Tourism Research in Poland

Abstract

©2006 Tourism Recreation Research There are signs that tourism research is in full bloom. Among these signs are the growing number of academic publications and people doing research in tourism. This may seem to suggest that progress has been made in tourism studies. Is this the case? Does a growth in quantity of research always go hand in hand with an improvement in quality, or a growth in its applicability to the practicalities of the tourist industry? Attempts to answer these questions, as well as evaluations of the current state and courses of development in academic tourism research, were the topics of discussion in the international conference titled ‘Tourism in Scientific Research in Poland and Worldwide’, which took place from 15-17 September, 2005 in Kracow and Rzeszow (Poland). The conference was organized on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the M.A. programme of the Tourism and Recreation Faculty at Kracow’s Academy of Physical Education. The University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszow also pitched in with some help for the organization. Over 180 scholars from 16 countries took part in the conference. 103 papers were presented, 14 of which were scheduled during two plenary sessions. Debates were held in each of the five thematic sections (those in the humanist and natural studies sections were held once each, while the economics section had three debates).