A developing sector

For decades, there were very few international hotel chains in Poland. The country’s hotel sector consisted predominantly of some national chains and small, privately owned hotels. In the past 20 years, however, there has been a remarkable upswing in this sector, a trend that continues to the present day. Many key factors have contributed to this, including the accession of Poland to the EU in May 2004 and the excellent value for money the country offers. Prices in Warsaw, Poland’s capital are far lower than in such other major European cities as Paris, Milan and Barcelona, making it a choice venue for conferences and trade fairs. Obviously, these events bring a great many additional hotel guests to Warsaw.

The number of hotel rooms has tripled

According to the Polish Statistical Office, there are now more than 1,200 hotels and more than 66,000 hotel rooms in Poland. “The number of hotels in Poland has almost tripled since 1990," said Alistair R. B. Forbes, Acentic’s Chief Executive Officer, who keeps a close eye on the latest sector developments. The hotel boom is especially evident in the cities of Warsaw, Gdańsk, Kraców and Poznań. In Warsaw alone, the number of hotel rooms has increased by more than 60 percent. Many of the top international hotel chains, such as Accor, Starwood, Radisson SAS, Marriott and Hilton, along with the national chain Qubus, now have locations in Poland.

In-room entertainment is popular with Polish hotel guests

The opening of so many new hotels in recent years, especially by international chains, has made Poland’s hotel market more competitive. "Polish hotels are introducing customer-specific services to boost the loyalty of existing clientele and attract new guests. These services include in-room entertainment solutions such as Acentic's products," said Forbes. Acentic has done business with numerous national and international hotel chains in Poland in recent years, having installed iTV systems in around 12,000 hotel rooms already. One of Acentic's key business relationships in the country is with the Starwood hotel chain. The hotel giant has already equipped two of its hotels with Acentic's entertainment and communication platforms, with further installations expected in the near future. Other international hotel chains, such as Hilton, the InterContinental Hotels Group and Accor, are Acentic customers in Poland, and are planning to increase their business in the country. The same applies to the Polish hotel chains Qubus and Gromada, which have also opted for Acentic's iTV solutions.

A glimpse into the future

The current situation in the Polish hotel sector gives Acentic every reason to be optimistic about the future. Marek Soszka, sales manager for Acentic in Poland, summarizes it this way: "The Polish hotel sector is a dynamic one. Although the market is still relatively small compared with other European countries, it is growing all the time.” Acentic recognized the potential of the Polish market early on, and since 1997 has been supporting hotels in the country. It is now the proud market leader there, with a sophisticated nationwide service and support structure.