel facilities hosted more than 585 thousand overnight stays, out of which 16.5% were foreign tourists. The Central Statistical Office registered 18 types of accommodation establishments; chief among them was the largest group of hotels (22.3%). Among the foreign tourists (36.6 thousand) Germans were by far the largest group. 9. Podkarpackie Podkarpackie province is situated in southeastern Poland. The most attractive region is the Bieszczady mountains region. The scenic Beskid Niski and Sandomierz Basin areas also have a lot to offer, being most famous for many cultural monuments. According to the CSO Podkarpackie offers 336 establishments (5% of all establishments operating in the country) including 58 hotels. A total of 20.6 thousand beds await tourists. Tourist farms are increasingly popular. According to data from Podkarpackie Agricultural Advisory Centre, there are over 600 of them and they have more 8

9 than 5.7 thousand beds. In 2007 Podkarpackie welcomed 593 thousand tourists, 11.2% of that number were foreigners. Most visitors came from the Ukraine, Germany, Israel, France and Great Britain. 10. Podlaskie Podlaskie region stretches along the picturesque Podlaskie Lowlands adjacent to the Mazury Lake District and Mazowiecka Lowlands. From the east it borders with Belarus and with Lithuania to the north. Nature is the main attraction here and Podlaskie deserves to be called the green lungs of Poland - valuable forests, unique fauna and flora are the treasures of the region. According to the CSO there are 169 accommodation facilities in the region (176 in the previous year), including 103 open year-round. There are 42 hotels and the total accommodation of the region is 11.3 thousand beds. Most tourist facilities are located in the north and east of the region. In thousand tourists visited the region, including 91 thousand guests from abroad. Most tourists came with Estonia, Belarus, Germany and Lithuania. 11. Pomorskie Pomorskie Voivodeship is situated in the northern, coastal part of Poland. The Baltic Sea coastline in the province, including the Gulf of Gdańsk, constitutes 60% of total coastline of the country. The biggest attractions of the region are the Tri-city area (Gdańsk, Gdynia, Sopot with its famous pier), the cultural richness of the ancient Kaszuby region, quicksands in Sowińskiego National Park, and Malbork Castle. Accommodation consists of 807 tourist facilities (including 203 of the hotel type) with a total of 86 thousand beds. 18% percent of tourists visiting the region came from abroad with Germans being more than 40% of them. Most hotel rooms are located in Gdańsk, Sopot and Puck Bay. Most hotels are objects of mid-range category, mostly 3 and 2-stars establishments. 12. Śląskie Silesian region is located in the southern part of the country, bordering to the south with the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The region is known primarily for the pilgrimage center of Częstochowa together with its picturesque surroundings, inviting cyclists and hikers. Other attractions include the underground tourist route in Tarnowskie Góry and beautiful scenic villages of Beskid Żywiecki. 394 accomodation facilities await tourists in the region, including 101 hotels. Eight out of ten foreign tourists visiting the province stay in hotels. Overall there are over 33 thousand beds available. The most visited places are the towns of Katowice, Częstochowa and Cieszyn with its surroundings. 13. Świętokrzyskie Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship is situated in southeastern part of the central Poland and occupies 3.7% area of the country. The biggest attraction is the Świętokrzyskie Mountains with their scenic landscapes covered with unique rocky rubbles called gołoborza. Tourists will find 129 collective accommodation facilities, out of which 43 are hotels. Accommodation comprises a total of 9.8 thousand establishments. In 2007 the region was visited by 392 thousand people, merely 7.7% of that number were foreign tourists. 14. Warmińsko-mazurskie Warmińsko-mazurskie is located in northeastern part of Poland and is the only part of the country that has a land border with Russia. This is one of the most attractive tourist regions in the country, as evidenced by the fact that only last year 818,723 tourists visited the province. The picturesque Great lakes, Warmia and Mazury Stork Trail and the cities of Mikołajki and Olsztyn attract visitors. Almost of foreign tourists are Europeans (96.8%), the Germans constituting a whopping 57.9% of that group. 15. Wielkopolskie 9

