Tourism tertiary education and research in Poland

Abstract

The very long tradition of tourism education and research in Poland cannot be described easily due to different political systems during the last 70 years. This paper is organized as follows: first, a short historical background of higher education in a political and economic context is given. Second, it illuminates the important changes in education in Poland. The universities with the highest number of students in this field are presented and discussed. In Poland it is possible to choose tourism as a specialization in other study fields. Tertiary education institutions do not have to provide information to the central institution regarding their offers of specialization, which complicates the attempt to show the whole spectrum of tertiary education. The tourism units are situated not only in different departments, but also in diverse faculties. A short overview of possible organizational aspects is also given. Subsequently, the main research areas are analysed. Because the problem of tourism research comprises a broad range of research fields, it is hard to depict the most relevant research fields and to identify the main sources that should be investigated. This paper does not pretend to show all problems and subjects connected with tourism education and research phenomena, but rather attempts to highlight the complexity and limitations in identifying the most important issues of the complete system.

Health Tourism—Subject of Scientific Research: A Literature Review and Cluster Analysis

“…The increased interest in healthy lifestyles, combined with physical and intellectual activity, contributes directly to changing the existing patterns of spending free time. This means shifting from the 3S (Sun, Sea, Sand) model to the 3E (Entertainment, Excitement, Education) and 3A (Action, Amusement, Adventure) models [27].…”

“…As there is growth in demand for diverse forms of health tourism (including medical tourism), there is also a restructuring of the tourism product offered. According to Białk-Wolf, A., Arent, M., Buziewicz, A. and Alejziak W. [27,80], respectively, many tourists today realize the positive role of physical activity. For a modern human, proper nutrition habits, a positive mental attitude (especially after the aggravation of the COVID-19 pandemic), reliable information, preventive healthcare, and physical activity itself play an important role in improving his/her living conditions.…”