Magdalena Czarzyńska-Jachim, EA Group member and Mayor of Sopot, invited the Group's bureau members to a study visit to her iconic seaside town, situated in the heart of the unique coastal Tricity together with Gdańsk and Gdynia. The study visit focused on sustainable tourism in the face of the current housing crisis.
Sopot is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Poland. Tourists from other parts of Poland and from the rest of Europe are drawn to the charming town by its beautiful beaches and elegant architecture. Tourism is the main economic driver of the city of around 30,000 inhabitants.
Like many tourist hotspots across Europe, Sopot is also confronted with the challenges that come with tourism. In particular, the city's popularity with travellers has led to substantial difficulties in the housing market, as many landlords prefer to rent out their flats on platforms such as Airbnb. Such short-term rentals have led to a shortage of housing and rising housing prices, causing many young people and other residents to leave the city.
During the study visit, Mayor Czarzyńska-Jachim showed the EA bureau members how she, together with her team, is trying to tackle these challenges so that tourism can work for everyone, both tourists and residents. Together with the tourism office, she monitors the short-term rental market and is in close contact with the national government to pass a new law allowing local governments to curtail unregistered tourist accommodation. In addition, she has introduced the Sopot resident cards, which allows residents to receive significant discounts on several tourist attractions.
Mayor Czarzyńska-Jachim stresses the need for sustainable tourism: "Tourism must be in harmony with the city life of Sopot. We do not want to become a new Barcelona, but we want to be a city where local residents want to live and can afford to do so, and where tourists love to come, always with respect for each other."
The study visit was a valuable opportunity for EA Bureau members to see how local authorities can tackle some of the challenges posed by tourism, together with Jacek Karnowski, the Polish Deputy Minister for Development Funds and Regional Policy.