10 Wielkopolskie is situated in central-western part of Poland. What attractes visitors are beautiful landscapes a number of culturally relevant locations on the one hand, on the other the availability and constant development of hospitality services. The main attractions include the Basillica in Licheń, Poland's largest church, 7 th largest in Europe and 11 th in the world, Gniezno, Ostrów Lednicki and Dziekanowice with their respective surroundings, which are the cradle of Polish statehood and history. Another attraction is the hydrologic phenomenon of crossing rivers Nielba and Wełna. Accommodation in Wielkopolskie includes 516 establishments, 331 of them open year-round, with a total of over 36 thousand beds. The hotel base consists of 131 hotels, 17 motels, 10 guesthouses and 55 "other" hotel facilities. In 2006 the region hosted 2.5 million overnight stays. 20% of visitors are foreigners (40% from Germany). According to data from 2006 tourists can also take advantage of 220 restaurants, 97 cafeterias, 95 catering outlets and as many as 162 bars and cafes. 16. Zachodniopomorskie Land border with Germany and maritime connections with Denmark and Sweden make this Voivodeship attractive for tourists. The best-known landmarks are Darłowo a jewel of local architecture, Woliński National Park with amazing flora and faun, as well as the cities of Szczecin, Stargard Szczeciński and Gryfino. 850 collective accommodation facilities operate in the region, 363 of which are open year-round. At the peak of tourist season in late July 2006, the collective accommodation system had thousand beds. According to CSO, the number of people staying at various hotel facilities reached 1.5 million last year. They provided 9.1 million overnight stays. Foreign tourists accounted for 27.5% of all visitors. The average tourist clocked in an average of 5.9-day visit in An important advantage of tourist facilities is that a lot of the provide. 10

11 2. Characteristics of businesses in HoReCa sector in Poland The dynamic development of this sector is associated with a lifestyle change for the Poles, who are more and more likely travel (whether for business or pleasure), eat out more often, order take-out meals, organize parties, conferences, etc. A further development of this trend is predicted. The growing involvement of large corporations in the HoReCa sector may also testify as to its future potential. To give an example, Nestlé developed Nestlé FoodServices, a new unit that specializes in providing products for professional foodservices. Cadbury Wedel also have their aims set for this sector, with part of its chocolate production addressing this market specifically. The same applies for Bonduelle producer of processed foods. The hotel industry alone has seen a long-awaited revival. In the second half of 2010 the number of business trips increased and more conferences were held, which resulted in high rates of booking. Forecasts for next year are even more optimistic. According to the Institute of Tourism the number of foreign visitors will continue to grow. In the first half of 2010 six million people visited our country from abroad, 4% more than in This upward tendency is expected to continue in coming months and years. Experts from Colliers calculated that in Poland there are only about 20 rooms per every 10 thousand residents, while the Western European average is 200 rooms per 10 thousand residents. The value of the catering sector, including restaurants, fast food chains, cafe and bars serving alcohol, was estimated at 19.4 billion PLN in This means a steady growth of 6.6% compared with The restaurant market in Poland is not yet fully saturated and will continue to expand in subsequent years, mainly thanks to changing social behaviors. Between 2005 and 2008 the Polsish HoReCa market grew by 19%. According to PMR analysts that growth rate will be hard, if not impossible to maintain. They predict that he growth rate will decline from 6.6% to about 3%. Good prospects invite investors to return to the Polish hotel market with their projects. For example West Real Estate has plans for expansions in this sector and is expected to debut at the stock market soon. The company specializes in investing in projects related to the acquisition of property and transferring its management process to subsidiaries. Hilton is also planning new investments. Over the next few years, the group wants to open a total of seven hotels in Poland under three brands: Hilton, Doubletree by Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn. One of them will be built in Wrocław and one in Łódź. Starwood Hotels & Resorts network also has plans to expand in our. The fifth hotel under the Sheraton brand is scheduled to open in late 2011 or early 2012 in the Warmińsko-mazurskie province. At the end of the year the construction of a four-star Novotel is set to begin. Analysts estimate a total of about 2 billion PLN will be invested in Poland over the next two years. The hotel infrastructure is set to grow by about 100 new establishments annually. Typical characteristics of organizations representing the HORECA sector The CSO data shows that the number of catering establishments in Poland has been growing for the last 10 years. By the end of 2006 there were 92.4 thousand such establishments, since 1995 their number increased by over 31.5 thousand. During this time the number of restaurants increased by nearly five thousand, the number of bars grew by 17.5 thousand, the office also registered 3 thousand more cafeterias and 6 thousand more other various catering establishments. Today almost the entire catering sector is private (96%). The structure of the database is quite diverse. The largest group consists of bars and cafes (44%) and the so-called catering facilities (38%), a smaller share in catering establishments are restaurants (10%) and cafeterias (8%). According to REGON data gathered in, "Hotels and restaurants" amounted for 115,136 objects, out of which 114,274 operated in the private sector and only 862 were in the public sector. 11

