KRAKOW AN EXTRAORDINARY PLACE FOR
BUSINESS TOURISM (MEETINGS INDUSTRY)
Krakow is a place that must be visited, a place that you are bound to return to. "You will fnd here everything that human nature can desire" - this is what German historian and geographer Hartman Schedel wrote about Krakow in his Chronicle of the World published in 1493. It is one of few cities in the world where the historic past is harmoniously combined and intertwined with the contemporary wealth of artistic, scholarly, business and social life. For many centuries travelers from afar have come to Krakow lured by the city's historical monuments, unique atmosphere, great traditions, indefinable genius loci which made exceptional individuals - artists, scholars and scientists as well as common people feel at home at the foot of Wawel Hill. they have left behind them an extraordinary urban ensemble, the largest in Poland and one of the finest in the world, comprising over 6 thousands priceless architectural monuments and the largest national collection of works of art housed in Krakow's museums and churches. Krakow is a city of tradition efectively combining the achievements of the past with the character of a modern european metropolis. Extensive development of the city's transport and tourist infrastructure in conjunction with a large number of places of historic interest, museums, art galleries, restaurants makes Krakow a friendly place its inhabitants and as well as visitors looking for unique and original locations. this is one of the reasons why Krakow is so often selected as a venue for congresses, conferences, exhibitions and business meetings.
Krakow is the most internationally recognized polish brand name and is sometimes called "Athens of the north", "Slavic Rome" or "polish Jerusalem". Just like Venice or Paris it has its name in the majority of european languages. Its historic centre was included in the 1st UNESCO World Heritage list published in 1978 and was named the european capital of culture in 2000.
Krakow has a population of nearly 800,000 and is visited by approximately 8 million people every year. Since the reign of King Casimir the Great it has been an important stop on the east-west trade route. Krakow's Main Square is the largest medieval market square in Europe. For centuries it played a leading role in the trade exchange in this part of the continent.
Krakow is a magical place bustling with history, arts, architectural heritage and traditions, filled with lyrical nostalgia, yet vibrant with the energy of ambitious young people who continuously draw inspiration from it and see it as a challenge. This is just one of the reasons why Krakow has the natural potential to become a centre of international business tourism. No wonder that its business promotion capacity has attracted attention of major international corporations such as Motorola, IBM, Philip Morris, Shell, Indensit, Bayer or Electrolux, which have their regional headquarters in Krakow.
