Poland, a boom in Persian Gulf tourists in the Tatra Mountains, dear to Wojtyla: "We're escaping the heat."

A Saudi photographer in his forties, Fahad Alayyashm, gazes with admiration at the Alpine panorama of the Tatra Mountains, the highest mountain range in Poland, located on the border with Slovakia. The area and its Polish-side "capital," Zakopane, are one of the latest discoveries in Arab tourism. Fahad is just one of thousands of tourists from Gulf countries who spend their summer holidays in this town of just under 30,000 inhabitants, located near the Slovakian border, about 100 kilometers south of Krakow.

The mountains between Poland and Slovakia

A place that – if in our parts some may remember for a visit by its most illustrious bishop – Pope Wojtyla – and a few others for its ski jump, a recurring venue for world championships and world cup competitions, in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe enjoys wide fame for its ski lifts, its excursions and its viewpoints, such as the Morskie Oro, an alpine lake that evokes Braiesian atmospheres, as well as for its traditional wooden chalets and modern hotels.

"We've completely conquered the place," says the photographer, standing on Gubalowka, a mountain overlooking Zakopane, where dozens of visitors drink coffee, buy souvenirs, and enjoy the view of the Tatras. In 2018, Flydubai launched the first route from Dubai to Krakow: the city dear to John Paul II is home to the closest airport to the area. Today, up to seven flights a day arrive there, carrying tourists from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait.

The teacher who wanted to go to Paris

According to the Ministry of Tourism in Warsaw, Emirati tourists were the fastest-growing group in terms of visits last year, with a 66% increase compared to 2023. Manal Alanazy, a 45-year-old professor of educational technology at King Saud University, confirmed to Agence France Presse that Zakopane is very popular among Saudis. She said that when she revealed to her close relatives where she would be spending her summer vacation, her brother's response sounded similar to an Italian telling relatives outside of their immediate family about a spring break vacation in Paris or London. "There are only people from the Gulf there," was the desolate comment the professor received.

Social media is Zakopane's most powerful advertising platform. And Gulf tourists, highly active online, have created, as Agata Wojtowicz, president of the Tatra Region Chamber of Commerce, explains, "a snowball effect." Arab influencers have been invited to make promotional visits to the region.

“As safe as in the Gulf and no racism”

Alanazy, and like her, Abdullah Alotaibi, a 30-year-old Kuwaiti ship captain, discovered Zakopane through X. "I saw a thread on Twitter (X) about Zakopane and how this town treats everyone equally, without racism towards religions. I liked it and came," said Alotaibi. Arab tourists cite the feeling of safety as one of Zakopane's main attractions. "It was dark and I was walking (...) I thought, 'You're not in Poland, you're in one of the Gulf countries, look, nothing will happen,'" said Alanazy.

For Zakopane's merchants, customers from the Gulf are a godsend, as Poles had avoided the town due to bad weather. "This year, about two-thirds of the tourists are Arab," says Anna Stoch-El Einen, owner of a kebab restaurant and souvenir shop.

The hotel business has quickly adapted to the preferences of recent arrivals. Ms. Stoch-El Einen offers menus in Polish and Arabic and has a "halal" certificate displayed above the counter. "We also make sure we have a halal menu," explains Wiktor Wrobel, CEO of Nosalowy, a regional hotel group. Arab guests make up up to 30% of the summer clientele at his five-star hotel in Zakopane.

“Just a few problems with parking”

"Local business owners are very pleased with the presence of Middle Eastern tourists," confirms the town's mayor, Lukasz Filipowicz, emphasizing that they are "welcome to Zakopane." He believes the biggest challenge for local authorities is the difference in car culture, with visitors often violating parking and entry laws. To avoid misunderstandings, each municipal police patrol is now equipped with a manual in Arabic.

On a rainy day, the drizzle doesn't deter visitors from the Gulf, who are escaping the infernal summer heat back home, with temperatures sometimes exceeding 50°C (122°F), while Polish summers are generally mild. Alanazy says she initially planned to spend her vacation in Paris. "I cancelled because of the heatwave that hit European countries," she explains, adding that "the weather is perfect" in Zakopane.

“Arabs flee 50-degree summers”

Climate change is one of the reasons for Zakopane's growing popularity, according to hotel manager Wrobel. "The relief that visitors from Arab countries seek isn't found in Italy or Spain, where temperatures have also risen significantly," he said.

Hanka Krzeptowska-Marusarz, whose family runs a guesthouse in Zakopane, recalls seeing a Kuwaiti visitor in Islamic dress standing in a meadow with her arms outstretched, drenched by the pouring rain. "I thought it was beautiful," she says.