12 In 2007 the average employment in accommodation and catering amounted to 163,330 people. HoReCa employees are mainly young people: their average age is 34.5, and one third is younger than 24. Small companies employing from 2 to 9 workers dominate the market. PMR Research - PMR's research department - conducted a survey in March and April 2010 among more than 600 catering establishments in Poland. The survey was conducted for the most recent PMR report: "HoReCa market in Poland Market analysis and forecasts." Establishments with annual revenues of less than 50 thousand PLN represented 45% of the market in Just over one third (35%) of all units recorded revenues between 50 and 200 thousand PLN in the previous year and 20% had revenues of more than 200 thousand PLN. Considering the location of restaurant facilities, premises located in shopping centers registered the highest revenues - 34% of them achieved revenues of more than 200 thousand PLN and 53% within the limits of thousand PLN. The lowest income was recorded by facilities located in rural areas, away from major highways. The results of the analysis indicate that among 65% of these facilities revenues in did not exceeded 50 thousand PLN in More than half (55%) of all food service establishments recorded a decrease in sales in 2009 compared with 2008 and 21% declared an increase in sales. Almost a quarter of the market (24%) did not notice a change in value of sales during that period. Four-fifths of establishments operating in shopping centers recorded a drop in sales, 22% on average. In comparison none of these facilities recorded an increase in sales in One in four locations in shopping centers or along major streets declared an increase in sales in 2009 (18% on average), while just over a half of these locations reported a decrease in sales (27% on average). It is worth noting that among the outlets located at points of passenger service (i.e. at railway stations), no institution has recorded a drop in revenue in Most of the companies participating in the study declared that they have a stable staff. Some declared occasional changes in positions such as a receptionist or a waiter. Only occasionally there companies admitted to hiring foreigners. When asked the question "Does the company run a system of periodic evaluation of employees" in the vast majority of cases, the answer was that they do not have or need such a system. The respondents indicated that the owner or the immediate supervisor had the best discernment when it comes to employees. 90% of enterprises have some sort of a incentive system in place. Virtually every respondent is aware that employee motivation has an impact on business performance. Mostly they pointed out the financial forms of motivation, other forms of non-financial incentives were mentioned less often, like promotions, corporate events, awards and training. Main, objective problems of HORECA sector in Poland The study of the tourism sector in Poland shows that the main problem faced by the HoReCa companies is the so-called seasonality of business activities. According to respondents this has a decisive influence on corporate management and above all on staff management. Maintaining a full staff throughout the year and incurring the fixed costs of employment with a very diverse number of visitors in the low season is the most difficult problem among the surveyed companies. High cost of doing business was another problem often mentioned by the respondents, as were the problems with finding a properly trained and competent personnel. According to similar studies conducted by PMR on the activities of catering companies on the Polish market, the problem with finding staff due to emigration of Poles to other EU countries is currently the biggest barrier for development. Most have major difficulties caused by high costs of doing business - especially high rents 12

