Selected conditions for the development of tourism in the sieradzkie province in the Years 1975-1998

INTRODUCTION

The aim of the paper is to present the selected conditions for the development of tourism in the sieradzkie province in the years 1975-1998. The initial date of the paper is the year 1975, when the administrative reform of the two-tier division of the country came into force. As a result of the reform, the sieradzkie province was created. The closing date is marked by the year 1998, when the sieradzkie province was abolished, and its lands were again included in the province of łódzkie.

METHODS

The paper uses the following research methods: analysis of historical sources, induction, deduction, synthesis and a comparative method. The preliminary research of archival source materials was done in the State Archive in Łódź - Branch in Sieradz. Particularly valuable was the Set of Provincial Office Records in Sieradz from the years 1975-1998. In addition, the paper has been prepared with the use of printed sources, newspapers and reference books.

RESULTS

On 1st June 1975 a new two-tier administrative division of Poland was introduced creating 49 new provinces. One of the newly-established provinces was the province of sieradzkie. The administrative changes introduced in 1975 entailed transformations in structures managing tourism at the level of provinces. In the newly created provinces provincial offices were established, where departments of physical education and tourism were created [1]. In the years 1975-1989 the directors of the Department of Physical Education and Tourism (WKFiT) (since November 1979 the Department of Physical Education, Sport and Tourism (WKFSiT), and then since 1989 the Department for Youth, Physical Education and Tourism (WdMKFiT)) at the Provincial Office in Sieradz were the following: Tadeusz Rozwens (years 1975-1981) and Sławomir Tralewski (years 1982-1989) [2]. The Department coordinated the development of physical education and tourism, as well as supervised the activities of sports and tourism associations, societies and organizations on the territory of the sieradzkie province. In the early years of the political transformation period (1990-1998) tourism-related matters were included in the Department of Social Affairs, whose structures consisted of the division for physical education and tourism (1990). The function of the head of the division was assigned to Edward Krawczyk [3]. Next, in 1991, the Department of Social and Technical Infrastructure was created, as part of which tourism issues were to be addressed by the division for culture [4]. The last change in tourism management structures on the territory of the sieradzkie province was the creation on 15th November 1994 of the Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism. The directors of the department during this period were: Jerzy Kowalski (in the years 1994 – 1997) and Andrzej Tomaszewicz (1998) [5].

On the territory of the sieradzkie province in the period discussed two specialized social organizations conducted tourist activities: The Polish Tourist and Sightseeing Association (PTTK) and the Polish Youth Hostel Association (PTSM) [6,7,8,9]. In addition, the following entities engaged in the organization of qualified tourism: Automobile Club of Sieradz, Association of Rural Sports Teams (LZS), Provincial Sports Association of Labour Cooperatives "Start", sports and recreation centres and youth organizations [10,11,12]. Economic activity within the scope of tourism was conducted by: Provincial Tourism Company (WPT) "Tursir" (operated in the years 1979-1981), Provincial Youth Tourism Office (WBTM) "Juventur", branch of the Polish Tourist Office "Orbis" and All-Poland Tourist Cooperative (OST) "Gromada" in Sieradz, Office of Tourist and Recreation Services of OSiR in Sieradz, Office of Tourist Services of OSiR in Wieluń as well as PTTK Offices of Tourist Services in Sieradz Wieluń, Łask and Zduńska Wola [13,14].

In the period discussed, funding for the development of tourism in the province of sieradzkie, provided from the province budget, was allocated among others to: subsidizing associations and social organizations (PTTK PTSM, LZS), organizing events popularizing tourism and touring, training of social staff (instructors, guides and tour operators), marking tourist trails, tourist forest management, opening new tourist equipment rental shops, tourist publications promoting values of touring the province, implementation of investment projects (constructing campsites, equipping tourist buildings, ongoing maintenance of tourist inns), subsidizing stays of children from Belarus, maintenance of tourist trails and WOIT funding allotted to current operations of information centres and promotion of the sieradzkie province [15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20]. (table no. 1)

DISCUSSION

In 1975, there were 23 tourist accommodation establishments on the territory of the sieradzkie province with a capacity of 924 beds. Implementation of the "Programme of Physical Education, Sport and Tourism Development until 1985'' helped to extend the range of accommodation to 35 tourist accommodation establishments with a capacity of 1,484 beds including 10 year-long ones with a capacity of 421 beds [21]. The degree of the facilities use in

1985 was approximately 41%.

Tourist facilities located in the province of sieradzkie were administered by: Central Union of Agricultural Cooperatives "Peasants' Self Help" (4 facilities, including 3 year-long ones located in Łask - Kolumna, Lututów and Osjaków with a total of 138 beds), Central Union of Consumer Cooperative "Społem" (2 year-long facilities in Tumidaj and Stawiszcze with a capacity of 78 beds), Polish Youth Hostel Association (PTSM) (12 temporary facilities with a total capacity of 309 beds), Centre for Sport and Recreation (OSiR) (12 facilities, including 5 year-long ones with a total capacity of 663 beds), sports clubs (5 seasonal facilities located in Konopnica and Burzenin with a capacity of 296 beds) [14] (table no. 2).

