Innovativeness of railway transport in the context of the development of tourism in Poland

Abstract

The article discusses the issue of innovation activities of companies in railway transport in Poland in the context of the development of tourism. Transport infrastructure and organization, along with economic, social, ecological and political factors, are the basic stimulators for the development of tourism. In literature on the subject, this problem is rarely discussed. This article is of a review and research nature. The aim of it is to consider the condition of innovativeness of railway transport companies in Poland in the context of its role in the development of tourism in Poland. To attain the goals of this research, a critical analysis of literature on the subject and desk research have been carried out, the latter drawing on the unpublished data of Statistics Poland, referring to Polish companies from section Transportation and storage, class Passenger rail transport, interurban (according to NACE rev.2). The data derive from the three latest editions of the Community Innovation Survey (CIS). In the article, there was used data concerning: innovation activity, types of innovation, co-operation during innovative activity, importance of the source of information for innovation activity, importance of the reasons and barriers to not innovate. The data analysis reveals a rather low level of innovativeness of railway transport companies in Poland. In the authors’ opinion, this state of affairs is connected with historical and political factors: the structure and failed reforms in this sector and granting development priority to other branches of transport during the structural transformation in Poland.