13 and fees, less often mentioned are the relatively high costs of labor and opening the new facilities. For one in five owners a lot of competition on the market constitutes a problem, as does the lack of good locations for new premises. Existing educational system Lifelong learning in as part of the education system in Poland is organized and carried out in schools and adult learning centers, facilities for practical education, centers for vocational training and development. Students graduating from junior high school may continue their studies in the following types of schools: 1. Vocational schools 2. Three-year secondary schools 3. Three-year specialized secondary schools 4. Four-year engineering schools 5. Two-year supplementary general secondary schools for graduates of vocational schools, 6. Three-year supplementary technical schools for graduates of vocational schools, 7. General secondary schools The next stage of education is higher education: Higher Vocational Schools, Universities and Academies. In addition, continuing education can be implemented on the terms specified in the regulations for economic activity (e.g. commercial) or the principles under other legislation, such as provisions meant to regulate some professions. Data from the Central Examination Committee (CKE) shows that 45.8 thousand vocational school graduates and thousand technical and general secondary school graduates attempted to pass professional examination in A total of thousand people or 66.4% of all candidates received a diploma. The three most frequently chosen professions by vocational school graduates in 2010 were: catering chef ( graduates), salesperson (9.698) and car mechanic (4.857). The number of candidates and passing rate for professional examinations among graduates of vocational schools in 2010 were as follows: catering chef (10.795, 92.7%), hotel management technician (9.013, 55.7%), nutrition and household technician (8.619, 66, 8%). A characteristic feature of the Polish system of lifelong learning since the early 90s is a dispersed and spontaneously growing system of service sector training facilities for the unemployed. You can also see a strong spatial heterogeneity in the location of these services. Almost 95% of adult learning in the school system takes place in urban areas. Tourism Development Strategy for and the National Development Plan for these years are actively promoting the growth of quality of tourism personnel education, both in the business sector as well as the public sector and NGOs. The diagnosis made by the Department of Tourism, Ministry of Economy in 2002 on the state of education and training of tourism personnel, was that many activities were undertaken to improve the quality 13

14 of education at secondary school level, i.e., vocational and secondary education. In 2000 Ministry of Economy recommended a new faculty at the higher level of education for tourism staff, in the area of tourism and recreation. In the first decade of the new millennium universities exploded of new specialties, especially in management and international tourism, adapting to education market needs. In the proposed Tourism Development Strategy for , tourism as an instrument of the knowledge-based economy of the knowledge was contained in the second area of strategic development, i.e. "Human resource development." All scheduled tasks relate to support training and professional development. From 2010 the Ministry of Regional Development also directed their efforts toward support of education and training in the HoReCa or leisure industry. The Action Plan for 2010 contained favorable strategic points for HoReCa training co-financed by the European Social Fund. Thanks to the Fund thousands of industry workers between January 2011 and December 2012 will be able to participate in training courses while paying only 10% of training costs. In addition to education provided in secondary schools, as well as courses in Masters and undergraduate studies, industry employees have the opportunity to upgrade their skills and acquire new knowledge through participation in numerous workshops and courses. MACRO Business Development Centre in the Perfect Business project provides such courses - among others. Another project indirectly educating industry staff is the "European HoReCa Teacher Programme", which allows employees to raise their professional qualifications and enrich skill set of a teacher associated with the catering industry. The program was prepared for the economically active vocational teachers and instructors of such professions as chef and waiter, and related occupations. Required and expected qualifications in key positions: the receptionist, the maid, the waiter, the chef The Receptionist According to a study conducted by a Polish HR company Sedlak & Sedlak as much as 40 percent of receptionists are singles. In a ranking of occupations that are characterized by the highest number of loners, the receptionist is the undisputed leader. In nearly every job advertisements for this position the emphasis is on communication skills, knowledge of languages and the ability to self-organize ones work. Cleanliness, common sense, independence, good looks, analytical capabilities and naturally familiarity with MS Office programs seem to be essential in this profession. Many of the necessary skills a receptionist must have depend on the