In an era of shifting travel paradigms, the meetings industry (MICE) is no longer just a market segment – it has become a critical tool for city and regional management. For Warsaw, as the leader of the Polish conference market, and for the entire Masovia region, which effectively complements the capital’s offer with unique incentive venues, the upcoming 18th Tourism Promotion Forum in Bydgoszcz (April 27, 2026) is a must-attend event.
Why should professionals from our region set their sights on Bydgoszcz? Because that is where the questions that will determine the industry’s direction for the next decade will be addressed.
The Business Tourist vs. Overtourism: A Masovian Perspective
The most critical point of the program from the perspective of the Mazovia Convention Bureau will be the session dedicated to MICE tourism as an answer to the problem of overtourism. The thesis “A tourist in a tie instead of a crowd” fits perfectly into Masovia’s strategy. A business guest is a highly desirable client – they spend more in the region, utilize premium services, and, crucially, fill venues outside of peak tourist seasons.
The debate “Does every city need a meetings economy?” will feature key industry players, including Aneta Książek (Poland Convention Bureau POT). For representatives of Warsaw hotels and Masovian conference centers, this is an opportunity to understand how to turn the “higher revenue from fewer guests” model into real profits and sustainable growth.
AI and Technology: Will Warsaw Maintain Its Edge?
Masovia’s modern infrastructure is not enough. In the session dedicated to technology, we will learn how Agentic AI and digital concierges are ending the era of price wars. For Warsaw event agencies and business hotels, implementing AI to build client relationships (instead of tedious work in Excel) is no longer a futuristic concept – it is an operational necessity to remain competitive within the CEE region.
Networking and the Future
The Forum is about more than just theory. It is a space where decision-makers meet—from the CEO of LOT Polish Airlines, Michał Fijoł, to managers of global platforms like Booking.com. For the Masovian industry, it is the perfect moment for networking and building coalitions that may result in new contracts for 2027 and beyond.
We will meet at Rother’s Mills (Młyny Rothera) – a venue that is an inspiration for the MICE industry in itself, demonstrating how the revitalization of space can become a new magnet for business tourism.
PROGRAM: 18th TOURISM PROMOTION FORUM
April 27, 2026 | Rother’s Mills, Bydgoszcz
- 09:00 – Tour of Rother’s Mills
- 09:45 – Opening of the Forum
- 10:00 – Opening Keynote: Tourism in the Age of Massification: How Travel Destinations are Chosen Today – Dominika Harasimowicz (Google)
SESSION 1: MICE as a Tool for City Development
- 10:30 – Expert Duel: A tourist in a tie instead of a crowd. Is MICE the answer to overtourism?
- Jan Mazurczak (Poznań Local Tourism Organization)
- Grzegorz Soszyński (Kraków Tourism Alliance)
- 11:00 – Debate: Does every city need a meetings economy?
- Participants: Leszek Woźniak (BCI), Aneta Książek (PCB POT), Bartłomiej Barski (SOT), Krzysztof Raganowicz (Lublin), Olga Krzemińska (Power Agency)
12:00 – COFFEE BREAK
SESSION 2: Data, AI, and Technology in Tourism
- 12:50 – Presentation: From Chatbots to Agentic AI: Digital Concierges 2026 – Mariusz Połeć
- 13:05 – Presentation: AI as a “Super-Agent”: Relieving Humans from Excel – Jolanta Drzewakowska
- 13:20 – Showcase: MAIA – AI Assistant in Tourism – Jarosław Grabczak (eSky.pl)
- 13:50 – Expert Duel: Is the tourism industry keeping pace with technological change?
- Michał Fijoł (LOT Polish Airlines), Paweł Szczyrek (Ideo Force), Piotr Zalewski (Resabee)
14:20 – COFFEE BREAK
SESSION 3: The Future of Places and Traveler Behavior
- 15:00 – Presentation: Tourist 2035: Who will decide how we travel in the future? – Hubert Gonera (Landbrand)
- 15:15 – Expert Duel: Does outbound tourism take customers away from domestic tourism? – Piotr Henicz (Itaka), Jacek Janowski (POT)
- 15:45 – Presentation: Who rules the reservation: The hotelier or the platform? – Marta Stormowska (Booking.com), Michał Wajda (Bookassist)
- 16:00 – Debate: The Battle for the Booking: Hotel independence vs. platform power.
- Participants: Agata Szulc (Travelist), Ela Lendo (PHN), Krzysztof Staniszewski (Crystal Mountain), Arkadiusz Czerwiński (Profitroom), Renata Pawłowska-Maciak, Krzysztof Szadurski (IGHP)
- 17:00 – Lunch and Networking
ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION
📅 Date: April 27, 2026 y
📍 Venue: Rother’s Mills (Młyny Rothera), Bydgoszcz
🎟️ Registration and Tickets: CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR SEAT
Join industry leaders and help co-create the new definition of Polish MICE!
