Poles want to celebrate in the Tatra Mountains. There are no more places in these facilities
This year, Poles want to go to the Polish mountains for Christmas. Although prices are high, some facilities are already running out of places. Poles are ready to pay, but on condition that they get everything included in the price: from decorating the Christmas tree, through Christmas Eve dinner, to a sleigh ride. – This year the interest is much higher than last year – confirms Emilia Glista, owner of the consulting and marketing agency Pracownia Hotelarska Joinsystem.
Owners of hotels in the mountains are optimistic about the upcoming Christmas break. This year, places in hotels, apartments and guesthouses in the Beskids are filling up much faster than in previous years. What’s more, there are resorts that have been sending guests away for a long time because they already have full reservations for Christmas or New Year’s Eve. Other owners of facilities in mountain and foothill regions declare over 90%. filling for the New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Eve period.
– Tourists apparently want to be sure in advance that they can come to the mountains. Even though many facilities are already booked, we still receive inquiries, which was not the case in previous years. Usually, at the beginning of December, interest in holiday reservations faded away – explains Emilia Glista.
Christmas all inclusive
The centers that offer guests a full Christmas offer, including a Christmas Eve supper, a visit from Santa Claus for the youngest, and New Year’s Eve parties, fill up the fastest. An additional advantage is animations for children, bonfires and sleigh rides organized by the staff, included in the price of accommodation. Many tourists also ask about full board – so that they don’t have to worry about anything during the holiday season. Guests are also interested in the spa and wellness services on site. However, you have to pay a lot for such luxuries, because prices start from about PLN 900 per day per person.
Although places in centers that have prepared a package offer sell out the fastest, many people also book apartments or cottages and prepare their own holidays away from their hometown or rely on restaurants or inns that organize Christmas Eve supper in a highland atmosphere, with local dishes, carol singing and a live band. Often, everyone then goes to the mountains for midnight mass. The most popular places are the wooden church in Kubalonka, where a highlander band plays during mass, and the parish in Istebna.
– Families with children are looking for an all-inclusive offer. There must be at least half board, Christmas Eve dinner, gingerbread making, and Santa Claus with gifts. However, people without children tend to choose apartments or guesthouses with only breakfast and Christmas Eve dinner. Here you can find offers starting from PLN 300 per person per night – explains Emilia Glista.
Owners of accommodation facilities located in Zakopane, Wisła and Bukowina Tatrzańska have reasons to be satisfied, because they are on the podium in the category of the most frequently chosen towns according to the analysis carried out by the Nocowanie.pl portal. Right behind them is the increasingly popular Krynica Zdrój, which is also slightly cheaper than the first three.
More expensive in the mountains than last year
This year, due to price increases, reservations are most often limited to Christmas or New Year’s Eve. The most frequently booked places are from December 22 to 27 and from December 29 to a maximum of January 2. There are no full-week reservations. This was mainly due to price increases and inflation. Compared to last year, prices in mountain facilities increased on average by 10 to even 20 percent.
– The largest increase took place last year, when catering prices increased by as much as 150-200 percent. Now prices are not rising so quickly. They increase on average by the inflation rate – adds Emilia Glista.
Specialists also warn that postponing holiday travel decisions until the last moment this year may not be profitable and waiting for last-minute promotions may end in disappointment. Unfortunately, if you wait until the last minute, you may end up paying much more. Sales are definitely better, so a last-minute offer is not necessarily favorable and there may not be much to choose from.