profile of the hotel. In smaller facilities the receptionist must be "multifunctional", his duties ranging from welcoming and registering guests, all the way to those duties normally associated with a concierge. Despite such diversity a person who has always worked in a family bed and breakfast will have a problem with getting used to working in a chain hotel. It is the responsibility of every employee at every level at a network hotel to meet certain standards, which are the landmark attributes of the brand. These standards, among other things, may mean unique staff uniforms, but they can also prohibit the use of certain words, phrases or concepts in front of guests. The larger the hotel, the more precisely defined the scope of responsibilities. For the guest the reception is above all a place where staying at a hotel shall be recorded. Today the required and necessary communicative skills in this position are understood primarily as the ability to freely communicate in foreign languages. Certificates can assess knowledge of foreign language, but more than vocabulary, what counts is the ability to employ ones knowledge of language to have direct contact with a foreigner. Communication must be good enough so that guests may "feel at home." The receptionist cannot say: "I do not know" 14

15 or ignore the inquisitive nature of a guest. There is no way, however, to prepare for any eventuality. Therefore the receptionist must be bright and smart enough to be able to show in any situation that he (and thus the entire hotel) cares about the guest s wellbeing. A helpful receptionist can act quickly and effectively, is well acquainted with the co-workers and versed in the standards of hotel operations. Realizes that a hotel is rather like a body in which all components must operate on the principle of cooperation. Paradoxically, the person serving as a receptionist should combine a dynamic efficiency and pro-active attitude with an almost stoic cool-headedness. However, such peace of mind should not be associated with sluggishness or passive attitude, but rather with restraint and composure. Restraining ones nerves will be necessary in the situation of a troublesome guest. Here the receptionist will need to show off his special skills, similar to those of a mediator. There are numerous features required from a receptionist, and perhaps maturity is the most important one, as it compels should guarantee a person will be able to take care of oneself. Personal appearance is crucial in this line of work. Visitors subconsciously identify the nature of the hotel with the receptionist s face. Maturity is also a personal ability to make quick and effective decisions. Knowledge of the basic rules of how a hotel operates, excellent knowledge of the topography of the city these are absolutely essential for a smoothly running reception desk. Finding a competent person for the position of a receptionist is not easy. If you've been able to acquire a particular young man or woman who is ideally suited for this job, you need to compensate him or her properly, because with knowledge of foreign languages he or she can successfully apply for a similar position abroad, where wages are often better. Hoteliers from southwestern Poland face this problem very often. Students of many tourism schools of all levels very often work during their studies to make ends meet, but as soon as they graduate, often with a diploma translated into English, they pursue their first full-time jobs somewhere abroad. The Maid Hoteliers have this to say about them: a good maid is the greatest treasure. Work experience in a similar position at another hotel is welcome. However, it appears that employers value the candidate s manners than work experience. It seems that key requirements from a future maid are refinement propriety. Katarzyna Malick, manager at Qubus Hotel Prestige in Katowice described what she considers a perfect maid: She must know that when he walks down a hallway and meets our guests, she is not invisible, just the opposite. The maid is the face of the hotel. How our visitors will perceive the whole establishment depends on her, so "good morning", "goodbye" or "have a nice day" are essential. The maid should also know foreign languages. Most employers are fine with a basic knowledge of English. Hoteliers look for maids mainly by posting job offers on the Internet. Good communication skills and good looks are also important in this profession. Employers say a good candidate for a maid should have special predispositions for such a job. The time in which a room must be prepared is about 25 minutes, this includes changing the sheets, making the bed, vacuuming and restocking complementary hotel gadgets and cosmetics. Because they cannot perform their duties while the guests are in the room, a carefully prepared timetable is necessary. Room staff is subject to organized vocational training. First they undergo a so-called Hotel Standards training. New employees are taught how to make the beds, how to arrange the bedding, the content and arrangement of a hotel wardrobe. An employee with no experience needs about a month to learn all the basics. Their more experienced colleagues or supervisors usually prepare them for their work. In Poland maids usually earn the minimal wage. Usually they are students who want ot earn extra money for evening classes in college. But there are regions where hotel staff is particularly difficult to find. Parts of Dolnośląskie region can serve as an example of this. 15

