The Impact of Social Programs on The Development of Senior Tourism Among Metropolitan Residents: A Case Study of Krakow

Abstract

Global demographic trends point to the aging of societies. An increasing percentage of seniors in the total population of Poland enforces a change in the government's social policy, with aid programs dedicated to this social group (“13 emerytura” [13th pension]”, “Opieka 75+” [Care 75+], etc.). The main goal of this article is to identify the impact of the “13th pension” social program on the development of tourism among Polish seniors, as exemplified by the residents of Krakow. The article is divided into two parts. The first is theoretical and presents the demographic structure of Poland with particular emphasis on seniors. The second part is analytical and analyzes the data obtained during the survey of seniors living in Krakow. The questions included in the survey related to the frequency and duration of tourist trips, the method of travel and destination, the form of accommodation and the way of spending time during the stay, the amount of expenses and the impact of social programs on the frequency and type of tourist trips of seniors.