Arche Group Władysław Grochowski
When asked where they intend to go, thinking about ideal holidays, only 34 percent (a decrease of 6 percentage points vs. 2025) would like to go abroad, while 46 percent indicated traveling within the country. Similar to several previous holiday seasons, we leave travel decisions until the last minute.
Most Poles will go away at least once during the holidays. This is according to data collected by the Polish Tourist Organisation. More and more people declare at least one holiday trip. Almost sixty percent of Poles planning summer leisure declare a domestic holiday trip. Eighty percent of respondents will travel with their families. Most will spend four to six days by the sea or in the mountains, spending up to two thousand zlotys on it.
— Stays of 5 – 7 nights are increasingly chosen instead of the traditional 3 – 4 nights. The reason is simple: transport costs are an ever-growing part of the budget, so consumers “stretch” their stay to lower the daily cost of their holiday. One of the more surprising trends of 2026 is nostalgic tourism. Generation Z and Millennials, in particular, are looking for places, events, and experiences reminiscent of childhood or earlier decades. We don’t change history; we extract it, which naturally fits these needs. For some time now, small towns, local guides, regional cuisine, and culture have been gaining popularity. Tourists are less and less interested in “checking off attractions” and more in experiencing local life. Traveling with dogs and other animals is becoming one of the fastest-growing market segments. Interestingly, the line between business travel and leisure is increasingly blurring. Many guests extend business trips by a weekend or a few days of relaxation. Meanwhile, the TOP foreign bookings in Arche facilities are: Germany, Great Britain, USA, Ukraine, China, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Sweden, and Italy — reveals Arche board member Klaudia Romanowicz.
This year, we are planning our holidays with less enthusiasm than last year, but we are not giving up on travel. The “Holiday Barometer 2026” study shows that we more often choose domestic holidays, control our expenses more carefully, and pay more attention to safety. We are also increasingly boldly reaching for artificial intelligence, which is beginning to genuinely influence how holidays are organised. This year, Poles are not as optimistic about summer trips. Although 75 percent of us plan to travel between June and September, this is a decrease of 7 percentage points compared to last year.
71 percent showed enthusiasm for travel, which also indicates an 8 percentage point decrease. This is mainly influenced by three factors that have remained at a similar level over the past three years. As 72 percent of respondents declared, inflation and high prices significantly impact their enthusiasm for upcoming trips. The second reason is wars and armed conflicts (65 percent of votes, an increase of 4 percentage points), which significantly affect prices. However, Poles do not want to give up traveling entirely but are looking for cheaper offers. In response to this situation, Arche, Poland’s largest hotel chain with domestic capital, has just introduced a “half-price holidays” stay offer.
— For the second year in a row, we have launched the “half-price holidays” stay offer. Everyone benefits from this solution: our guests — who can spend their holidays at a bargain price, but also us — because we increase direct sales revenue, thereby raising the occupancy level of our facilities. Details of this offer can be followed on our websites. In addition, we also have a standing pro-demographic offer for families with 3+ children, and we honour the Senior Card — explains Władysław Grochowski, President of Arche Group.
This summer, an exceptionally rich holiday offer awaits travellers in Poland, and the upcoming season looks very promising for the domestic tourism market. High occupancy can be expected in top-standard facilities, which consistently attract guests with more affluent wallets, as well as foreign travellers, with their attractive offers. At the same time, with such enormous market competition and supply of accommodation, tourists looking for economic solutions can choose from cheaper options.
— Travellers are no longer just looking for a place to sleep, but above all for unique, unforgettable experiences, distinctive places with soul, local cuisine, authenticity, and inspiration. We have built and are constantly expanding such an offer. Hence, Arche has been on a rising wave for years and records good financial results. We are extremely pleased that we manage to meet the expectations of diverse and demanding clients from Poland and abroad and host over a million tourists annually. Year after year, we observe an increase in interest in our unconventional locations and revitalized historic buildings with history in the background, strongly embedded in the local context, with an original offer and rich infrastructure in areas surrounded by nature. In the Arche collection, which we are constantly expanding, we already have 24 such gems, and each of them hides unique emotions and offers unique attractions, including sports activities, children’s animations, art exhibitions, concerts, culinary workshops and regional dishes, to living museums, fruit and vegetable parks and gardens, or even a ZOO and quiet contemplation with monastic meditation. We see that people have an increasing appetite for moving away from screens and for real social interactions, and we provide that for them — summarizes Adam Białas, Director of Communication and Operations (COO) and Spokesperson for Arche Group.
Photo by Arche Group
Interestingly, 63 percent of respondents surveyed in Holiday Barometer 2026 indicated that their favourite aspect of travelling is relaxation and escaping from daily routine and stress (+3 p.p.). Other circumstances voted for by respondents: discovering new places (cities, landscapes, and attractions) – 57 percent, creating memories – 43 percent, trying new dishes and local cuisine – 41 percent. Although enthusiasm has slightly decreased this year, it does not prevent us from planning several trips during the holiday period. 32 percent of us would like to take several trips between June and September. More and more people choose to travel not because of the destination, but because of the effect it is supposed to bring: regeneration, development, health, family relationships, or pursuing passions. Instead of the question “where to?”, the question “why?” arises. Typical holiday destinations are fading into oblivion and giving way to unconventional ones that offer more experiences.
About Arche
The company carried out its first investments in Warsaw and Siedlce, and for two decades, it has been building throughout Poland. Currently, Arche is the largest Polish hotel chain with domestic capital, bringing together over 2,000 investors owning a total of over 3,500 hotel rooms and apartments, as well as a residential developer. The company started its operations in 1991 and has built over 12,000 apartments and houses in its history, and recently launched its 24th facility in its Arche Metalowiec Muszyna collection, thus having a total of approximately 4,800 rooms. For years, Arche Group has been caring for historical monuments primarily out of a passion for saving our history, transforming forgotten objects into vibrant hotels, which constitutes their business model based on revitalization. And Arche’s president, Władysław Grochowski, emphasizes that historical monuments are an important element of identity that connects Poles and should not disappear. For nearly a quarter of a century, the company has been giving Poles the opportunity to earn in the commercial real estate sector through its proprietary Arche System, which goes far beyond the definitions of apart- and condohotels. Arche SA President Władysław Grochowski, together with his wife, also runs extensive activities within the Lena Grochowska Foundation, integrating communities, activating socially excluded people, those with intellectual disabilities, and the most needy. For this, at the end of 2023, he received one of the most important awards in the world at a gala in Geneva — the prestigious Nansen Award, granted by the UN High Commissioner. And at the end of 2024, the Indian Mother Teresa of Calcutta Award.