16 The owners of boarding houses in the vicinity of Kłodzko Valley often complain about the limited interest in such work in the area - many potential workers prefer to go to work in Germany. The Waiter Working as a waiter is considered hard work and requires many skills knowledge of savoir vivre, foreign languages, communication skills and diplomacy. A good waiter sets the tone of the establishment and serves as an example of exactly how classy it is. A personal contact with the waiter is highly valued by guests. His image and behavior are the determinants of good restaurants. The waiter is working not only for his own account. His kindness, communication and even his posture how the guests will evaluate our restaurant. Knowing and more importantly closely following the rules of savoir vivre is an essential skill. Courtesy, confidence in ones own skills, regularity, openness, respect for the profession, accuracy, loyalty, intelligence, tact, teamwork - these are just some of the features as listed by Grzegorz Górnik, President of the National Association of Waiters and Waiting Academy. The primary duty of every waiter is servicing guests in restaurants, cafes, bars, and at banquets and events organized by catering companies. Waiters should, above all, have a communicative nature, but people skills, diplomacy, assertiveness, kindness and knowledge of foreign languages are also very important. The waiter makes sure that the guests are greeted and informed of any free seats in the restaurant. He brings the menu and offers meals if customers have a problem with their choice, then takes the order, brings the food and accepts payment from the guest. A detailed scope of duties is determined by the proprietor of the establishment and depends on its specifics or the event in question. In smaller restaurants it might be the case that, in addition to taking orders, serving food and setting the table, the waiter s duties will include cleaning the room after completing the day's work. The scope of duties determines the wage, which is awarded on the basis of hours spent working. Sometimes the restaurateur may set some kind of bonuses and premiums system depending on the additionally performed functions, for instance extra remuneration may be awarded for serving as group coordinator or floor manager. In addition to restaurants with waiters employed full-time, there is some seasonality that comes with this profession. Higher demand for waiters is recorded during the trade fairs, conferences and outdoor events season. Seasonality of work affects the level of pay and type of employment. Apart from employment contracts the waiters are often recruited on the basis of civil law contracts: contracted work or temporary employment. Assessing the abilities of a future waiter is difficult and requires a certain kind of sense from the recruiter. The job interview with the waiter is the first basic form of getting to know the traits of the person applying for this job. Good communication skills are essential; the waiter must be able to establish a good rapport with the guest. This ability must be available in Polish at least, but preferably also in a foreign language. Skills with using the tray, knowledge of serving systems while working the beat, adherence to standards of hygiene and aesthetics, vigour both on the dining room floor and in the kitchen Grzegorz Górnik lists all the necessary skills. Knowledge of catering technology will be and additional asset. he adds. Recruitment companies offer their customers manual tests confirming serving food and beverages skills, as well as setting up tables, decorations, and logical tests taking into account the importance of good memory and numeracy skills. All these parameters are predetermined with the client depending on his needs. The Chef 16