In 1975, on the territory of the sieradzkie province there were 16 tourist information centres. Their number increased each year reaching 20 centres in 1983. Tourist information centres were located in tourist offices and accommodation facilities on the territory of the province of sieradzkie [13]. In addition, information activities were conducted by the Provincial Centre for Information and Tourist Promotion, operating at the Provincial Tourism Company (WPT) "Tursir". After the liquidation of "Tursir" the propaganda- and information-related duties were out of necessity taken over by the Department of Physical Education, Sport and Tourism (WKFSiT) of the Provincial Office (UW) in Sieradz. In order to spread the tourist attractions of the sieradzkie province, WKFSiT together with the Central Tourist Information Centre (COIT) in Warsaw, Provincial Nature Conservator, Head of the Municipal Council in Warta, Regional Touring Laboratory of the Provincial Board of Tourist and Sightseeing Association (ZW PTTK) and PTTK branches in Sieradz and Warta undertook the production of publications popularizing the province of sieradzkie. This cooperation resulted in the publication of the following titles: „Katalog Informacji Użytkowej” ["Practical Information Catalogue"], „Zajazdy województwa sieradzkiego” ["Inns of the Sieradzkie Province"] (compilation), „Znakowane szlaki turystyczne i rezerwaty przyrody województwa sieradzkiego” ["Marked Tourist Trails and Nature Reserves of the Sieradzkie Province"] (map), „Wypoczynek w Dolinie Warty” ["Leisure in the Warta Valley"] (compilation), „Załęczański Park Krajobrazowy” ["Załęczański Landscape Park"] (compilation), „Warta wita i zaprasza” ["Warta welcomes you and invites you"] (compilation), „Muzeum miasta i rzeki Warty przy oddziale PTTK w Warcie” ["Museum of the Warta City and River at the Branch of Tourist and Sightseeing Association (PTTK) in Warta"] (compilation), „Szlakami Województwa Sieradzkiego” ["Trails of the Sieradzkie Province"] (series of 5 hiking guides), „Informator o imprezach turystycznych” ["Handbook of Tourist Events"] (published annually), "Szlak Jury Wieluńskiej” ["Wieluń Jura Trail" (1st and 2nd edition, together with the Central Tourist Information Centre (COIT) branch in Częstochowa), „Wsie letniskowe” ["Holiday Villages"] (Krzeczów, Kamion, Burzenin, Konopnica) together with the Provincial Centre for Sports and Tourist Information (WOISiT) in Łódź [22]. Exclusion of tasks related to tourist information from the Department of Physical Education, Sport and Tourism (WKFSiT) took place in 1988. With the ordinance no. 31 (dated 27th December 1988), the sieradzkie province governor Henryk Antosiak on 1st January set up the Provincial Tourist Information Centre (WOIT) in Sieradz. The aim of the centre was the development of services in the field of tourist information provided to the general public and conducting activities related to staff training and production of tourist and sightseeing publications [23]. In 1992, WOIT supervised 30 information centres operating at tourist offices and accommodation facilities [18]. The activity of WOIT as a publisher between 1992 - 1998 resulted in: „Drewniane kościoły województwa sieradzkiego” ["Wooden Churches of Sieradzkie Province"] (leaflet), „Sieradzkie zaprasza” ["Welcome to the Sieradzkie Province"] (compilation) together with the Central Tourist Information Centre (COIT), „Muzea sieradzkie zapraszają” ["Welcome to the Museums of the Sieradzkie Province" (compilation) together with COIT, topographical and tourist maps of the Łódź region in cooperation with the Provincial Office in Łódź and Piotrków Trybunalski, „Dziedzictwo kulturowe Polski Środkowej” ["The Cultural Heritage of Central Poland"] (leaflet), "Muzea sieradzkie" ["Museums of Sieradz"]

(leaflet), „Kajakiem po Warcie i Widawce” [“Canoeing on the River Warta and Widawka"] (compilation) [19, 24, 25].

CONCLUSION

To sum up, it must be noted that the main determinants of the development of tourism in the sieradzkie province were: tourism infrastructure (accommodation and catering), the volume of funding allocated to the tasks associated with tourism, qualified tourist staff, as well as activities in the field of tourist information and promotion of tourism. Emphasis should also be put on the role of the Department of Physical Education and Tourism (and any of its successors), which as a unit of the Provincial Office in Sieradz acted as a coordinator and supervisor within the scope of the development of tourism in the province of sieradzkie in the years 1975-1998.