Lublin breaks tourism records. Again!

Once again, we are witnessing a significant increase in the number of people visiting Lublin. In 2023, it was nearly 1.6 million tourists, which is very encouraging, especially considering the growing popularity among international guests. The new records in traveller traffic are, among other things, the result of effective cooperation between the City and the Lublin tourism industry. I am very grateful to local entrepreneurs for their professionalism, openness to joint activities, and determination, which have not only helped Lublin’s tourism sector to weather the challenges of recent years but also enriched its offerings with additional attractive products and services, says Krzysztof Żuk, the Mayor of Lublin.

In 2023, 1.588 million travellers visited Lublin, with almost 1.245 million being domestic tourists and 343,000 being international visitors. Moreover, the entire Lublin Metropolitan Area welcomed nearly 2.3 million people, including approximately 1.8 million from Poland and 500,000 from abroad. Among the domestic guests who came to our city, 670,000 were tourists, i.e., those who used accommodation, while the remaining 575,000 were visitors, i.e., individuals who spent a day in Lublin. Among those who opted for accommodation, the largest group were travellers who stayed in our city for 2 to 4 nights – 42%. Additionally, 38% of tourists stayed for one night, and 16% stayed for 5 to 7 nights. Regarding the age structure, the trend observed in recent years persists – Lublin is most popular among young people. Last year, individuals up to 30 years old accounted for as much as 48% of all visitors*.

2023 was an incredibly intense time for us, focusing on the needs of the youth due to the title of European Youth Capital. The actions taken as part of the celebrations yielded results, and Lublin attracted thousands of young people, who accounted for nearly half of all travellers. I am confident that as the EYC, we have become known as an open and worth-discovering place, and the coming months will bring even better statistics due to Lublin’s efforts to become the European Capital of Culture 2029, says Beata Stepaniuk-Kuśmierzak, Deputy Mayor of Lublin for Culture, Sports, and Participation.

Similar to previous years, the majority of visitors to Lublin came from the Lublin Voivodeship (510,000) and Mazovia (440,000). They were followed by residents of Lesser Poland (54,000), Silesia (42,000), and Podlasie (35,500). The most popular places to visit were Lublin Castle, which was visited by over 1 million people, the Old Town, Krakowskie Przedmieście, and Plac Litewski with its multimedia fountain. Green areas such as the Saxon Garden and Zemborzycki Reservoir were also popular among visitors.

Lublin also experienced a significant increase in the number of international travellers. Last year, approximately 343,000 foreigners visited our city, including 46,000 tourists and 297,000 visitors. This is almost 7 times more foreign guests compared to 2022. Among them, the most eager visitors to Lublin were citizens of Germany (140,000), Israel (46,500), and the United Kingdom (39,500). Moreover, for the first time among the most numerous groups of travellers, Canadians (12,000) and Czechs (10,500) were included. The analysis did not include visitors from Ukraine, whose movement, although significantly weakened, may still have a migratory character.

The city systematically supports the development of Lublin tourism. The actions taken in 2020, including the establishment of the Tourism Development Office and the Local Tourist Organization Metropolis Lublin, allowed for coordinated actions and programs supporting the tourism industry in the city.

Institutional support has proven to be particularly important and necessary in the last four years, when the tourism industry had to face successive challenges resulting from, among others, restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and increased migratory movement, or high inflation. The built cooperation and mutual trust between the local government, institutions, and entrepreneurs in the tourism industry allowed for the implementation of joint actions promoting Lublin as an attractive tourist destination both domestically and abroad, says Marcin Kęćko, Director of the Tourism Development Office of the City of Lublin.

Among the actions taken, it is worth mentioning actions carried out during the pandemic such as “Saving Gastronomy in Lublin”, #CityWillWait, or the launch of the website zostanwdomu.lublin.eu. It also includes a new formula for the Lublin Season, which gave local entrepreneurs the opportunity to showcase their full range of services after the difficult times of pandemic restrictions, and offered tourists as well as residents a wide range of leisure opportunities.

Municipal activities also include the refreshed Tourist Lublin application, supplemented with an AR module, allowing its users to see extinct monuments of Lublin in space. The new “Cuisine of Inspiration” festival is a response to the developing global trend of culinary tourism, aiming to extend tourist activity in our city by another month, namely November. On the other hand, the “Conversation Inspires Us” campaign, promoting the offer of Lublin restaurants and encouraging people to put aside their phones and spend time together during meals, received an award in the 2023 Innovative Local Government Competition by PAP promoting creative solutions for innovation.

February 21 marks International Tourist Guide Day. The city of Lublin established the Inspiration Guide program in 2018, which today involves 27 experienced, creative urban guides. As part of the program, they offer 70 original routes, both general and thematic, during which they present lesser-known facts about the city.