17 The chef is first and foremost a manager. He should therefore be not only a culinary authority, but also have the respect of colleagues, both of his own subordinates and among his superiors managing the facility. This is one of the few professions whose name accurately reflects the function: to exercise power in one of the most fragile spots of a hotel or restaurant, which is the kitchen. The chef is responsible for the overall operation of this department. He participates in the recruitment process of new employees, and fires those who cannot cope with the tasks they are facing. In addition he organizes the work of subordinate staff, training and motivating them, deals with calculations, ordering, receiving goods from suppliers and the quantity and quality control of raw food. On top of that he takes care of accounting, payments, planning future activities of the kitchen. At the same time he must observe and implement new culinary trends. A good chef is a person not to be underestimated in the restaurant or the hotel. His personal qualifications help establish the image of the facility and may attract crowds of visitors. The chef is a key position in a restaurant, often the culmination of many years work in catering. It comes with great prestige and often the fame of a wonderful cook, but it is also daily hard work full of responsibilities. Additional information It is estimated that the effects of the current financial crisis in Europe and Poland will affect all the segments of the HoReCa market differently. Fast food chains may benefit from the expected economic slowdown. Consumers with well-established habits are more likely to choose a cheaper offer, rather than completely giving up catering services. Moreover, some people may choose to work longer hours in fear of losing their jobs, meaning they won t have the time to prepare something to eat at home. Thus they will be more likely to take advantage of the catering services, although restaurants will not necessarily be their first choice. Facilities positioned in the fast casual segment (a transition format between a fast food facility and a proper restaurant), offering a relatively cheap meal in spaces of a higher standard may experience a growth in popularity for the same reason. Pizzerias may also emerge from the crisis without major losses more people resigning from their shopping plans and staying at home can translate into an increased number of pizza orders. In addition, they can offer their customers take-out products sold in portions, such as pizza sold by the slice in a separate window. It seems that the most vulnerable segment will be traditional restaurants. The tourism sector, including accommodation and catering, has high hopes connected with both the organization of Euro 2012 in Poland and the period of the Polish presidency in the European Union. Experts predict that during the six-month presidency our country will host about two thousand more or less formal meetings, resulting from the tasks undertaken by the administration in Brussels. The representatives of the industry face a difficult task of preparing a tourist offer crafted and marketed specifically for tourists taking part in conferences and associated with their programs. It is therefore necessary to ensure that the programs are varied and filled with ideas catering to different tastes. Leadership of our country in the Council of the European Union offers great opportunities for promotion and development of Polish business tourism and hospitality. However, to properly take advantage of this opportunity, Polish tour operators need to be prepared so as not to disappoint the expectations of customers. 17

18 3. Questionnaire Survey Overall information about the survey As part of planned activities, 234 questionnaires were mailed out to companies from the Polish HoReCa industry between April 15th and April 30th All the companies were informed by phone about the survey before it was mailed out. The survey was also sent to tourism industry organizations. This method, however, did not yield the expected results. The vast majority of the research was conducted in the form of a direct conversation with a representative from any given company. Companies associated with the industry were reluctant to take part in this research. 50 examples were chosen out of all the filled questionnaires, the choice being made on the basis of how meticulously they were filled and how closely they followed the conditions and scope of the study. The study was conducted on a group of dealing with various activities associated with the HoReCa industry. Most of the respondents were part of the accommodation sector and connected with the catering sector. Fig. 1 The structure of employment at the surveyed enterprises of the HoReCa industry. 18

19 Fig. 2 The structure of activities engaged in by companies taking part in the survey. The majority of surveyed companies reported that the main form of employment is a contract of employment. Other forms of employment constitute a small percentage of the total and apply mostly to staff employed on a temporary basis for the duration of increased tourist traffic.. Fig. 3 Types of employment by different types of companies. 19

20 Out of all the surveyed companies only four hotels and one restaurant admitted to employing foreigners. This may be related to the availability of skilled local personnel, the size of the company and the form of business ownership. Most of the surveyed companies are family businesses, which accounted for 70% of respondents. Fig. 4 Employee education by position held. 20