Spotlight on Poland 2024 Unveils Innovation and ESG in Wroclaw

© All photos: Poland CVB

On 3-6 September 2024, Wroclaw, the third largest city in Poland, became the centre of international exchange of experiences and inspiration as part of the third edition of Spotlight on Poland.

The event, organised jointly by the Polish Conference and Congress Association (SKKP), the Polish Tourism Organisation - the Poland Convention Bureau attracted experts from the meetings and tourism industry from all over the world.
 

The Spotlight on Poland Conference on the 5th of September

The highlight of the Spotlight on Poland event was the conference, which took place on 5 September at the Q Plus Wroclaw Bielany Hotel. The theme of this year’s edition focused on two key issues: the role of artificial intelligence in tourism and the importance of sustainable development and ESG in the meetings industry.

Paula Fanderowska (first left below) opened the third edition of the conference on behalf of the Polish Conference and Congress Association Board. She emphasized that Wroclaw is renowned for its stunning architecture, rich history, and vibrant atmosphere. Aneta Książek, head of the Poland Convention Bureau at the Polish Tourism Organisation, spoke during the opening, supported by a humanoid robot from the Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw. The robot, whose name was Ameca, answered the question: “What is the future of tourism?”

Discussion Panel: Artificial Intelligence in Tourism - Opportunities and Challenges

At the beginning of the event, participants were asked via the Slido app, "How often do you use AI tools at work?" with the responses being: 47% occasionally, 27% a few times a week, 20% daily, and 7% never, but interested in starting.

The first of the debates, devoted to the topic “Tourism in the age of AI: A new technological reality – an opportunity or a threat?”, brought together experts from various technological and tourism-related fields. The panel was attended by:

• Sina Bünte, founder of DigitalMind.events,
• Jarosław Marciuk from Poland Convention Bureau - Polish Tourism Organisation,
• Maciej Piasecki, PhD, associate professor from the Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Computer Science and Telecommunications, Department of Artificial Intelligence,
• Krzysztof Rajda, head of the AI department at Brand24.

The panel was opened by an interactive presentation on practical tools used in destination marketing and meeting industry, led by Sina Bünte and Jarosław Marciuk. The discussion focused on the impact of artificial intelligence on the tourism industry, potential threats related to process automation and the opportunities that AI offers in the field of personalisation of tourist experiences and optimisation of organising events.

Discussion Panel: ESG – Environment, Society, Governance in Practice

The second debate focused on the key topic of sustainability and ESG, i.e., environmental, social, and corporate governance responsibility. The panel was opened by Agnieszka Rozwadowska from the Carbon Footprint Foundation with her keynote speech, 'The Strategy of Decarbonisation: How to do it right,' and was attended by:

• Anna Peters of Evolve Events,
• Rafał Kassan from Symposium Cracoviense,
• Marta Seweryn, Data Analysis Manager at Carbon Footprint.

First, Anna Peters shared her experience of slow travel, recounting her journey by train from London St. Pancras through Brussels and Berlin to Wroclaw. She highlighted sustainable travel in practice, discussing both the advantages and disadvantages of this method for reaching her destination. Although Anna had previously travelled by train from London to IMEX Frankfurt and IBTM World in Barcelona, her journey to the Spotlight on Poland event in Wroclaw was her longest train trip so far.

The discussion concerned practical solutions related to the implementation of ESG policies in organising events, environmental impact and challenges related to social responsibility in the meetings industry.

The panels was moderated by Agnieszka Szymerowska, Director of the SKKP Office and Krzysztof Paradowski, partner and creative director at BluExperience. The whole conference was conducted by Michał Zalewski from DobrzePowiedziane.

Wroclaw - the MICE place

Spotlight on Poland consisted of two main parts: one day  conference and a fam trip that lasted several days and was attended by hosted buyers from countries such as Italy, Great Britain, Germany, Norway, South Korea, Romania and Hungary. As part of the fam trip, the guests had the opportunity to experience the unique attractions of the region, including the diverse cuisine and the opportunities offered by Wroclaw as a place for organising events.

Some of the places visited during famtrip were: Hotel Monopol, Centennial Hall, Tarasowa Restaurant, DoubleTree by Hilton, Art Hotel, Piwnica Swidnicka (the oldest restaurant in Europe, dating back to 1273) and Hydropolis (below). In addition, the participants could experience the unique character of Wrocław, visiting the Old Town with a guide, taking a night ride on a historic tram, travelling through the city in a golf cart, and participating in a night cruise on the Odra River.

Wroclaw, which in recent years has been dynamically developing on the international arena, rose by 23 places in the prestigious ICCA ranking, reaching the 163rd position in 2023. With its international airport, modern conference facilities and developing hotel infrastructure, the city is increasingly attracting international event and congress organisers.