On February 15, 2025, the previously announced Promotional Support Program for Meetings and Events is being launched, initiated and coordinated by the Poland Convention Bureau – the Meetings and Events Office of the Polish Tourist Organization. The aim of the Polish Tourist Organization is to implement a cyclical program to promote Poland in order to attract and organize promotional events carried out by external entities.
The Promotional Support Program for Meetings and Events is a tool for the Program of Recommendations for Professional Congress Organizers, the Program of Recommendations for Professional Incentive Travel Organizers, and the Polish Congress Ambassadors Program, whose operation is governed by separate regulations.
The aim of the Program is to provide support by PCB POT to professional meeting and event organizers, Polish Congress Ambassadors, and other entities that actively participate in the process of attracting international meetings and business events of a cultural, scientific, political, sporting, or business nature to Poland.
The Promotional Support Program for Meetings and Events is the second program, after the National Support Program for the Meetings Industry, implemented at the beginning of 2025.
The Promotional Support Program for Meetings and Events is a program aimed at supporting our industry in actively attracting meetings and events to Poland. It is a pilot program that takes into account both the needs of the industry and the substantive resources and procedures governing the financial management of the Polish Tourist Organization. We hope that the supported promotional projects will contribute to an increase in the number of international events organized in Poland, strengthen our country’s position as an attractive destination for business meetings, and stimulate the development of the local economy through an increase in tourist traffic. We hope that thanks to this program, we will not only be able to compete more effectively for key events, but also strengthen cooperation with industry partners and local governments, creating a stable foundation for the further development of the meetings and events sector in Poland,” said Aneta Książek, manager of the Poland Convention Bureau – Meetings and Events Office of the Polish Tourist Organization.
Promotional Support Program for the Meetings Industry in practice
The following entities are eligible to apply for the Promotional Support Program for the Meetings Industry:
– Polish Congress Ambassadors,
– The Chapter of the Polish Congress Ambassadors Program,
– Polish Tourist Organization,
– Association of Conferences and Congresses in Poland,
– Representatives of Local Congress Ambassadors’ Clubs,
– municipal and regional Convention Bureaux,
– Congress organizers recommended in the Poland Convention Bureau POT program
– other organizers of business events, supported in their application by municipal or regional Convention Bureaux. In this case, the application requires a recommendation from the local Convention Bureau,
– Congress venues supported in the application by municipal or regional Convention Bureaus. In this case, the venue’s application requires a recommendation from the local Convention Bureau.
Circumstances related to the acquisition of a meeting or event for which the Promotional Package may be awarded:
– Presentation of BIDs (offers) at the headquarters of the Event Owner, Organizer or at the Event where the final presentation of potential host cities takes place,
– Study visit/inspection visit to Poland for representatives of the Organizer (including PCO, event agency) or Event Owner (association, corporation, other),
– Online and offline promotional materials (printed materials, banners, and videos) and souvenirs from Poland for VIP guests,
– Rental and assembly of promotional stands aimed at promoting the host city at a preceding foreign event,
– Online PR activities: production of promotional content and advertisements,
– Invitation of an important speaker (expert) to Poland for the event,
– Activities aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of the event.
Promotional projects aimed at achieving the following may be submitted to the Promotional Support Program for Meetings and Events:
– International meetings/events with at least 100 foreign participants (package 1) and over 150 foreign participants (package 2),
– Meetings/events lasting at least 2 days (at least 1 night),
– Meetings in the form of conferences, congresses, fairs, workshops, meetings with elements of incentive travel and other cyclical business meetings with a history of at least 2 editions, or company events of an integrative, training, motivational or educational nature for employees, distributors or invited guests,
– Meetings/events at least 45 days before the start date,
– Meetings/events in the bidding stage, when Poland is on a short list of max. 5 destinations,
– Other meetings/events for which the Organizer expresses a willingness to cooperate with the Polish Tourist Organization in order to promote Poland as the venue for the meeting/event or considers the substantive participation of the Polish Tourist Organization in the preparation of the meeting/event program.
The process of verifying applications for the Promotional Support Program for Meetings and Events is as follows:
– Promotional projects submitted to the program are reviewed in terms of content, image, and finances by PCB POT.
– The decision on the promotion of Poland during a given project and on the amount of funds allocated for this purpose (i.e., for the purchase of package 1 or 2) is made each time by the POT on the basis of the information provided in the application and the POT’s budget resources earmarked for this purpose in a given calendar year.
– The value of the package for promotional activities carried out depends on the nature of the meeting/event and the scope of the project, i.e.
Package 1 – up to PLN 12,000 gross
Package 2 – up to PLN 24,000 gross
The POT’s decision is final and not subject to appeal.
Offers that do not meet the requirements will be rejected.
The application will be considered within 21 days of its receipt by the POT.
If the POT decides to purchase a package during the indicated promotional project, the POT will conclude an agreement with the Applicant specifying the terms of cooperation.
The Promotional Support Program for Meetings and Events shall be introduced on February 15, 2025. Applications for the Promotional Support Program for Meetings and Events shall be conducted once a quarter until the POT budget resources allocated for this purpose in a given calendar year are exhausted.
Applications for the Program shall be submitted electronically to polandcb@pot.gov.pl. In response to the application, the Applicant will receive forms to be completed and returned.
Source and photo: Polish Tourist Organization
